French Revolution: The beginnings-
Cause of Revolution-
There are four reasons of the French Revolution
Debt- The debt of the French government was around 8 to 12 billion livre (their currency)
Louis XVI spent a lot of money on very luxurious things, instead of being financially responsible.
Also they still had war debts form the seven year's War (with England) 1756-1763
Much of their debt was complied because they weren't exploring like their rival, England.
England was able to use the colonies as a steady source of income.
France had not completely bought into Mercantilism either at this time like Enland had.
Taxation Issues- France, at this time, was heavily involved in trading. (good)
However, to be a great trading country, you cannot have high tariffs, so you need to tax heavily on your people. (bad)
Masses of people of France, not too thrilled with this idea. Also nobles did not pay these taxes.
Failure of reform- Some French "economists" stated that the nobles shoud be included in taxation.
This plan backfired, as peasants had to pay even more than before.
France continued to stick with their economic plan even though they were continuing to go deeper and deeper in debt.
Famine- Crop failure in the 1780's didn't help much either.
Supply and demand occurs here with bread.
Got to the point where peasants thought the crown had wished for them to die (conspiracy)
Guillotine The condemned person is secured at the bottom of the frame, with his or her neck held directly below the blade.
However, it continued to be used long after the Revolution and remained France's standard method until a little more than 30 years ago.
Marie Antoinette- Born in Vienna Austria
Married louis the XVI
Became the Queen of France
Had two sons and two daughters.
Very popular with the people at the beginning of her reign.
At the end of her reign sh was executed by the Guillotine.
Napoleon- Military leader during the later stages of the Revolution.
Became the Emperor of the French in 1804.
Know for Napoleonic code, Height, Battle tactics, waterloo
Fun Fact: During French revolution George Washington became the first President of the USA.
More Beginnings-
Started in 1789 and lasted until 1799.
In 1700's, France and England were considered the most advanced countries in Europe and the world.
It had a large population and a great (good and bad) foreign trade.
However, much of the world did not know the extreme debt that France had occurred.
Old Regime- In the 1770's, the social and political system of France was called the Old Regime.
Under this Regime, there were 3 large social classes called Estates.
First Estate- made up of clergy of the Roman Catholic Church (priest, bishops, deacons, cardinals)
Had to pay 2 percent of their earnings to taxes.
Owned 10 percent of the lands in France.
Their jobs were to provide religion, education, and relief services to the poor.
Less than 1 percent of French were in this estate.
2nd estate- This group was made up of rich nobles.
They held the highest offices in the government in France.
This estate paid 0 percent of income to taxes.
Owned 20 percent of the lands in France.
This estate had only 2 percent of the population of France.
3rd estate- Included everyone that wasn't in the first two estates.
Had no power to influence their government in France.
Had to pay 50 percent of income/ food to taxes.
Resented the first two classes.
Owned 70 percent of the lands in France and consisted of 97 percent.
Enlightenment Ideals-
Is a complex with many influences, for this chapter we will focus on the influence for USA.
The 3rd estate was becoming very tired of the Old Regime.
They prompted the ideals of equality, liberty, and democracy.
Weak leader-
Louis XVI (married to Marie Antointte) was a very weak leader.
He was very indecisive and paid very little attntion to his advisors.
Marie didn't help much either with constantly expressing her opinion and the fact that she was from Austria.
He finally wanted to tax the nobles, but they weren't happy there either so the Estates General was called.
Estates General- An assembly of representatives from all there estates.
Their goal was to approve the new tax.
The meeting was held on May 5, 1789 in Versailles.
It was the first time the assembly had met in 175 years.
In the past, the 3 estates would meet seperately and there would only be 1 vote per estate.
This allowed for the 1st and 2nd estate to always beat the 3rd.
The king sided with the nobles again and they were outvoted.
Order of Events-
July 14th 1789- Storming of The Bastille- France lost their governor, secretary of state and the mayor of paris.
July 17th 1789- The great fear- the peasantry revolt against feudilism and a number of urban disturbances and revolts. Many members of the aristocracy flee Paris to become emigres.
Emigres- Somone who has migrated out of an area voluntary.
August 26th 1789- Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the citizen is adopted by the assembly.
Is a fundamental document of the french revolution and in the historey of human rights, defining the individual and collective rights of all the estates of the realm as universal.
Legislative Assembly- Late 1789
Emigres are required to return back to paris with the threat of death it they didn't return.
King is still scared to return so he removes the idea that they have to come back.
This allows for new blood (3rd estate) to become part of the legislative assembly.
Women's March on Versailles- Also Known as October days, or simply the March on Versailles, was one of the earliest and most significant events of the French Revolution.
The march began among women in the marketplaces of Paris who, on the morning of October 5, 1789, were near rioting over the high price and scarcity of bread.
W.M.o.V- The market women and their various allies grew into a mob of thousands and , encouraged by revolutionary agitators, they ransacked the city armory for weapons and marched to the Palace of Versailles.
The next day, the crowd compelld the king, his family, and most of the french assembly to return with the to paris
These events ended king independent reign.
National Convention-
Comprised the constitutional and legislative assembly of France and sat from September 20, 1792 to October 26, 1795.
It held exectutive power in France during the first years of the French First Republic.
The Republic ended in 1804 when Napoleon changed it to the First French Empire.
December 3, 1792-
Louis XVI is brought in front of the courts for trial.
Robespierre, a leader in the French Revolution, utters the fomous phrase that "Louis XVI must die so that the country can live."
January 21, 1793-
Citizen Louis Capet Guillotined, formerly known as Louis XVI.
June 24th 1793-
Ratification of new constitution by National Convention, but not yet proclaimed. Slavery is abolished in France until 1802.
1802 is around the rise of power for Napoleon and he thinks that slavery is a good deal for France.
Reign of Terror-
September 4, 1793 - July 28, 1794
Was a period of violence that occured after the onst of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions.
Mass executions of "enemies of the revolution"
The death toll ranged in the tens of thousands, with 16,594 executed by guillotine (2,639 in Paris), and another 25,000 in Summary executions across France.
Summary executions- Their is no hearing, you would be killed within hours by guillotine, four oxen, or beheaded by sword.
October 15, 1793-
Queen Marie Antoinette is impeached and convicted for treachery against the country, and for incest with her child, the Dauphin, and is condemned to be executed in the Place de la Revolution.
The next day Marie Antoinette gets the guillotine.
First Coalition-
1792-1797
Fought against revolting/ revolutionizing France, and many other European countries.
Was the first major effort of multiple European monarchies to contain Revolutionary France.
France declared war on the Habsburg monarchy of Austria on April 20, 1792, and the kingdom of Prussia joined the Austrian side a few weeks later.
Countries involved- Against France
Habsburg Monarchy
Holy Roman Empire
Prussia Until 1795
Great Britan
French Royalists
Spain Until 1795
Portugal
These countries liked the idea of a monarchy.
Opposing Side-
French Republic
Spain From 1796
Batavian Republic From 1795
French satellite States
Polish Legions From 1795
These countries were against the monarchy.
First coalition-
This war started off as France as the aggressor, even though many people assumed differently.
At the beginning, France suffered some defeats by other countries and some issues with loyalist (internal issues).
Their response was to increase thier size of their army.
They made all men ages 18- 25 "draftable" to fight in the war.
France against the coalition-
However, the French were able to regroup and do much better fighting off the coalition.
A few countries quit fighting against France in 1795. (Prussia and Spain even switched sides, like USSR did in WWII).
Finally in 1797, Great Britian was the only country still fighting against the French.
They quickly quit and France had prevailed.
Results of the War-
French victory
Treaty of Campo Formio
Survival of the French Republic
French annexation of the Austrian Netherlands
Several French client repulblics established (sister countries)
Hostilities resume in 1798 withe the formation of a second coalition against France.
Treaty of Campo Formio- With the Treaty of Campo Formio, the Holy Roman Empire ceded the Austrian Netherlands to France and Northern Italy was turned into several French "Sister Republics".
England or Great Britan helped set up the French monarchy.
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