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Divided French Society and Financial Troubles
The Three Estates and Unequal PowerIn the 1700s, French was still set up in an outdated social system. The top two estates didn’t have to pay taxes due to traditional privileges, which left the third estate to pay off debt. This consisted of most townspeople. King Louis XIV left a lot of debt behind, which caused a rise in taxes to pay this off. Many people in the third estate became unhappy and tensions continued between the different social groups because of the unbalanced power in social groups. -
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Louis XVI Calls the Estates-General
Calling the Estates GeneralIn late 1780s, France was in danger of bankruptcy. As a result, Louis XVI called the Estate-General for a meeting. To prepare for this, Louis had everyone write down their grievances. Many people from the third class wanted more freedom and released from paying so many taxes. On May 1789, the Estates-General met and discussed voting procedure. Then, in June 1789 the third estate took action and formed their out National Assembly and represent the people of France. -
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Revolts and Constitution
Nobles have to Pay TaxesIn 1789, revolts from peasants started due to rumors being spread about attacks on villages and that the government would be seizing peasant crops. On August 4, nobles in the National Assembly voted out their privileges, including no longer being exempt from taxes. In late August, the Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizens was formed as the first step to making a Constitution. However, this document excluded women. Many women spoke out, including Olympe de Gouges, and were later -
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Revolts and Constitution Continued
Women March imprisoned and executed. On October 5, six thousand women marched to Versailles to demand for the King to move to Paris. King Louis XVI moved into the Tuileries Palace and the National Assembly later followed. In 1791, the National Assembly created a constitution that limited monarchy power, gave equal rights to men, and ended church disputes by making it a church state. The King showed he wasn’t for the revolution changes when he was caught trying to escape Paris. -
Parisians Storm the Bastille
On July 14, 1789 the city of Paris rebelled against France. More than 800 Parisians formed outside the Bastille and demanded weapons. However, they were rejected and the commanders of the Bastille opened fire on the crowd. After pushing through, the Parisians killed the commander and the five guards watching the Bastille. This rebel was a wake-up call to Louis XVI and showed the years of abuse by the monarchy. -
Threats from abroad
Threats had started in August 1791 after King Louis XVI failed to escape from Paris. The King of Prussia and the emperor of Austria came together to create the Declaration of Pilnitz. They threatened to take action to protect the French monarchy. France took this threat seriously, even though it could have been a fake, and prepared for war. This was the beginning of more changes and problems to follow. -
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Radicals begin War
Radicals declare WarIn October 1791, the new Legislative Assembly took office. It only lasted about a year form the crisis they faced. Prices rose rapidly and there was food shortages. Working class women and men pushed for revolution and demanded a republic rule by elected representatives. Others opposed the radicals and didn’t want any reforms. The radicals soon made their way into the Legislative Assembly and in April 1992, declared war first on Austria and then Prussia, Britain, and many more states. -
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The French Monarchy is Abolished
August 10th attack on palaceOn August 10, 1792 a group of Parisians stormed the Tuileres palace and killed the King’s guards. The royal family escaped on time to the Legislative Assembly. About a month later, 1200 prisoners, consisting of nobles and priests, were killed by citizens. Backed up by Paris crowds, radicals then took control of the Legislative Assembly. A convention was held in September 1792 to vote to abolish the French monarchy.The King was sentenced to death on January 1793 from being a traitor. -
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Robspierre creates the Reighn of Terror
RobespierreIn early 1793, France was in danger and in war with much of Europe. The Committee of Public Safety was created due to all the threats France was receiving. The Committee was in charge of trials, executions, and preparing for wars. Robespierre took control and though republic virtue could only be achieved though terror. The guillotine was created to behead those who resisted the revolution On July 27,1794 Robespierre was arrested and executed the next day.After this, executions decreased greatly. -
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Creation of the Third Stage of Revolution
Third French ConstitionModerates created the third Constitution as a reaction to all the terror. It set up a five man Directory which held power until 1799. They were weak, but also doctorial. They made peace with Prussia and Spain and stopped riots that occurred due to the rising of bread prices. In the 1797 election, the supporters of a constitutional monarchy took most of the vote in the legislature. At this time, many politicians turned to Napoleon Bonaparte to help them advance. -
French Revolution takes a turn
By 1799, the French Revolution changed completely. It no longer had a monarchy, took away social differences, and made the church a state control. Nationalism began to spread throughout France. The Revolutionaries pushed for social reforms and religious equality. State schools were set up in place of religious ones. Organizations were also made to help poor, old soldiers, and war widows. The government also stopped slavery in France’s Caribbean colonies.
