French Revolution

French Revolution : French Revolution 1789-1799

French Revolution: CAUSES : French Revolution: CAUSES MAIN CAUSE: ECONOMIC Society divided in three estates: Aristocracy Clergy Everybody else (97% of total population) Taxes imposed only on 3rd estate. Severe economic depression High national debt Bad harvest- people starving War against Britain had been expensive Low wages Government unable to balance income and expenses

French Revolution: EVENTS-1 : French Revolution: EVENTS-1 General Director of Finances calls for Assembly in 1787 Purpose: convince the nobles to accept paying taxes Result: nobles refused Argument to support refusal: this type of change needs to be approved by the General Estates (composed of delegates from the 3 estates) Louis XVI established the new taxation system by decree.

French Revolution: EVENTS-2 : French Revolution: EVENTS-2 Municipal Assembly meets at the Parliament of Paris: Result: nobles refuse to accept the king´s decree. The king forces members of the Parliament of Paris to exile. Turmoil starts

French Revolution: EVENTS-3 : French Revolution: EVENTS-3 The King calls for a session of the General Estates. Traditionally each estate meets in a different chamber Any decision to be agreed by two estates. (therefore, 3rd estate has no voice) 3rd estate wants to meet in same chamber. It doesn´t happen. June 17th, 1789: the 3rd estate declares itself the National Assembly

French Revolution: EVENTS-4 : French Revolution: EVENTS-4 The king reacts by closing the Assembly. June 20th, 1789, National Assembly members occupy an indoor tennis court. They request a new constitution. The Oath of the Tennis Court. June 23rd, 1789 . King agrees for all three estates to meet in the same chamber: too late. King took army to Versailles. People react by storming the prison (July 14th)

French Revolution: EVENTS-5 : French Revolution: EVENTS-5 The king is forced to readmit the Financial minister (he had fired him) The royal army is dissolved A new popular national army is created. Leader: Lafayette (fought in American Revolution) Aug. 4th, 1789: Assembly abolished traditional social order

French Revolution: EVENTS-6 : French Revolution: EVENTS-6 Declaration of rights of men issued: All men are created equal and have same freedom and liberty. Basic rights =natural rights (from time of birth) Liberty Right to own property Right to resist oppression Laws must be an expression of these rights; the king cannot decide arbitrarily

French Revolution: EVENTS-7 : French Revolution: EVENTS-7 Sept 1791: New Constitution written by the National Assembly France becomes a Constitutional Monarchy King: head of State (but symbolic figure) Assembly: law making power Elective as representative body (in reality: males from upper class vote) The king accepts (at least retains some power)

French Revolution: EVENTS-8 : French Revolution: EVENTS-8 Decisions taken by the National Assembly: 1. Women´s rights are expanded Divorce is accepted Women can claim financial support from fathers of illegitimate children 2. France is divided in Departments of equal size (rather than provinces). These are subordinate to the power that lies in Paris.  88 Departments including overseas territories

French Revolution: EVENTS-9 : French Revolution: EVENTS-9 3. Traditional system of weights and measurements replaced by metric system. (each province had its own system) 4. Monasteries are abolished (church was sympathetic to the monarchy)

French Revolution: EVENTS-10 : French Revolution: EVENTS-10 5. Clergy is forced to take an oath of alliance to the new form of government. Clergy against revolution so decision not welcomed Christians, who could have been neutral or even supported the revolution, were upset by this decision too Half the clergy accepted, half did not. Many fled France

French Revolution: EVENTS-11 : French Revolution: EVENTS-11 April 1792. Austria and Prussia (for fear of suffering revolutions in their own country) issued the Declaration of Pillnitz If anything should happen to the King of France they would declare war on France An execution of the king was seen as possible France took this as an unacceptable threat and declared war on Austria.

French Revolution: EVENTS-12 : French Revolution: EVENTS-12 Aug 10th 1772, A revolutionary crowd captured the Royal Palace in Paris Louis XVI captured and suspended of functions by the Assembly The king is imprisoned and charged with treason (suspected collaboration with Austria and Prussia) Assembly calls for a National Convention to write the new constitution. National Convention elected by universal suffrage (only male), Assembly dissolves.

French Revolution: EVENTS-13 : French Revolution: EVENTS-13 Sept 1792 The elected National Convention declares France a Republic. The national Convention divided: Girondists: (after French department Gironda in South of France): MODERATE Jacobins: also called the Mountain (after the place the sat in the Parliament, upper left corner): RADICALS Leaders: Maximillian de Robespierre & George J. Danton

French Revolution: EVENTS-14 : French Revolution: EVENTS-14 Jan. 1793 Loius XVI sentenced to death by National Convention. War against Austria going on: French interpretation of war: a crusade against absolute monarchies. Austrian interpretation: a crusade against rebellion. Defense of the traditional, political and social order in Europe.

French Revolution: EVENTS-15 : French Revolution: EVENTS-15 Sept. 20, 1792 Battle of Valmy: Prussian attack on France stopped. Counter-attack by France: ends in French occupation of Rhineland and the Austrian Netherlands (today´s Belgium) Feb. 1793 National Convention (at war with Austria & Prussia) declares war on Britain, Holland and Spain.

French Revolution: EVENTS-16 : French Revolution: EVENTS-16 Battle between Girondists and Jacobins embitters. Robespierre orchestrates a popular uprising against Girondists- 31 Girondists arrested and executed. National Convention gives absolute (dictatorial) power to the Committee of Public Safety.

French Revolution: EVENTS-17 : French Revolution: EVENTS-17 French government  Military dictatorship. Legislative power National Convention Executive power Committee of Public Safety Judicial power: courts respond to Robespierre alone

French Revolution: EVENTS-18 : French Revolution: EVENTS-18 1793-1794 Rule of the Mountain: The Reign of Terror Command Economy: got complete control on economy (production, wages, prices …) Strong repression on dissidents (girondists, monarchists, moderates … arrested, convicted & executed) The measures adopted resulted in being victorious in all fronts in the war against Austria-Prussia.

French Revolution: EVENTS-19 : French Revolution: EVENTS-19 July 27, 1794 Members of the Committee of Public Safety concerned for their own safety conspired against Robespierre and managed to get him arrested and executed. Other members of the committee were also arrested and executed. Thermidorian Reaction.

French Revolution: EVENTS-20 : French Revolution: EVENTS-20 1795, New Constitution written: re-shapes France´s political system. 3 changes: Masses (male population) can vote for electors Electors must be upper class and they vote for the Legislative Assembly The members of the Legislative assembly elect 5 people for the executive: DIRECTORY.

French Revolution: EVENTS-21 : French Revolution: EVENTS-21 Government of the Directory: Win the war against the coalition Extend the revolution to other parts Made null/softened the economic policies of the Mountain. Mountain: control on wages and prices Directory: liberalization of economy Result: economical situation of poor French people worsened even more. People were dissatisfied with the Revolution.

French Revolution: EVENTS-22 : French Revolution: EVENTS-22 1797: Elections are held. Legislative Assembly ends up formed by a large number of moderates, conservatives and even royalists. The Directory refuses to accept results and continues government until 1799. In 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte (famous general) carried out a coup d´etat and takes over the government.