French Revolution

  • Overview: The Flour War of 1775 was a major uprising in France sparked by protests against the rising costs of bread and flour.

  • Economic Causes: The crisis stemmed from poor harvests, subsequent inflation, and widespread economic hardship among the common people.

  • Government Response:

    • The French monarchy attempted to quell the unrest by enforcing price controls.

    • These measures proved largely ineffective, resulting in continued instability and growing dissent.

  • Significance and Impact:

    • Marked a critical turning point in the lead-up to the French Revolution.

    • Highlighted widespread public frustration with the crown's inability to manage economic crises.

    • Catalyzed a shift from demands for mere economic relief to broader political challenges against the authority and legitimacy of the monarchy.

  • Charles Alexandre de Calonne (1783–1787):

    • Replaced Jacques Necker as Controller-General of Finances in 1783.

    • Proposed Reforms:

    • Cutting government spending and court expenses.

    • Allowing the sale of church lands.

    • Establishing free internal trade.

    • Adjusting taxes on salt (gabelle) and tobacco.

    • Instituting a universal land tax payable by all estates without exemption.

    • Opposition and Dismissal:

    • Convened the Assembly of Notables in 1787 to approve his program; the Notables rejected the land tax, leading to his dismissal.

  • The American Revolution (1775–1783):
    - Heavy French financial and military support severely worsened the crown's debt.
    - Accelerated the national fiscal crisis, directly intensifying the conditions leading to the French Revolution.

    • France just borrowed money instead

  • Marie Antoinette:

    • The queen: Arranged marriage to Louis when both were 14

    • Very unpopular with the common people:

    • Rumors that she had many affairs

    • Accusations of lavish spending

    • Oppsition to reforms

    • Accusations that she was sympathetic to enemies of France

  • Rebellion of the Parlements;

    • Parlement in france had two Jobs:

    • offer advice to the king

    • officially register/record his commands

    • In 1787 Parlement refused to register a tax (stamp act) and later a loan aggreement the king commanded

    • King had 3 leaders of Parlement arrested

    • King tried to get rid of parlement in 1788

  • Summoning the Estates General

    • Estates General: A group of representatives elected from all three estates in France called together to pass taxes


  • Timeline of the Revolution:

    • 1789: Estates-General convenes, Bastille is stormed, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man is adopted.

    • 1792–1793: Monarchy is abolished, the First Republic is declared, and Louis XVI is executed.

    • 1793–1794: Reign of Terror under Robespierre leads to mass executions until his downfall.

    • 1795–1799: The Directory governs France until Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power, ending the Revolution.

  • National Assembly:

    • was a reaction against the initial plan that each estate would ger one vote

    • 3rd estate was worried that they would get overruled on everything

    • 3rd estate wanted each representive to have one vote (they has more represententives)

    • other estates didn’t want change

    • King was initially against it: knocked them out of their meeting hall June 20

  •  Tennis Court Oath:

    • Tennis Court was the only place at Versailles large enough to hold the Commons

    • Oath not to disband their new “National Assembly” 

    • Stick by each others side          

  • Storming of the Bastille

    • The Bastille: an armory and political prison in the center of Paris

    • a symbol of royal authority and oppression

    • Riots had started in Paris on July 12:

    • Partly anger at high food and wine prices

    • Partly anger at Necker being fired (again)

    • Partly just raging agaisnt socio-economic inequality

    • Bastille a target on July 14:

    • Partly because it symbolizes oppression

    • Partly because of the weapons stored there

    • Crowd of about 1000 vs. about 100 soldiers (many semi-retired)

  • Paris Commune

    • King surrenders control of Paris:

    • Most troops removed from the city

    • Marquis de Lafayette put in charge of the city guard

    • A leader of the 3rd Estate made mayor of the city

    • an elected city concil established

    • Bastille was torn down

  • Revolution Spreads:

    • Chnage spread from Paris:

    • similar communes were established by the people in cities and tomes throughout France

    • Stopped listening to royal authority

    • Roussau

    • Attaacks on nobles and wealthy landowners

  • The August Decrees:

    • Starting on August 4th

    • Abolished feudalism

    • No more exemption from taxation for the 2nd Estate

    • 1st Estate can’t collect tithes anymore

    • Freedom of religion

    • ablosished other legal privileges held by 1st and 2nd estate

  • Declaration of the Rights of Man

    • By Abbe Sieyes and the Lafayette

    • Apopted by the National Assembly

    • Meant to be thr first step toward creating a French Constitution

    • Still part of the current French Constitution

  • Revolutionary Wars:

    • Jacobins, break into two major groups

    • Montagnards: Belivied the government should focus on expanding the Revolution and creating more reforms WITHIN France

    • Girondins have the majority at first which is why France goes into war

  • The Reign of Terror:

    • Radical Montagnards managed to get elected to the Committee and Tribunal

    • Angry people at the Girondins because war was going badly

    • In Late May-early June the Commitee rounded up an arrested most important Girondins - had popular support

    • Committee got even more radical against the Girondins after the assassination of Marat

  • Nationalism:

    • Attempted to create and appeal to a national identity:

    • propaganda

    • shared traditon, language, and religion are important

    • Grew out of liberalism

    • Can inspire loyalty in a state or justify revolution

  • Utopian Socilaism:

    • Different from what we mean for Socialism today.

    • Some were against the competition created by unrestrained capitalism

    • Some favord complete meritorcarcy

    • Focused on complete equality and appealed to the interest of the new working class

    • Robert Ownen: provided good working conditions for employees, took care of them outside of work, and ensured an orderly town.

    • Saint-Simon: Experts in various fields would combine their knowledge to make plans and decisions to benefit everyone in society

    • Francois Fourier: Relatively small communities of perople chosen and organized according to their psychology so that people wold take care of societal necessities simply by doing whag they wanted