Ap euro French revolution

211/16/22

What were the main causes of the French revolution

Inequality of taxes
King Louis XIV was a weak king
France was in sever debt

Inequality of taxes

The poor were paying higher taxes than the wealthy. When the monarchy tried to start increasing taxes onto the nobility they saw this as a form of despotism

King Louis XVI

* King Louis XVI was the grandson to Louis XV, who was although brought many inconveniences, was a far better leader the Louis XVI
* He was far too young of a leader, and was indecisive
* The people resented him because they were going through dire circumstances in France, and the proposal of new taxes upon all estates

France was in sever debt

France were supporters of the American Patriots during their revolution, although that plunged them in severe debt.
* After the War Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War Louis XV attempted to raise taxes to an already struggling economy.
* France does not have a central bank or paper currency to fallback on
* The tax reforms failed and they ultimately ended up borrowing money

Marquis Lafayette

French aristocrat that strived to be like American soldiers and sailors after being inspired by there experience

The Calling of the Estates General/Formation of the National Assembly

* In 1787 Louis called for a meeting of the notables in effort to build support for his new tax plan on all property
* They declared that such a sweeping tax reform would require the consent of the Estates General which had not met since 1614
* Louis XVI started to loose his grasp on absolute power as he rules with decree

The Estates General

Legislative body of representatives from three estates
Each estate elected delegates first at the local level and then at the regional level
Clergy: Rep. by parish priests (demonstrating dissatisfaction with church hierarchy)
Nobility: Rep. by Conservatives from the provinces where the nobility was less wealthy and more numerous. However, 1/3 of nobles were liberals committed to major changes for France.
Commoners: Rep. by lawyers and government officials, few delegates representing business or the poor
They desire a move from absolutism to constitutional monarch, laws and taxes would require the consent of the estates General, and regular meetings of the Estates General.
On May 5th, 1789, twelve hundred delegates of the three estates met at Versailles

The National Assembly

Delegates of the Third Estate refused to meet until the king ordered the clergy and the nobility to sit with them in a single body
* On June 17th, they official called themselves the National assembly
* On June 20 they were barred from their meeting hall, so they moved to a near by tennis court, where they vowed to not disband until they had been recognized as a national assembly and had a written constitution

Popular Uprising and the Rights of Man

Amid the drama at Versailles and the National Assembly, the common people of France were suffering
* Near bankrupt financial situation
* Poor grain harvest lead to soaring bread prices
* Demand for manufactured goods plummeted and many lost jobs
* In Paris c 150,000 of the cities 600,000 inhabitants were unemployed

Storming of Bastille

* On July 14th, 1789, with rumors spreading of a massing of troops near Paris, a mob storms the prison of the bastille on the eastern edge of the city.
* They are seeking free political prisoners as well as secure arms
* Members of The National Assembly di not necessarily condemn this act, setting a dangerous precedence of violence in the revolution.
* Louis XVI, sheepishly withdraw his troops from Paris and reinstates Necker's as finance minister

After Bastille Day

* Just as revolutionary fervor had ignited in Paris, so too did it spread to the country side of France.
* Peasants of France began rising up against their landlords, ransacked manor houses, and torched documents that outlined their obligations to the feudal lords
* The Great Fear broke out across the French Countryside -peasants feared reprisals from vengeful landlords. This led to further revolts among the peasantry

The Great Fear

* To quell the chaos, the National Assembly in Paris passes a surprise decree on August 4th, 1789
All noble privilege's -including peasant serfdom, exclusive hunting rights, fees for having legal cases judged in the lords court, the right to make peasants work on the roads - were abolished, along with tithes paid to the church
* The declaration of Rights of Man and of the Citizen
This guaranteed equality before the law, representative government for a sovereign people, and individual freedom. It became the key doc for the liberals

March of the Poissards to Versailles

* 7,000 women followed by the national guard, march twelve miles from Paris to Versailles
* Their goal to bring attention to the lack of food and dire living circumstances Paris to the king
* They disrupt the proceedings of the National Assembly

Consitiutional Monarchy

The national Assembly abolished the nobility , and in July, louis XVI swore to uphold the yet unwritten constitution, thus establishing the constitutional monarchy of France
* This brings and effective end to absolutism in France

Revolution and Religion

The national Assembly nationalized the Catholic Church' s property and abolished monasteries.

The International Response

* Liberals supported the triumph of liberty over despotism of the King
* Conservatives feared that liberal reform would lead ro chaos and tyranny
* Edmund Burke, conservative British statesman is one such example of these views.

Conservatives Response

The upper-class initially welcomed the revolution, however as the aristocrats started to flee France and describe the revolution, European monarchs begin to fear its spread across Europe
* the royal family tried to flee but were arrested, and revolutionaries saw this as the king abandoning his people, and seeking to undermine liberal reforms.
They were forced to return to Paris

Revolutionary Reactions

Many of these members came from the Jacobin club, a political club in revolutionary France whose members were well-educated, radical republicans
* Robespierre had actually warned that the Revolutions must deal with its enemies within before seeking those without. The Mountain is initially against fighting foreign wars, while the Girondins Supported foreign intervention.
Revolutionary France declared war of the Habsburg monarch, Francis II, in April of 1792

Political clubs

*The first club had been established by political factions among the deputes to the national Assembly.
* Some of the most radically liberal members split off to form the Jacobin club
Montagnard's (The Mountains): The most radical branch of the Jacobins. They will call for the death of the king at his trial
Girondins: more moderate republicans. They will not call for the death of the king

Revolutionary Reaction

* Prussia Joins Austria in their war against the French. This became known as the First Coalition
* Volunteers rallied to the capital and sang the La Marseillaise

Radicalization & the Kings Arrest

* Amid the growing hysteria, a radical committee overthrew the city counsel and established the Paris Commune
* A revolutionary crown of mainly SANS--CULOTTES attacked the royal palace at the Tuileries. Over 600 Swiss Guards of the King will be killed. The royal family fled to the Legislative Assembly for safety. Instead, they were arrested there and the king was suspended from all his governmental duties.
* Through insurrection, France was taking its move towards republicanism

The Second Revolution

* The fall of the monarchy marked a radicalization of revolution. This is known as the second revolution
* Within this second revolution, France will away from constitution monarchy and towards establishing a republic
* The violence was spurred on by radical members of the Jacobin such as Georges Danton

Revolutionary Warfare

* the armies of France were able to stop the Prussians at the Battle of Valmy, sparing Paris from capture
* As French armies advanced, they found support among the peasants and middle class. They abolished feudalism and gave chase to royals
* Following these success of the battlefield, the newly established National Convention will also declare war on Great Britain, the Dutch Republic, and Spain (already fighting Austria and Prussia)

Modern Nationalism

Dedication and loyalty to the nation proved and essential component in the success of French forces against those of the first Coalition
* The French were fighting for their country, while other countries were fighting for a king, queen, prince etc..

The Second Revolution

* However the Convention will be plagued by political infighting among the delegates, rebellion - even civil war within France, and reversal of fortune on the Battle field
* These factors will combine to see the young republic descend into a new form of despotism - the reign of terror led by Maximillian Robespierre.