The French Revolution

Revolution

A rapid significant change in society, politics, technology or the economy

Long term causes of the French Revolution

France’s absolute monarchy, the enlightenment, social divisions in France, the American Revolution

The absolute monarchy

Louis XVI ruled France in the 18th century as an absolute monarch, meaning he had total power over the country, believed that he had a divine right to rule.

The Enlightenment

A movement of thinkers who valued reason and science above faith and authority as a basis for society. Voltaire, Rousseau, Montesquieu. Criticised the ‘ancien régime’ (old system)

French Social Divisions

Three Estates/groups.

First estate

Clergy (priests and bishops), approximately 100,000 people. No tax, 10% of land.

Second Estate

Nobility, wealthy landlords, gov. and army, approximately 400,000 people. No tax, 60% of land.

Third estate

Common people, well-off doctors, peasants etc., approximately 25,000,000. Paid taxes, under feudal law.

Taille

Land tax

Gabelle

Salt tax

Corvée

Members of the third estate that worked for free repairing roads

Tithe

1/10 earnings to the Catholic Church

The American Revolution

French people were inspired by American achievements, France had incurred great debt by supporting Americans therefore taxes were raised, nobility displeased so a meeting of the Estates General was called

The Estates General

A sort of French Parliament made up of three parts, each representing an estate.

The meeting of the Estates General

May 1789, Versailles, First estate (308), second estate (285) and third estate (621). First and second wanted 1 vote per estate, third estate 1 vote per member

The National Assembly

6 weeks, third estate angry, named themselves, they declared they alone had the power to pass laws

Tennis Court Oath

The NA met on the Versailles tennis court and swore to stay together a new constitution was drawn up

Storming of the Bastille

Summer 1789, tensions due to high food price and shortages, National Guard, July 14, attacked the Bastille prison in Paris, ‘sans-culottes’

National Guard

Militia formed by the National Assembly

Short term causes of the Revolution

Calling Estates General, Tennis Court Oath, Storming the Bastille

Reforms of the NA

Abolished feudal system, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (August 1789- all men born free equal; LIBERTY, PROPERTY, SECURITY; equal before the law, freedom to speak write and print), Civil Constitution of the clergy

Symbols of the revolution

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

Flight to Varennes

Thousands of women forced the royals to Paris (Tuileries Palace), Louis and Marie Antoinette looked to Austria for help, planned to escape to modern-day Belgium, left but were caught at Varennes

War with Austria

The Assembly declared war on Austria in April 1792 as a surprise attack but the French were unprepared. The royal family was later imprisoned by the NA

September Massacres

September of 1792, sans-culottes declared France a republic and during celebrations, mobs broke into Parisian prisons and executed over 1,000 people in these.

King Louis XVI’s execution

Executed at the guillotine in Jan 1793, followed by Marie Antoinette 9 months after.

Maximilien Robespierre

1758-1794, Arras, elected for the Third Estate to the Estates General in 1789, stood for Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, Committee of Public Safety April 1793 (Law of Suspects to punish those thought to betray the revolution, Mass enlistment to the army, Law of Maximum. Many feared Robespierre had too much power, July of 1794 he was arrested and executed mere hours later.

Results of the French Revolution

The rise of Napoleon, spread of the revolutions ideals, the metric system, rise of middle class and armies.

Impact on Ireland

The ideals inspired some Irishmen to fight for the liberty of Ireland. The United Irishmen staged the 1798 rebellion and received military aid from the French gov.

Democracy

‘Rule by the people’ : A form of government where the people decide how the country is run and who will represent them.