The Moderate Phase timeline of the French Revolution

Getting good study habits

How long did the moderate phase last?

From 1789-1791

When did the Estates General get called together?

May of 1789

What is the here's what of the calling of the Estates General?

Louis calls the Estates General together for the first time since 1614 because he was desperate for money and to put an end to rioting over high bread prices

What is the so what of the calling of the Estates General?

When you have many upset people from all 3 estates in a room, they are determined to create change This was a catalyst for revolution!

What is a catalyst?

A person or thing that causes an event

When did the tennis court oath take place?

June of 1789

What is the here's what of the tennis court oath?

- After weeks of the Estates General meeting, there is a stale-mate - nothing is getting decided!
- 3rd estate declares they would form their own government called the National Assembly
- They (the 3rd estate) retreat to the royal tennis courts after the king tried to ban their meeting
- Here they pledge the "Tennis Court Oath" which says they will continue to meet until they have a new constitution
- Louis gives in and orders the other two estates (1st and 2nd) to join the 3rd estate in the National Assembly

What is the so what of the tennis court oath?

- People demanded change and they got it, Louis XVI is forced to respond and the people realized their power
- The Estates General no longer exists
- A new national assembly is formed

When did the fall of Bastille occur?

July 14, 1789

What is the Bastille?

The medieval French prison and armoury

What is the here's what of the fall of Bastille?

- Continued riots over bread prices. Louis sends mercenary soldiers (people from foreign countries who are paid to be in another countries army) and people assume he is using them to stop the progress
- A mob of peasants attack the Bastille
- The royal troops sent by the king to stop the attack end up joining the mob
- The mob cut off the governor's head and parade it through the streets
- Citizens from a new army "National Guard" to defend Paris

What is the so what of the fall of Bastille?

- Official start of the French revolution
- Bastille was symbolic of the ancient regime and power of the king - by destroying it they are effectively destroying the monarchy with their hands
- It frightens Louis and he senses the power of the people
- Start to see the beginning/acceptance of violence
- The French flag was born

When did the great fear take place?

July-August of 1789

What is the here's what of the great fear?

- Peasants in the countryside feared the king and nobles would stop the revolution before they gained rights
- Peasants stormed into the chateaux of the aristocrats and burnt feudal certificates and killed many nobles

What is the so what of the great fear?

- Revolution was all over the country now, not just in Paris
- The National Assembly abolished feudalism, ended serfdom, equality for all
- Led to the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen

What is serfdom?

A system that required peasants to provide labor services for land owners and prevented them from marrying or moving away without landlord's permission.

When was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen created?

August of 1789

What is the here's what of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (DoRoMac)?

- Document passed by the National Assembly
- Sets out basic human rights - guarantees freedom of thought, religion, speech, security, and property and put limits on the power of the government
- Similar to the American Declaration of Independence - the ideas of the philosophers came to life

What is the so what of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen?

- Puts limits on the power of the government - power now belongs to the people
- The king is not mentioned in the document

When and where did the march of women take place?

October of 1789 from Paris to Versailles

What is the here's what of the march of women?

- They were unhappy with the progress of the National Assembly - People wanted bread and they heard Versailles was storing much wheat and they were angry
- Crowds of women from Paris decided to march to Versailles - they were joined by thousands of others on the way. They attacked the National Assembly and stormed the palace almost capturing the King and Queen

What is the so what of the march of women?

- Ordinary, lower class women can make a difference
- Terrible violence continues to be left unchecked
- Forced the monarchy to move to Paris - they could no longer ignore the revolution
- Louis signs the DoRoMac

When did the National Assembly create the constitution of 1791?

July/August of 1791

What is the here's what of the National Assembly creating the constitution of 1791?

- Abolished the titles of nobles, now everyone is equal and called a citizen
- The new government controls the Catholic Church and takes its land
- Includes the separation of powers
- Administrative regions established with elected officials (democracy)

What is the so what of the National Assembly creating the constitution of 1791

- Old system is officially gone
- France is now a constitutional monarchy
- Philosophers ideas continue to become a reality

When did the king and queen try to flee France?

June of 1791

What is the here's what for the king and queen trying to flee France?

- Many aristocrats/nobles had fled France (called the emigres) as they feared the growing power and violence of the revolution
- Louis, Marie Antoinette, and their children flee France in disguise but were caught

What is the so what of the king and queen trying to flee France

- The monarchy had to abandon their people and that made the citizens very mad
- Lots of people thought the king was a traitor
- Power shifts from the king to the revolutionaries

Who was Olympe de Gouges?

A female who wrote the Declaration of the rights of women

When did Olympe de Gouges write the Declaration of the rights of women?

September 14th of 1791

Why wasn't Olympe de Gouges popular and recognized?

No one agreed with her because back then, women didn't have rights and men didn't want them to

When did the Legislative Assembly meet?

October of 1791

What is the here's what of the Legislative Assembly meeting?

- National Assembly now called the Legislative Assembly
- Too many people were struggling for power

What is the so what of the Legislative Assembly meeting?

Leads to chaos and the reign of terror