The French Revolution

Absolutism

France was an Absolute monarch after Louis 14th

  • Absolute monarchs: didnā€™t share power with a counsel or parliament
    • ā€œDivine Right of Kingsā€

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Louis XIV (14th):

  • Ruled from 1643-1715
  • Reduced power of the nobility
  • Fought four wars
  • Greatly increased Franceā€™s national debt

The Seven Yearsā€™ War

Louis XV (15):

  • War fought in Europe, India, North America
  • France ends up losing some of its colonial possessions
  • Increases French national debt

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French and English troops fight at the battle of Fort St. Philip on the Island of Minorca


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Causes of the French Revolution:

  • Influence of the American Revolution

The Good:

  • Inspired by Thomas jefferson
  • Declaration of Independence

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The Bad:

  • France goes into more debt by helping us

  • Influence of the Enlightenment Ideas

    • Individual Freedoms
    • Natural Rights
    • Monarchy does not have divine right to rule

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France was in a lot of debt and the king was a weak leader


Marie Antoinette

1755 - 1792

  • Married Louis at 15 (was the dauphine)

    • Big spender $$
    • Bought new dress almost every other day
  • Austrian

  • Unpopular in France

    • ā€œMadame Deficitā€

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Louis XVI (16) \n

Insecure, clumsy, man with a good heart.

  • Disliked being King.

  • When one of his ministers resigned, he said, ā€œWhy canā€™t I resign too?ā€

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The Three Estates

First Estate - The Clergy (The Roman Catholic Church)

  • Less than 1% of population
  • 2nd richest of the three estates

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Second Estate - Rich nobles

  • Held highest offices in government
  • Exempt from taxes
  • 2% of population and richest of the three estates

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Third Estate - Everyone Else

  • Bourgeoisie, urban lower class, and peasant farmers
  • Had little power in the government
  • 98% of the population paid taxes. Poorest of the 3 estates.

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Estates-General

Due to economic and agricultural problems, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates-General

  • Each Estate meets separately to vote on tax reform.
    • Each estate gets one vote.
  • Third Estate calls for a National Assembly where each rep gets a vote.

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Events of the French Revolution

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Storming of the Bastille - July 14, 1789

  • Marked the beginning of open rebellion against the king

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Reign of Terror - 1792-1794, led by Robespierre

  • Most famous victim was Marie Antoinette.
  • About 18,000 people were killed during that year. About 85% were peasants.

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The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

Adopted by National Assembly on August 27th 1789

  • Enlightenment ideals
  • Outlined basic freedoms held by all
  • Asserted the sovereignty of the people
  • ā€œLiberte, Egalite, Fraterniteā€

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First French Republic

September 1792

  • Monarchy Abolished
  • Introduced a new calendar
  • Louis XVI (16) put on trial
    • Convicted and sentenced to death

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The Guillotine

Invented in 1792 by a physician as a ā€œhumaneā€ way of executing people

  • Before the guillotine: burning, strangulation, hanging, beheading by an ax, being pulled apart by horses

Some doctors believed that a victimā€™s head could still see and hear for up to 15 minutes after the head was chopped off.

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Maximilien Robespierre

Tried to wipe out every trace of Franceā€™s monarchy

  • Became leader of the Committee of Public Safety

Enemies of the Committee were often tried in the morning and guillotined in the afternoon.

  • This became known as the Reign of Terror

Outcomes of the French Revolution

  • End of absolute monarchy of Louis XVI (16)

  • Rise of Napoleon

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