French Revolution

Causes:

• Political
• Rise of assemblies
• Economic
• Taxation
• Social
• Class conflict
• Poverty
• Unemployment
• Intellectual
• Hobbes
• Paine
• Locke

French population in 1789

• Farmers and peasants
• Artisans
• Bourgeoisie
• Nobility - own 25% of land in France
• Church - own 10% of land in France

The nobility and the church are protected from paying taxes, they do not have to pay them.

Taxation was a major crisis.

Old system of National assemblies last met in 1614.

The king called on the estates general - to discuss the coming crisis.

Nobles plan:

• Nobles
• Church
• Everyone else (aka the third estate)

This system was totally bias towards the nobility. One vote each. The church and nobles got to start to vote and if they both voted the same the third estate did not even get to vote.

Kings plan:

• Nobles
• Church
• Third estate

Twice as many seats in the third estate since they are so many more in reality. This was a more fair way of voting. This was done so that it would be equal.

The king turns to the highest court in France, called the Paris Parliament (which consist of nobles), and let them decide which "plan" the country should follow. Since the court were made up of nobles the went for the nobles plan.

Estates General Meets

• The third estate boycotts proceedings for six weeks
• After a while they meet in an indoor tennis court
• Oath of the Tennis Court
• Declares themselves the French Government
• The swear to be good to France

• This is not good for the king since he needs the third estate to be able to get the church and nobility to pay taxes
• The kings calls upon 18,000 troops to watch over the tennis court

The mob

• Failed harvest led to record high price of bread
• Desperate peasants roam the country and congregate in Paris
• Bastille stormed
• A roomer is spread that the bastille contains a lot of grain
• When people get there and ask about it a guard fires his weapon
• Then the people storms the bastille 

• "March of the women" 20,000 march on Versailles forcing the royal family to return to Paris .
• The women wanted the royal family to see how the people suffered
• The king eventually goes back to Paris

• "Great Fear" violence erupts between Landlords and peasants  tenants: burning houses and debts
• The king Louis XVI recognizes National Assembly - ha accepts them in hope of a more stabile country.

New Constitution 1791

• Nobility and Church lose privilege
• All equal before the law
• Church property confiscated
• Half male population permitted to vote
• Protestant, Jews and agnostics become full citizens
• Citizenship based on residence in the country and allegiance to its government

This is the first sign of Nationalism. This proves to be a more efficient system then the last (feudalism). Here it is not loyal to the King or the Price but loyal to the country and loyal to France.

Europe´s Reaction

• Austria
• The queen Marie Antoinette is an Austrian princess

• Europe horrified from all of these events
• Austria want the royal family to flee and helps them with trying to do this
• Louis attempts to escape

• War with Austria begins and it lasts for 23 years
• The revolutionary army against the National Army

What happened to National Assembly? (this happens simultaneously as the war with Austria)

• The king put together the National Assembly and then he is arrested (he is then a traitor)
• National Assembly terminated as it was appointed by discredited King
• National Convention elected by universal male suffrage (1792)

National Convention

• Jacobins a nationwide network of political clubs dominate election (often men from the bourgeoisie).
• The Jacobins were divided into two main groups
• Girondins -moderates mainly from the provinces - in majority (more people)
• Montagnards – mostly from Paris - more radical - vote for executing the king (wins)

• Vote 361 to 359 to execute Louis
• Paris Commune the city government of Paris
• Sansculottes – workers, merchants and artisans
• They went out on the streets and tried to control the people with e.g. roadblocks
• They try to protect their part of Paris

• The Sansculottes invade National Convention and force the arrest of 31 Girondins on charges of treason.
• Montagnards gain majority because of the arrest of the 31 Girondins

Revolutionary	Vs.	Anti-revolutionary
		Foreign invasion
		Nobility and church
		Girondins vs Montagnards

Committee of Public Safety

• Threat of international and domestic counter revolutionary forces and economic crisis
• Executive power required to take action
• “Reign of Terror” 40,000 executed
• Raise unprecedented 800,000 man army
• Reforms - refused to compensate nobility, educated farmers in new techniques, attempted universal elementary education, abolished slavery, new calendar, worship of supreme being.

Napoleon Bonaparte

• New elections of 1795 threatened by mob
• Napoleon asked to step in to restore order
• Elections a success but elected executive committee “Directory” weak
• Directory disputed each year until 1799
• Napoleon coup d’etat 1799
• Consul for life 1802
• Emperor 1804

The French Revolution ends with Napoleon and dictatorship. No democracy anymore.