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A divided society
For years there has been a noticable gap between the estates, or classes. The first estate being extremely wealthy, contained the Clergy, or high ranking religious officials.They also were exlcuded from paying taxes, even though they were so wealthy. These people owned 10% of the land, collected tithes on everything, and as stated above, had no direct taxes. The second estate, Nobles, were also privledged enough to claim the same rights as well. Also, the very defenders of the Nobility, Knights -
A divided society pt.2
Had an income that was locked in, and they had the right to actually raise taxes on the third estate.This brings us to the third estate. This estate was in fact the majority of the French nation. It contained those of the educated class, aka the bourgeoisie. People who had jobs like, lawyers, doctors, journalists, and professors. Although these people weren't neccessarily poor, they weren't wealthy. This class also contained the poor, as well as peasants. These peasants were paid very little for -
A divided society pt.3
Extremely hard work they do, so in turn they turn to begging, or worse, crime as a means of supporting themselves. Not to mention, bad harvests made farming nearly impossible, while they still had taxes in the form of food. This not only made it hard to produce food for themselves, but because of all this, the price of food was HEAVILY increased, and this group couldn't even afford a loaf of bread. This lead to the starvation of many. Another issue with these classes is that the king never... -
A divided society pt.5
on the 28th of April, 1789 when anger exploded through a Paris wallpaper factory about the owner cutting already low wages, while bread prices were soaring. Enraged the workers went to the owners house and completely vandalized it. This in a sense, was the begining of a revolution to put an end to all of this mistreament, and inequality. -
A divided society pt.4
enforced reformation of the estates, so the 1st and 2nd continued to live lavish lifestyles, while the 3rd class struggled to barely get along. The king also kept deficit spending, putting them in further debt. They also help contribute in the American Revolution, when they couldn't even afford to help, this also sunk them further in debt. This third estate though, had people who were starving for equality, although, they really had no power and their voices were not heard. This all began to end -
Louis XVI calls the Estates-General
As starvation grew, and the prices of bread continued to increase the hand of Louis was then forced to call the Estates-General to meet. In preparation Louis has all three estates prepare "cahiers," or a list of notes that that listed all their grievances. Most of the cahiers called for reforms that included fairer taxes, freedom of the press, or even just regular meetings of the Etates-General. In one town shoemakers denounced the regulations that made leather so expensive they couldn't afford -
Louis XVI calls the Estates-General pt.4
They realized it was locked, in fear that the kind was dismissing them, the delegates moved to a nearby tennis court and took oath, on swearing to stick together. -
Louis XVI calls the Estates-General pt.2
To even make shoes. Delegates from the third estate were elected, although only men who owned property could vote. Thus, the third class delgates were mostly lawyers, middle-class officials, and writers who were familiar with the writings of Voltaire, Rousseau, and other philosophes. The third class not only went to the Estates-General to solve the financial crisis, but also to insist on complete reform. Although the estates-general sempt like a fair way of gather each estates opinion on things -
Louis XVI calls the Estates-General pt.3
The king failed to realize that the Clergy and Nobility would work together to dictate the votes, due to the fact that each estate only recieved one vote, so nothing every got solved because the third estate didn't have enough of a say.The third estate argued that each estate should recieve votes based on their population. Although this failed, the third estate claimed to represent the people, then they declared themselves to be the National Assembly. One day, on the way to their meeting hall -
Parisians storm the Bastille
Although this blazed on, rumor spread in Paris that royal troops were going to occupy the city. In anger, more than 800 Parisians assembled outside the Bastille, and demanded weapons and gunpowder. The commander of the Bastille hastly denied their demands and opened fire on the crowd, in a fury the citizens broke through defenses and overtake the fort, they kill 5 guards, the commander, and release some prisoners, yet they find no guns. Brick by brick, they tear this last symbol medieval abuse. -
Revolt/National Assembly Acts pt.5
Where he is soon caught at the border, and then taken back to Paris. -
Revolt/Nation Assembly Acts
The political revolt also coincided with the worst famine in recent history. Starving peasants, and poor flocked to town where unemployment exploded, this only made jobs more scarce, and even harder to obtain one. Grain prices soon soar, and people with jobs are forced to spend 80% of their income on bread. Other rumors spread and this created something knnown as the "Great Fear." where rumors were spread of attacks on villages, and government officials seizing peasant crops. Furious, fearless -
Revolt/National Assembly Acts pt.2
Peasants set fire to old manors, and stole grain from storehouses. Due to peasant uprisings, and the storming of the Bastille, the National Assembly is forced to meet August 4. In an all night discusion, Noble agree, and the National Assembly votes, they come to conclusion the Nobles will give up their special privledges of old manorial dues, exclusive hunting rights, special legal status, and most importantly, give up their exemption in taxes. In late August the National Assembly rights a -
Revolt/National Assembly Acts pt.4
state control. They soon dissolved convents and monasteries. The National Assembly's main job was to make a constitution. This constitution limited monarchy, created a new Legislative assembly that made laws, collect taxes, and decide on issues of war and peace. Lawmakers would be elected by tax-paying males over the of 25. Meanwhile, the king tries to escape from Paris, and head to Prussia to get help to reinforce monarch in France. He gets in a coach wagon, inside disguised as a peasant -
Revolt/National Assembly Acts pt.3
Document called the "Declaration of the Rights of Man" which declares that all male citizens where equal before the law, asserted freedom of religion, and called for taxes based on your income. After the event, 6,000 woman march to Versailles shouting "Bread!" Much of their anger was directed at the Queen for living a lavish lifestyle and draining the treasury. The women demanded that the royal family would come back to Paris with them. Unhappily, he agreed. Soon after the church is placed under -
Threats from abroad
European rulers increase border patrol to prevent Nobles, and Clergy from fleeing. Other "Enlightment" rulers will soon turn against France in fear they will lose their monarch. After Prussia and Austria threaten to intervene, also with the financial crisis at home, cause the new Legislation to fail. After, "Sans-culottes" (without breeches)push a more radical approach to this new revolution. They push for a more republican approach, ruled by elected representatives. -
Monarchy is abolished
Crowds of Parisians attack kings palace and slaughter his royal guards, although the royal family escapes. A month later about 1,200 prisoners were killed by angry crowds, many of the the prisoners were political offenders. Radicals backed by the people decide to execute the king, whilehes infront of the people ge tries to give a last speech, by the guards drown him out a drumroll. -
Civil war
The radicals eager to spread this new enlightment approach, soon declare war on surrounding monarchs, like Prussia, Britain, and Austria. the monarchs were eager to gain an easy victory, although the French actually proved to be a solid fighter. The civil war here, was a fight between a new republic, and an old monarch. -
Reign of terror
To deal with the threats of France the Convention developed the "Committe of Public Safety." a 12 man committee that had almost absolute power as it tried to keep the revolution going. The committee forced all citizens to pay a mass levy in ordere to fuel war efforts. The committee has all the power of trials, as well as excutions as well. Robespieree, the incorruptible, heavenly changed things by trialling are criminals with death. 300,000 were arrested during terror, while 17,000 were executed -
3rd stage
New Constitution of 1795 institutes a a new 5 man Directory, witha 2 house legislature elected by male citizens of property.Soon people would lean on napoleon Bonaparte, who lead brillant victories against austria. However, they fail to realize that he will soon take power of France. -
Nationalism spreads
By 1799 France had completely changed; new social order, no monarch, and church was under state control. Equality was now established. The revolution, and war gave people pride in their country,
