The French Revolution
•Louis 16th
• Executed on January 21 1793
• Became King of France in 1774 and was the last Absolute Monarch of France
• Borrowed money heavily to help American Revolutionaries
• Bankers said no to lending the government money in 1786 this posed serious economic problem
for Louis 16th
• He tried to tax the third estate and this led to his downfall.
• Was executed in 1793 during the reign of Terror
Estates General
➢ Estates General is an assembly of representatives from all three estates
➢ The First estate was made up of
➢ Clergymen from the Roman Catholic church
➢ They scorned enlightenment ideas
➢ The Second estate
➢ Made up of rich nobles
➢ They held the highest offices in the government
➢ They disagreed about enlightenment ideas
➢ The Third estate
➢ Made up of the bourgeoisie, urban lower class, and peasant farmers
➢ They held no power in government
➢ They also liked the enlightenment ideas
National Assembly
• A French congress established by representatives of the Third Estate on June 17, 1789, to enact laws
and reforms in the name of the French people.
• The National Assembly was mostly made up of the bourgeoisie whose views had been shaped by the
Enlightenment, were eager to make changes in the government.
• They insisted that all three estates meet together and that each delegate have a vote. This would give
the advantage to the Third Estate, which had as many delegates as the other two estates combined.
• On June 17, 1789, they voted to establish the National Assembly, in effect proclaiming the end of
absolute monarchy and the beginning of representative government.
• Three days later, the Third Estate found themselves locked out of their meeting room. They broke
down the door to an indoor tennis court, pledging to stay until they drew up a new constitution. This
was called the Tennis Court Oath.
• King Louis tried to make peace by ordering the First and Second Estates to join the National
Assembly.
Declaration of the Rights of Man
• These were the basic layout for what man should and shouldn’t do.
• The rights are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.
• It was established in 1789 by the national assembly during the French Revolution.
• The declaration of independence was used as its model.
• It declares that it is the job of the government to protect the natural rights of man and guarantees equality
among men.
• States that anyone is free to practice any region of their choice without prosecution.
• It promises to tax people only on how much they can afford.
Storming the Bastille
Causes…
• Louis tried to make peace with the Third Estates by yielding the National Assembly’s demands.
• Louis ordered the nobles and clergy to join the National Assembly but the king stationed his army in Paris.
• Rumors flew that the foreign troops were coming to massacre French citizens.
July 14th 1789…
• A mob tried to get gunpowder from the Bastille but the angry crowd overwhelmed the king’s soldiers and the
Bastille fell into the control of the citizens.
• Storming the Bastille was the symbol of the French Revolution. It is known as a national holiday in France.
MAXIMILIEN ROBESPIERRE
• MAXIMILIEN ROBESPIERRE :was one of the people that lead the Reign of Terror .
• A radical revolutionary Robespierre tried to keep the virtue of the revolution alive.
• During the Reign of Terror tens and thousands of people were executed, and thousands more were put into
prison.
• After a year the people tired of Robespierre and he was executed , ending the Reign of Terror.
Committee of Public Safety
• The leader of the Committee of Public Safety was Maximilien Robespierre.
• He had to decide who should be considered enemies of the public.
• They wanted to keep the true virtues of their revolution alive.
• They executed thousands of people.
• Used the slogan “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity”
Reign of Terror (1793)
• September 5, 1793 the Reign of Terror begins.
• Robespierre slowly gained control and wanted to destroy Frances past monarchy and nobility.
• Robespierre was a brutal man who beheaded anyone who opposed him including priests, kings, and rival
leaders.
• 18,000-40,000 people were killed during the reign of terror.
• 1,300 people were executed in the month before this terror ended.
• The “REIGN OF TERROR” was finally over on July 28th, 1794 as Maximilien Robespierre was beheaded.
Review Questions
http://www.problem-attic.com/public/zc9lfam3/test