The French Revolution
Louis XVI - Napoleon
Setting the Stage
1788 King Louis XVI needs cash
– France bankrupt
• Fighting the British during the 7 Years War
(French and Indian War)
• Supported America during the American
Revolution
• Upkeep on Palace of Versailles
Louis Calls the Estates-General
Estates General
– Similar to Parliament
– Representatives from each of the 3 classes of
French society
1st Estate - Clergy
2nd Estate - Nobles
3rd Estate – Everyone else
- bourgeoisie
- artists, farmers,
Peasants, city workers etc
Divide up room
1st Estate on right (2 people)
2nd Estate in middle ( 2 people)
3rd Estate on left ( everyone else)
The issue for today’s vote:
– Extra Credit
Estates General
1st Estate has 300 members and one vote
2nd Estate has 300 members and one vote
3rd Estate has 600 members and one vote
– How do you feel about this if you are in the 3rd
Estate???
– WHY?
Demand for Change
3rd Estate wants to change voting
procedures.
– Want to establish a National Assembly where
EACH representative has a vote.
King Louis XVI’s Response
NADA!!! No!!, No
Way!!! Aint gonna
happen!!!, Forgetaboutit!!!
Nope!!! Uh-uh!!! Not on
my watch!!! Not here, not
now, not ever!!!
Get the idea??
3 Estate Response
rd
May 1789 -Representatives meet on an indoor
tennis court and pledged that they would not
leave until the king agrees to their demands
– “The Tennis Court Oath”
Embarrassing situation for the king
King agrees
Establishment of The National Assembly
Bastille Day
July 1789 French farmers, peasants do not have
enough to eat and are paying high taxes
– Nobles out of touch (“Let them eat cake”)
Peasants getting a bit rowdy
Louis XVI starts assembling troops at Versailles
People fear he is planning to attack the new
National Assembly and arrest members
Bastille Day continued
People in Paris hear
about the troops
– Begin to riot.
– July 14, 1789 - Attack the
Bastille – fortress prison
in Paris holding political
prisoners, debtors,
criminals etc.
• Seen as a symbol of Kings
power
• People storm the prison and
free the prisoners.
Declaration of the Rights of
Man
National Assembly votes to eliminate all
classes, titles, nobility.
– Say nobles and clergy must pay taxes too
Serves as a basis for French Constitution
“Liberty,
Equality,
Fraternity”
Revolution gets out of hand
Riots soon spread to countryside
– Peasants attack nobles in their houses. Kill
many nobles
– Nobles and Clergy living in fear
Revolution Getting out of
Control
King Louis XVI attempts to flee the
country with his wife Marie Antoinette
Captured and brought back
Radicals getting more say in how the
government should be run
Outside Influences
1792-1793 Other nations of Europe worry
that revolution in France will spread to
their countries.
This is
not
This is good
getting out
of hand We
better
stop this
The killed
their
King!!!
Other nations invade France
– Austria, Prussia (Germany), Spain, Britain,
wage war on France.
– French fight them off
Radicals in France gain even more power
Rule of Revolution #2
“In the midst of chaos, the one who comes
out on top is the one who is most
organized and willing to speak out.”
• Mr. J
Radicals Gain Control
Robespierre and the
“Committee for Public
Safety”
– Begin hunting down all those
seen as a threat to the
Revolution
– 1793 Louis and Marie sent to
the guillotine
– “Reign of Terror” Begins
• Around 30,000 people will be
sent to the guillotine
• Nobles, peasants, workers,
anyone Robespierre saw as a
threat to the revolution
Reign of Terror
– “Reign of Terror” Begins
• Around 30,000 people will be sent to the
guillotine
• Nobles, peasants, workers, anyone
Robespierre saw as a threat to the
revolution
End of Reign of Terror
1794 – National
Convention feels
Robespierre has gone over
the line
– He is arrested, tried,
convicted and executed
– Don’t you just love the
irony of it all???
Impact of the Revolution
Monarchy is gone
Old feudal customs are gone
Slavery in French colonies abolished
France becomes democratic country
– The Directory
• 2 house legislature and committee of 5 Directors
– Inefficient, quarrelsome,
France has LARGE, experienced army
– Rising young star in that army – Napoleon Bonaparte
