FRENCH REVOLUTION:

The French Revolution was a period of major social upheaval that

began in 1787 and ended in 1799. It sought to completely change
the relationship between the rulers and those they governed and to
redefine the nature of political power. It proceeded in a back-and-
forth process between revolutionary and reactionary forces.
There were many reasons. The bourgeoisie—merchants,
manufacturers, professionals—had gained financial power but were
excluded from political power. Those who were socially beneath
them had very few rights, and most were also increasingly
impoverished. The monarchy was no longer viewed as divinely
ordained. When the king sought to increase the tax burden on the
poor and expand it to classes that had previously been exempt,
revolution became all but inevitable.
In some respects, the French Revolution did not succeed. But the
ideas of representational democracy and basic property rights took
hold, and it sowed the seeds of the later revolutions of 1830 and
1848

Main causes:
1. Food shortages
2. Overpopulation
3. a political system that made economic contractions
harder for poor
4. the Estate System
5. Absolutism(one power:king)
6. ideas stemming from the Enlightenment
7. The American Revolution.

 In 1600s(1685-1815), the age of enlightment came in europe ,

people started using their brains and started questioning
whether they deserved this treatement french philosopher
said:
“I think ,therefore I am “
-Rene descartes
 The people of France were also inspired by the American
Revolution in which America had successfully gained
independence from Britain. This served as an example of a
proper revolution, and provided a sort of guideline as to how a
country could revolt against its oppressor.
 Royals enjoyed high class living. The people accepted the kings
and their mistreatement because they believed that the god
sent them . this was called “the doctrine of divine rights of
kings”.
 Social hierarchy was divided in three parts
1. The clergy (bishops, priests)
2. The nobility and aristocracy
3. The peasants (farmers)
 Peasants included 80% of the population
 They pitted France against Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and
several other monarchies. They are divided in two periods: the
War of the First Coalition (1792–97) and the War of the Second
Coalition (1798–1802). Initially confined to Europe, the fighting
gradually assumed a global dimension
 Louis XVI was the last King of France before the fall of the
monarchy during the French Revolution.after his grandfathers
death he had to tackle financial debt from wars and also agnry
citizens as they were beginning to question the monarchy.
 King louis was a weak man,manipulated by people around him
easily. France went to even more debt after lending money to
america(in revenge with brittian) which they never gave back .
 He also could not produce a heir.
 The nobility started taxing the poor(land tax =
taille)inconsistent taxation rules across the nation. (on harv
ests,on eating, on children ,on property etc.) .The clergy also
started religious taxing (10% of agricultural produce=tithe)
 Also louis appointed a new finance minister who introduced
laws which took away any holding government had on crops
control .This was called “black farm law”. Now the erchants
could goods in surplus amounts and sell them at higher rates ,
due to which severe inflation happened. Riots started
happening in april-may 1775 “flour war “
 Then a natural disaster,which ruined crops and harvests and
now the poor were actually starving.the streets were in
riots.anyone even suspecting to have stored food was killed.
 When things went of king’s hand , he summoned the estates
general on ,the closest body to a government(advisory
body) ,which hasn’t been summoned for 175 years, on 5 may
1789. It included the representatives of all three
heirarchy’s .the king devised a voting system ,which wasn’t
really just. All the three estates were given one vote each.
Eventhough the 3 estate (peasantry and middle class) were
almost 98% of the population. The clergy and nobility were on
the same side so theu eventually outvoted the 3 estate
everytime the things weren’t in their favour.
 The period of great fear started.
 Tired of this behaviour, the 3 estate decided that they needed
their own government . that’s when the national assembly was
born. It included the most educated and wise people of 3
estate. They made the laws and they were in control. Their
 main objective was to make a new constitution where everyone
is equal. ‘’Tennis court’’ oath was taken on 20 june, 1789.
They pledged to continue meeting until the
king met their demands(new constituition) and proposed more
equality and economic forms. When the king accepted to
negotiate with them, the left wing and right wing were created.
Left wing included the 3 estate : liberty,equality ,fraternity
Right wing 1 and 2 estate : traditionalism and conservatism.
It included some people from the first 2
estates which quickly got formed into a “jacobin club”. While
the peasants wanted free from cruel inequality ,harsh
oppression,startvation ,inflation,inconsistent taxation
,unemployeement,famime, poor harvests, drought, cattle
disease and skyrocketing bread prices they called for the
removal of king . The king feared their power and deployed
troops near Paris , this made them fear ,fear turned to anger,
and anger took the form of violence. That’s when reforms took
the name of REVOLUTION.
This made the national assembly form their own military called
“bourgeois militia”(National guard), some soldiers also
defected from kings military(French troops ). The raided kings
building ,hospitals , artillery sections and all out riots started
happening.
The french revolution is known for its extreme bloodshed. The
national assembly at first not aware of the violence the military
did to Governer de launay ( to get gunpowder) ,eventually
approved of the idea.historians believe that was the turning
point in french revolution where the 3 estate stopped
negotiating and chose violence.
 The newspaper publication “the friend of people” also made a
huge deal and inculcated the in the minds of common citizens
that bloodshed is bound to happen and violence is the only
answer. That they should be afraid fo the king .
 One of the first major acts of the French Revolution would
occur on July 14, 1789, and is celebrated today as Bastille Day.
On this day, a mob from Paris stormed the Bastille - which was
a fortress that kept political prisoners - and set them free. The
mob also beheaded the prison guard and his accompanying
officers.
 Known as the Great Fear (la Grande peur), the agrarian
insurrection hastened the growing exodus of nobles from
France and inspired the National Constituent Assembly to
abolish feudalism on August 4, 1789, signing what historian
Georges Lefebvre later called the “death certificate of the old
order.”
 The National Assembly in France even used the American
Declaration of Independence as a model when drafting the
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen . On august
26,1789 , the national assembly in help with thomas jefferson
adopted “declaration of rights of man”, which garaunteed
liberty and equal right to all MEN. They abolished feudal rights,
tithes,previliges for nobles,unequal taxation.
 But the actual problem was still not solved , the people were
starving . bread was still expensive . that’s when women took
charge and went to the kings palace in versailles called “the
march of versailles” where he resided, they broke into there
and forced the king to come with them to Paris to see what his
subjects were going through.he accepted his new position to
share power with the revolutionary government.
 In 1791 ,elections took place in national assembly and
monarchy was completely abolished in 1792.king louis and his
wife were senteced to death (by guillotine)
 In June 1793, the Jacobins seized control of the National
Convention from the more moderate Girondins and instituted a
series of radical measures, including the establishment of a
 new calendar and the eradication of Christianity. They also
unleashed the bloody Reign of Terror (la Terreur), a 10-month
period in which suspected enemies of the revolution were
guillotined by the thousands. Many of the killings were carried
out under orders from Robespierre, who dominated the
draconian Committee of Public Safety until his own execution
on July 28, 1794.

 Although they tried to move away from an autocratic reign,
Napoleon assumed dictatorial power as 1st Council of the
Republic on November 9, 1799, and later, he was crowned the
Emperor of France.
Guillotine:
 Despite Dr. Guillotin’s initial goal of creating a humane form of
execution, the guillotine was used to kill thousands of people
during the Reign of Terror.
 Among them were members of the bourgeoisie, aristocrats,
peasants, foreigners, and sympathizers of the revolution.
I. King Louis XVI, who had formerly been the absolute
monarch of France but was reduced in stature during the
revolution, tried to flee the country with his wife, Marie
Antoinette. They were unsuccessful in their attempt and
didn’t make it very far. In 1793, King Louis XVI was
sentenced to death by the guillotine after he was found to
have been conspiring with other countries and engaging
in counter-revolutionary acts. He was found guilty of
treason and later executed.
II. Nine months later, Marie Antoinette, the former Queen
of France, was executed by the guillotine. She was known
- and widely disliked - for her opulent lifestyle and her
extreme spending habits. For this reason, she earned
herself the nickname of “Madame Deficit” because of all
 the money she spent in her time as queen. The courts also
found her guilty of treason just like her husband, and she
was beheaded by the guillotine in October of 1793.
III. During the Reign of Terror, Maximilien de
Robespierre made it his duty to seek out any individuals
who disagreed with or criticized the French Revolution.
Those who were found guilty of this behavior were
thrown into prison or killed. His methods were deemed
much too extreme to continue, and he was subsequently
arrested by the National Convention. Robespierre was put
to death by the guillotine in July of 1794

Timeline:
1789:
Louis XVI summons the
January 24
Estates General
  May 5 Estates General convenes
  June 20 The “Tennis Court Oath”
Louis dismisses Necker, a
  July 11
popular minister
  July 14 Storming of the Bastille
Abolition of feudal (noble,
  August 4
clerical) rights
Declaration of the Rights of
  August 26
Man
The Wives’ March; Louis
  October 5-6
“kidnapped” back to Paris