French Revolution Grade 10 Term 2 Study Notes © e-classroom www.e-classroom.co.za Key Facts The French Revolution was a period of far-reaching social and political upheaval in France and its colonies beginning in 1789. The Revolution overthrew the monarchy, established a republic, catalyzed violent periods of political turmoil, and finally culminated in a dictatorship under Napoleon who brought many of its principles to areas he conquered in Western Europe and beyond. Inspired by liberal and radical ideas, the Revolution made a profound impression on the course of modern history, triggering the global decline of absolute monarchies while replacing them with republics and liberal democracies. Through the Revolutionary Wars, it unleashed a wave of global conflicts that extended from the Caribbean to the Middle East. Historians widely regard the Revolution as one of the most important events in human history. © e-classroom www.e-classroom.co.za Causes France was a monarchy ruled by the king. The king had total power over the government and the people. The people of France were divided into three social classes called "estates." The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate was the nobles, and the Third Estate was the commoners. Most French citizens belonged to the Third Estate. The French Revolution began on July 14th, 1789 when the people of France stormed the Bastille in Paris. It was a time of political and social rebellion in France that began because of the inequalities that existed between the rich and poor. A number of factors came together to cause the revolt of the people against the king. © e-classroom www.e-classroom.co.za Ancien Régime • The Ancien Régime (Old order) was the social and political system established in the Kingdom of France before the French Revolution. • French society in the Ancien Regime was divided into a hierarchy of several distinct social classes. • The top rung was the king and he stood outside of the system of estates. All the people of France were his subjects, and he held divine rights. • The First Estate was the clergy of the Catholic church, divided into “higher” (nobility) and “lower” (non-noble) clergy. The higher clergy were often advisers to the king and held political power. Lower clergy were more involved in the lives of the common people, and they could better identify with their sufferings. • The Second Estate was the French nobility and royalty, other than the monarch himself. Traditionally divided into “nobility of the sword” and “nobility of the robe”. The Second Estate constituted about 1.5% of France’s population. • The Third Estate - common people. This class made up about 96% of the population. It was also divided. The bourgeoisie were the wealthier commoners, who were involved in business. They could sometimes purchase a noble rank or a governmental office. They resented higher classes, especially the taxation put on them. • Lowest rung - peasants. They worked on the nobles’ land or lived in crowded cities as labourers or beggars. Too poor to buy even basics, like food and clothing, but were heavily taxed. © e-classroom www.e-classroom.co.za Significant events during the Revolution • THE TENNIS COURT OATH – JUNE 20, 1789 • The Third Estate - 98% of French citizens were overruled by the other 2 Estates in all decisions, including voting for equal representation. So, 3rd Estate formed their own Assembly. Moved from Estate Rooms to an indoor tennis court and pledged to not separate till France had a constitution. It is known as the Tennis Court Oath. • STORMING OF THE BASTILLE – JULY 14, 1789 • Jacques Necker, the finance minister who was sympathetic to the commoners’, was dismissed by the King. Parisians thought this was an attempt to shut down their Assembly, so they stormed the Bastille fortress to obtain gunpowder and weapons. The troops at Bastille resisted then surrendered to the mob. This event is thought to be the start of the French Revolution as The Bastille was a powerful symbol of the King’s rule. The King withdrew royal troops from Paris as a result of the protest and recalled Jacques Necker. • ABOLITION OF FEUDALISM – AUGUST 4, 1789 • The Constituent Assembly (3rd estate members) abolished the entire feudal system. It abolished both Manorialism of the Second Estate, which made peasants dependent on their land and lord, and Tithes gathered by the First Estate and more. © e-classroom www.e-classroom.co.za Significant events during the Revolution • DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN AND OF THE CITIZEN – AUGUST 26, 1789 • The Assembly published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a charter of human liberties. Basic principle - “all men are born and remain free and equal in rights”. It came into effect in 1791. France proclaimed a constitutional monarchy and the National Assembly was replaced by the Legislative Assembly. King Louis XVI became a mere figurehead. • WOMEN’S MARCH ON VERSAILLES – OCTOBER 5, 1789 • Bad harvests caused the price of flour to increase hugely, which raised bread prices. Bread was the staple food of most citizens. Large crowds of hungry, restless Parisians, mostly women protestors, gathered in markets. They didn’t get the answers they needed from city officials, so they marched from Paris to the Palace of Versailles. They wanted to show the King how ordinary citizens lived. They stormed the palace, killing several guards and demanded the king to “live among the people”. He conceded eventually and agreed to go to Paris with the mob. The royal family in Paris was placed under the “protection” of the National Guards, thus fully legitimizing the National Assembly. • ROYAL FLIGHT TO VARENNES – JUNE 20, 1791 • Fearing for his family’s lives, The King sought refuge in Austria and hoped to be reinstated on the throne in the future. During the night of 20th June, the royal family fled the Tuileries Palace dressed as servants and their servants dressed as nobles. It took one day for him to be recognized and he and his family were arrested at Varennes and returned to Paris. The Assembly provisionally suspended him and held him under guard © e-classroom www.e-classroom.co.za Significant events during the Revolution • EXECUTION OF KING LOUIS XVI – JANUARY 21, 1793 • In August 1792, 20,000 Parisians attacked King Louis’s official home. The Legislative Assembly placed the King and the Queen under arrest as they feared more violence would erupt. During his incarceration, the monarchy was abolished and France declared a Republic. King Louis was charged with treason, found guilty and on January 21, he was guillotined. His wife, Queen Marie Antoinette was executed soon after him. • THE REIGN OF TERROR – SEPTEMBER 5, 1793 TO JULY 28, 1794 • Before King Louis XVI was executed, the Legislative Assembly had replaced itself with a new political body, the National Convention. They created the Committee of Public Safety; to protect the newly established republic against foreign attacks and internal rebellion. There were 12 members - most prominent was Maximilien Robespierre. This committee became the de facto executive government in France and their reign was known as, the Reign of Terror. Total death toll during this time was around 40,000, as they supposedly rid the nation of enemies of the Revolution. Robespierre became a target of conspiracies. He was arrested and executed on 28th July 1794 bringing an end to the Reign of Terror. © e-classroom www.e-classroom.co.za Significant events during the Revolution • COUP OF 18TH BRUMAIRE – NOVEMBER 9-10, 1799 • The Coup of 18th Brumaire is thought to be the end of the French Revolution. The National Convention approved the new “Constitution of the Year III”, which created the Directory, a group of five executive members with a five-year mandate. They soon became involved in corruption, political conflict and financial problems and relied heavily on the Army in these matters. In a coup d’état, the five directors were ousted and replaced by three “consuls”: the famous military leader Napoleon Bonaparte; director Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès; and politician Roger Ducos. • FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY WARS – APRIL 20, 1792 TO MARCH 25, 1802 • European monarchies feared the danger Revolutionary France represented in the region. This led to the French Revolutionary Wars, a series of military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802. The French Republic fought Great Britain, Austria and under the leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte, France was able to conquer many differing territories; from the Italian Peninsula and the Low Countries in Europe to the Louisiana Territory in North America. © e-classroom www.e-classroom.co.za The Role of Ordinary People • The ordinary people of the French Revolution were mostly commoners of the Third Estate, nicknamed the “Paris Crowd”. • Their major role was to revolt against the King because of the inequality between the rich and poor, in wealth as well as voting power. They revolted against him by rioting over many different wrongs; unequal taxation, lack of food and defending the national Assembly. • They were overruled by the other 2 Estates in voting for equal representation, so 3rd Estate formed their own Assembly, pledging not to separate till France had a constitution. • Ordinary people stormed the Bastille fortress to secure gunpowder and weapons, in response to a suspected move by the King to shut down their National Assembly. The troops at Bastille resisted for a few hours before they surrendered to the mob. • After getting disappointing support from city officials over bread and flour prices, a huge crowd of ordinary market women marched from Paris to the Palace of Versailles to protest. • The Assembly that the commoners formed, published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a charter of human liberties.