The French Revolution

What was French revolution exactly

• A 10 year period of events in France from 1789 to 1799 that led to
wide ranging political and social change and has had a huge impact on
modern world.
• The revolution abolished monarchy and made France a republic and
ended in dictatorship of Napolean.
Causes
• Political
• Social
• Economics
• Intellectual
Political:The Bourbon despots
Louis xiv(1643 to 1715) Louis xv(1715 to 74)
Absolute despot Debt increased due to defeat

Centralisation of power in 7 years war

Many wars:France in debt Not a good administrator
Louis XVI(1774-92)
• Well intentioned but could not bring bold reforms.
• Backtracked from decisions only.
• Austrian wife-Marie Antoinette(bad advisor)
• American war of independence-French help ruined France itself for
no games.
Versailles Palace
Social cause
Divison of French society-Ancient regime
First estate=clergy,popu.=1 lakh,10%land
second estate=Nobility,4 lakh,25%land
Third estate=farmers,artisans.workers,traders,lawyers,public
officials,2.7 crore population
Cruel structure of French society:

• No tax on 1st and 2nd estate

• Lavish lifestyle of nobility.
• High point of French culture-18th century.
• 3rd estate-drowning in various taxes like tithe and taille.
• Educated middle class-Bourgeoisie
• Urban workers-poor conditions.
Intellectual cause
• Age of enlightenment.
• Development of science and philosophy ,rational thinking.
• Famous thinkers and philosophers:
• John locke
• Jean Jacques Rousseau-people sovereignty
• Immanuel kant
• Montesquieu-separation of church and state
• Voltaire-freedom of speech and expression.
• Intellectuals started to question the kings right to rule,his mandate
from god,role of catholic church.
• These ideas spread via newspapers,books,salon and discussion.
Timeline:
• 1789-Estate General
• 1789-1791-National assembly
• 1791-92-Legislative assembly
• 1792-95-National convention (reign of terror)
• 1795-98-Directory rule
• 1799-coup d eat by Napolean
Estate general meeting
What happened in Estate general:
• Deadlock over voting rights.
• The third estate declares itself as national assembly.
• Louis xvi locked out the national assembly from main hall.
• They take the tennis court oath-Not to disband until a constitution is
in place.It was the first sign of French revolution.
Tennis court oath
June
• All over France,peasants revolt against their local feudal lords-loot
granaries and chateaus burn land records(the great fear)
• Riots in paris in support of assembly and against king action
• Breakdown of law and order:revolutionary spirit takes over.
• Louis xvi orders military to assemble in Paris and outside Versailles.
Storming of bastille:
Storming of the Bastile 14 july 1789
• Fort used as prison.
• Symbol of royal oppression
• Bastille prison looted and torn down by rioters.
• Mainly to get weapons.
• Bastille day celebrations.
Work done by National assembly
• National assembly (later became national constituent
assembly)ordered abolition of feudalism and levied uniform taxes for
all.
• Many nobles fled to neighbouring countries in Europe.(Emigres)
• Clergy reduced by 1/3rd –made civil officers.
• Pope Angry!
ABSOLUTE MONARCHY TO CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the
citizen
• A statement of intent of constitution.
• Based on ideas of enlightenment.
• Human and civil rights-Liberty property security
• One of the most important documents of world along with Magna
carta,US bill of rights.
• The concepts of liberty Equality and Fraternity were enshrined in this
declaration.
• Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.
• Women and slaves-No rights as citizens!
• October 1789.
• Harsh economic conditions and food shortages
• Rumours of party in Versailles while Parisians were struggling for
bread.
• 7000 women assembled and marched to palace.
• Asked the royal family to move to paris.
 1790
• Political groups/parties emerged.
• Const.was being written down.
• Many clubs formed having their own thouhts and ideas.
• Ex:Jacobins-Radical revolutionaries.
• Girondins-Liberals
• Society of Revolutionary Republican women.
 Jacobin Clubs
• Composed of people from mainly poor classes-artisans,daily workers.
• They believed that power had been consolidated by upper middle
class and wealthy traders.
• Their leader was Maximilien de Robespierre.
• Sans culottes-below knee pants
 1791
• King Louis tried to escape to Austria from France but was caught.
• This led to demands for republic from people.
• The const.Assembly was in favour of constitutional monarchy like
Britain.
• People protested –National guards sent to suppress them-protestors
massacred.
 Legislative Assembly
• September 1791
• New constitution
• King restored as head of state
• System failed within a year because of different demands of various
people and parties(like Jacobins and Girondins).King tried to get help
from other kings.
• Neighbouring monarchs were getting scared of all the anarchy and
revolutionary fever spreading in France
• Austria and Prussia declared support for French monarchy
• France attacked Austria+Prussia in april 1792
 Late 1792
• August-king and family attacked by radicals in Paris.
• Monarchy suspended-King had tried to help Prussia ,Austria
• Leg. Assembly suspended itself.
• Republican constitution to be made ,elections announced.
• King Louis put to trial and sentenced to death (January 1793)
• British,Dutch and Spain joined Austria and Prussia in the coalition
against France after Louis execution-The war of First coalition.
The Guillotine-instrument of death
 La Marseillaise
• French national anthem.
• Written by claude de lisle
• Revolutionary song to rally people to fight against invaders.
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
TO
REPUBLIC
 The National Convention
• Sept 1792-oct.1795
• Third govt of the revolution.
• Elected by extending suffrage-all 21+male
• Monarchy abolished the republic
• A small group committee of public safety created which took all major
decisions.
• This committee was dominated by Jacobins
 The reign of terror
• June 1793 july 1794
• Maximilien Robespierre
• 1600 enemies were guillotined.
• Marie Antoinette executed
• Churches destroyed and closed down
• Slavery abolished (Napolean re instated it)
• New calender 10 hour a day,100 minutes an hour 10 days a week
• Food shortages due to war –food from rural to urban
areas .Regulation of prices
• Finally people got sick of Jacobins
• Jacobins were banned and Robespierre himself was executed.
 THE DIRECTORY 1795-99
• New constitution in 1795
• Affluent middle class took control
• No property –no right to vote
• Bicameral legislature
• Executive body established with 5 directors (to avoid dictatorship like
Robespierre)
• Napoleon led French victories in Italy and Austria –ending the war of
first coalition.
 THE CONSULATE 1799-1804
• 30 year old military general Napoleon Bonaparte did a coup against
the directory rule and established the consulate.
• 3 consuls
• Napolean himself as the FIRST CONSUL of France.
• In 1804 he declared himself as the Emperor of France.
Did the revolution change much?
• Absolute monarchy to military dictatorship.
• Church restored by Napoleon.
• Nobility returned back to France.
• Even Bourbon monarchy restored in 1815.
• Condition of women and slaves –no change.
• Farmers and workers conditions –not much changed.
 Legacy
• Constitutional monarchy-powers of kings limited
• Power of nobility/remaining feudalism gone forever.
• Church power highly diminished-era of religious tolerance.
• Power transferred from nobility to people ,especially
bourgeoisies(middle class)
• Ideas of rights man were long lasting –laws apply equally to
everyone ,Liberty,equality,fraternity.
• Rise of humanitarian movements.
• Spread of nationalism in Europe.
• Women-education,marriage,freedom to start business and trade.