French Revolution Begins/Moderate Phase and the Reign of Terror

French Revolution Begins/Moderate Phase and the Reign of Terror

Ancient Regime

  • Definition: Refers to the monarchical, aristocratic, social, and political system established in the kingdom of France from approximately the 15th century to the late 18th century.

  • Characteristics:

    • Absolute monarchy

    • Feudal system

    • Rigid social hierarchy

Demographic Composition

  • France was divided into three large social classes, or estates:

    1. First Estate:

    • Composition: The clergy (about 0.5% of the population)

    • Privileges: Owned significant land; exempt from many taxes

    1. Second Estate:

    • Composition: The nobility (about 1.5% of the population)

    • Privileges: Held most political power; owned vast estates; enjoyed numerous privileges, including tax exemptions

    1. Third Estate:

    • Composition: The vast majority (about 98%), comprising peasants, urban workers, and the bourgeoisie (merchants, lawyers, and doctors)

    • Burden: Borne the brunt of taxation and had few rights

Problems with the System

  • Economic Inequality:

    • The third estate paid almost all taxes while the first and second estates enjoyed extensive privileges and wealth. Taxes on the first and second estates were a fraction of what the third estate paid.

  • Social Injustice:

    • Lack of social mobility and legal disparities based on birth.

  • Absolute Monarchy:

    • The king held ultimate power, often leading to arbitrary rule and financial mismanagement.

  • Financial Crisis:

    • Years of costly wars and extravagant spending by the monarchy led to massive national debt.

Differing Viewpoints/Ideologies/Beliefs

  • First and Second Estates:

    • Generally sought to preserve their privileges and the existing social order; some enlightened nobles advocated for reforms.

  • Third Estate (especially the bourgeoisie):

    • Advocated for:

    • Equality before the law

    • Economic liberalism (supports free markets, private property, and minimal government intervention in the economy)

    • Greater political representation inspired by Enlightenment ideals.

Estates General

  • Purpose:

    • A legislative and consultative assembly of the different classes (estates) of French subjects; had not been convened since 1614. Primary purpose was to advise the king on financial matters and approve new taxes, especially during times of national crisis.

Problems

  • Voting by Order vs. by Head:

    • Traditionally, the three estates met separately and cast one vote (voting by order), allowing the first and second estates to outvote the third estate 2-1 despite the third estate representing 98% of the population.

  • Demand for Double Representation and Voting by Head:

    • The third estate demanded double representation (granted) and voting by head (initially denied), advocating for proportional representation based on population.

Outcomes

  • Formation of the National Assembly:

    • On June 17, 1789, members of the third estate, joined by some empathetic clergy and nobles, declared themselves the National Assembly, claiming to represent the true will of the nation.

  • Tennis Court Oath:

    • On June 20, 1789, locked out of their usual meeting hall, National Assembly members swore the Tennis Court Oath, vowing not to disperse until they had written a new constitution. This act marked a decisive shift in sovereignty from the king to the nation.

Great Fear (French: Grand Peur)

  • Definition: A general panic that occurred in rural France from July 20 to August 6, 1789, at the start of the revolution.

  • Causes: Fueled by rumors of an “aristocratic conspiracy” by the king and privileged nobility to overthrow the third estate, fears of brigands and foreign invasion, and poor harvest leading to economic hardship.

  • Impact: Peasants attacked manor houses, destroyed feudal documents (terriers), and sometimes seized grain. This widespread rural uprising influenced the National Assembly’s decision to abolish feudalism and many aristocratic privileges on August 4, 1789, fundamentally altering France's social structure.

Changes to the Catholic Church during the Revolution

  • Nationalization of Church Lands: Aimed to reduce the church's power and wealth.

  • Civil Constitution of the Clergy: Brought the church under state control.

  • Dechristianization: This period sought to align the church with revolutionary ideals.

Storming of the Bastille

  • Date: July 14, 1789

  • Description: A pivotal event where an angry mob stormed the medieval fortress and prison in Paris. It symbolized the beginning of the French Revolution, demonstrating popular uprising against royal authority and inspiring revolutionaries across France.

Women’s March on Versailles

  • Date: October 5, 1789

  • Description: Thousands of Parisian women marched to the palace of Versailles demanding bread and action from King Louis XVI due to severe food shortages and high bread prices.

  • Outcome: The royal family was forced to relocate from Versailles to Paris, signifying a shift of power to the people and the capital.

Three Social Causes of the French Revolution

  1. Social Inquiry and the Estates System:

    • The rigid structure of the Ancien Régime divided into three estates was a major source of discontent. The first (clergy) and second (nobility) estates held vast privileges, while the third estate represented 98% of the population, bore the tax burden, lacked political representation, and suffered from legal and social discrimination, creating deep resentment.

  2. Influence of Enlightenment Ideas:

    • Philosophical ideas of the Enlightenment, advocated by thinkers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu, promoted liberty, equality, popular sovereignty, and natural rights, challenging absolute monarchy and aristocratic privilege. The spread of these ideas provided an intellectual framework for revolutionary demands.

  3. Poverty, Hunger, and Urban Unrest:

    • Widespread poverty, exacerbated by poor harvests in the 1780s, resulted in severe food shortages and skyrocketed bread prices. For the urban poor and peasants, bread was essential, leading to popular discontent, riots, and desperation—fertile ground for revolutionary action.

The Third Estate

  • Definition: Comprising about 98% of the population who were neither clergy nor nobility; included peasants, urban workers, and the wealthy bourgeoisie.

  • Significance: Its numerical strength, heavy taxation burden, and revolutionary assertion of national sovereignty led to the formation of the National Assembly and drove the revolution.

Tennis Court Oath

  • Event Date: June 20, 1789

  • Description: Members of the Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly and swore not to disperse until a new constitution was written, symbolizing a direct challenge to royal authority and asserting the people's sovereignty, marking a crucial step toward revolutionary change.

September Massacres

  • Date: September 2-6, 1792

  • Description: A series of killings of prisoners in Paris by frenzied mobs amid fears of foreign invasion and counter-revolutionary plots. This massacre reflected the radicalization of the revolution, demonstrating extreme violence and paranoia in Paris and contributing to the establishment of the First French Republic.

Justification on the Use of Terror

  • Context: During the French Revolution, particularly during the Reign of Terror (1793-1794), terror was justified as a means to protect the revolution from internal enemies and external threats.

  • Key Figures: Leaders like Robespierre argued that terror was necessary to instill civic virtue, eliminate counter-revolutionaries, and consolidate the Republic during crises.

Key Figures of the Revolution

  • Louis XVI:

    • Last king of France before the fall of the monarchy; his indecisiveness, financial mismanagement, and perceived resistance to reform fueled revolutionary fervor. His attempted flight and execution symbolized the end of absolute monarchy and the triumph of Republican ideals.

  • Marie Antoinette:

    • Queen of France and wife of Louis XVI; her Austrian origin and extravagant lifestyle, along with her perceived apathy towards the population's suffering, made her a target of revolutionary hatred. Her famous quote (allegedly) “Let them eat cake” illustrates her detachment from the struggles of the common people. Her execution symbolized the end of the monarchy.

  • Abbé Sieyès:

    • Prominent clergyman, writer, and political theorist. His pamphlet “What is the Third Estate?” galvanized revolutionary sentiment. He played a vital role in transforming the Estates General into the National Assembly and was influential in the coup that brought Napoleon to power.

  • Robespierre:

    • Radical Jacobin leader and influential figure during the French Revolution. As a key member of the Committee of Public Safety, he became the architect of the Reign of Terror, advocating for extreme measures to purify the Republic and eliminate perceived enemies. His fall and execution marked the end of the Terror.

  • Georges Danton:

    • Significant figure in the early stages of the revolution, known for his powerful oratory and leadership in Cordeliers Club. Played a key role in the overthrow of the monarchy and establishment of the First French Republic. Initially a supporter of the Reign of Terror, he later advocated for moderation, leading to his execution by Robespierre’s faction.

  • Jean Paul Marat:

    • Radical journalist and politician during the revolution, known for his inflammatory newspaper “L’Ami du peuple (Friend of the People)”. He advocated fiercely for the rights of the poor and criticized perceived enemies of the revolution, significantly inciting popular violence and supporting radical factions before his assassination.