Notes

French Revolution (1789-1815)
- Political revolt, upheaval, and transition
- Challenge to old French social order

Ancien regime - the old order of French society
- broken down into 3 classes: the first - the clergy
the second - the royalty and nobility
the third - everyone else

The First Estate
- 0.5% of the French population consisted of the clergy
- Had a lot of wealth and privilege

The Second Estate
- 1.5% of the French population consisted of the nobility
- Some looked for political appointment, though most held little power
- Owned a lot of land but had little financial income

The Third Estate
- 98% of the French population consisted of 'everyone else'
- Top of the class was the bourgeoisie, the wealthy people of the lowest estate
- Majority of the third estate were rural peasants
- Poorest members were city workers, servants, etc.
- Held the least amount of rights

French Financial Crisis
- Social problems magnified by a bad economy
- Caused by deficit spending, or the government spending more than it is taking in
- Large debts amassed from the Seven Years' War and aid in the American Revolution
- Royal court made poor spending choices, half of the income went to paying off interest on debt owed to other nations
- Government attempts to remove nobility tax exempt made the second estate angry

Failed Financial Reform
- Jacques Necker, the financial adviser to the King
- Urged reduced spending, government reform, free trade friendly laws, etc
- Also proposed taxing the first and second estates, both classes were furious and forced his removal

Storming of Bastille
- 800 Parisians stormed the medieval prison and tore it down
- Convinced nobles in the National Assembly to give up privileges
- Symbol of freedom in France to this day, Bastille Day is on July 14, in honor of this revolt

King Louis XVI
- To address social unrest and political dissent, King Louis XVI called on the Estates General
- Had all three estates submit cahiers, or a list of grievances
- Showed the tension between the classes

Tennis Court Oath
- Third Estate members of the Estates General transformed, renaming themselves the "National Assembly"
- Wanted to form a constitution
- Louis didn't support, and group vowed not to break apart until a constitution was made

The Great Fear
- Terrible famine in 1789 made political and social tensions worse
- Peasants attacked homes and nobles when they tries to impose dues from the medieval times
- Political groups: National Guard, headed by Marquis de Lafayette
Paris Commune - Mobilized protests and other violent acts in support of the revolution

Declaration of the Rights of Man
- General Assembly wrote in late August 1789
- Modeled after the American Declaration of Independence
- Recognized natural rights and that government existed to protect them
- Principles emphasized in saying, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity."

Women in the Revolution
- Thousands of women marched from Paris to Versailles, demanding to see Louis
- Also furious with Queen Marie Antoinette - known for her lavish spending despite national suffering

Reforms
- French Catholic church turned over to State control
- Consititution finished in 1791, est. limited monarchy
- Moved towards free trade, abolished unions
Emigres - French nobles and clergy that fled France after reforms

The Sans-Culottes
- "Without culottes:" those fancy knee pants
- Made the Revolution more radical, along with the Jacobins
- Demanded living wages and a republic
- Radical legislative assembly went to ar with European monarchs in Austria, Prussia, and Britain
- Converted back to National Convention

Entrance into Radical Phase
- Transition happened in 1798
- Amidst violence outbreaks, argued for universal male suffrage
- King Louis and Queen Marie Antoinette were both executed for treason
- Robespierre and several others created the Committee of Public Safety

Robespierre
- Headed up effort against the counter-revolutionaries
- Lead the Committee of Public Safety
- "Liberty cannot be secured unless criminals lose their heads."
- One of the most associated names with the Reign of Terror

Reign of Terror
- Approximately 40,000 people were executed
- Main execution tool was the guillotine
- Robespierre ultimatly was executed as well

Women in the Revolution
- Did gain some rights: It became easier for women to call for divorce
Women could finally inherit property
- Women eventually lose right to express views in public: Didn't have the "moral and physical strength necessary to practice political rights."

Background Causes of the French Revolution
- Firing of Jacques Necker
- Social Inequality
- Famine
- Drought
- Inflation
- Seven Years' War
- Aid in the American Revolution
- Deficit spending
- Poor leadership
- Tax immunity for high-classes
- Heavy taxation for lower class