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Divided French Society/Financial Troubles
The people were divided into three different estates or social classes. The first estate was made up of clergy and the second was made up of nobility. The third estate was made up of everyone else. Because of this, the third estate contained the majority of people. The first and second estate did not pay taxes but the third estate did. The people in the third estate did not think it was fair that they were paying for the countries debt while the second and first estate didn't pay anything. -
Louis XVI Calls the Estates-General Part One
France was on the verge of bankruptcy. He had all three estates prepare their problems with the way things were. Third estate was tired of being taxed and first and second estate not being taxed. Third estate elected delegates to represent them. FIrst and second estate always outvoted third estate because each estate got one vote. Third estate wanted votes to be counted by head instead so the vote was equal. -
Louis XVI Calls the Estates-Gereral Part Two
The Delelagates from the third estate claimed that they represented the people of France so they declared that they were the National Assembly. They got locked out of their meetin hall so they moved to a nearby tennis court and took the Tennis Court Oath. The Tennis Court Oath meant that they were not going to seperate and they would meet wherever they had to until they established a fair constitiution. The Clergy and Nobles also joined the assembly. -
Parisian storm the Bastille
There were rumors that the royal troops were going to occupy the capital so 800 Parisians gathered outside the Bastile. They needed weapons to defend themselves from the King and they thought there were weapons in the Bastille. When the guards refused to open the doors they stormed them and killed many people. This was a symbol for just how strongly people were about getting rid of absolute monarchy. -
Revolt/National Assembly Acts(Rights Of Man, Women's March, Church, Constituion) Part 1
There was a shortage of food so people began to get angry. Peasants attacted and harmed the nobles. The National Assembly decided it was time to do something. They voted to end their own privileges. By doing this they thought they abolished feudalism. This met an important Enlightenment goal, it gave equality to all male citizens. They then released the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. Women fought to get equal rights as well, but they couldn't do it. -
Revolt/National Assembly Acts(Rights Of Man, Women's March, Church, Constituion) Part 2
Louis XVI did not accept the reforms which angered the people and caused them to take action. On October 5, six thousand women marched 13 miles from Paris to Versailles. They were mad about not having food and demanded to see the king. They were also very angry with Marie Antionette. The women refused to leave until the king returned to Paris. Finally the king agreed and he and his family went to Paris where they were basically kept as prisoner. -
Revolt/National Assembly Acts(Rights Of Man, Women's March, Church, Constituion) Part 3
The Assembly decided to take over and sell Church lands to get themselves out of debt. The French Catholic Church was ever put under state control. The Cival Constitution of the Clergy made bishops and priests salaried officials. Some people did not support this. The National Assembly also produced a constitution. It was a limited monarchy. There was also a Legislative Assembly that had a lot of power. Lawmakers were elected by tax-paying male citizens over 25. Louis tried to escape but was seen -
Threats From Abroad
The King of Prussiaand and an Emperor of Austria release the Declaration of Pilnitz. They threatened to step in and protect the French monarchy, They didn't want the people to take over and get rid of the King but they didn't really want to fight either. They just wanted them to stop trying to over throw their government. Even Enlightened rulers turned against France. -
Civil War (Radicals Take Over)
The newly elected Legislative Assembly took office. It only worked for less than a year because of the economy, There were too many problems going on for it to work. There were also people who were really serious about the revolution called radicals. The sans culottes are one example of them. The radicals gained a lot of power and had the upper hand in the Legislative Assembly, The Legislative Assembly declared war in April 1772 aginst Austria, Prussia, Britain and other states. -
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Monarchy is Abolished
The people were mad at the king for being a traitor to them in a time of war. The king escaped the crowds and fled to the Legislative Assembly. The convention met and voted to establish the monarchy and establish the French Republic. They took the king to a public square in Paris and beheaded him. Marie Antoinette was also executed a few months later. She showed great dignity as she went to her death. -
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Robespierre and the Reign of Terror Part 1
Robespierre was a shrewd lawyer and politician. He got the nickname "the incorruptable" for being having selfless dedication to the revolution. He promoted religious tolerence and wanted to abolish slavery. He thought that France could reach republic of virtue by making criminals lose their heads. The reign of terror lasted a little under a year. Those who resisted the revolution were suspect. 300,000 people were arrested and 17,000 were executed. The engine of terror was the guillotine. -
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Robespierre and The Reign of Terror Part 2
The fast moving blade of the guillotine beheaded people instantly and quickly became a symbol of terror. On July 27, 1994, robespierre was arrested and executed the next day. After his death, exections slowed dramatically. -
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Third Stage of The Revolution
The people set up the third constition since 1789. It had a five man directory and 2 house legislature that was elected by male property owners. The middle class dominated it but there were some problems with the directory. The leaders took money instead of solving problems and war was continued with Austria and Britain. In the election of 1797 supporters of a constitional monarchy won. Napolean Boaparte returned and would soon become the ruler of France. -
Spread of Nationalism
After the Revolution the French felt a stong sense of pride in the country they had created. Before, in monarchs, people were loyal to their kings or queens. But now, nationalism was spreading. People were celebrating the nation and and creating songs and dances honoring thier nation.
