French Revolution Continues
- Fun Fact: During the French Revolution, George Washington became the first president of the U.S.A
More Beginnings
- Started in 1789 and lasted until 1799.
- In 1700s, 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 dept 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 population were in this estate.
Second 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
Third Estate
- Included everyone that was not 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 of the population
Enlightenment Ideals
- Enlightenment is complex with many influences, for this chapter we will focus on the influence form USA.
- The 3rd estate was becoming very tired of the Old Regime.
- The prompted the ideals of Equality, Liberty, and Democracy.
Weak Leader
- Louis XVI (married to Mare Antoinette) was a very weak leader
- He was very indecisive and paid very little attention to his advisors, especially financial advisors
- Marie did not help much either with constatnly expressing her opinion and the fact that she was from Austria.
- He finally wanted to tax the nobles, but they were not happy there either so the Estates-General was called.
Estates-General
- An assembly of representatives from all three 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
French Revolution: The Beginnings
Cause of Revolution
- There are four main causes
- Debt
- Taxation Issues
- Failure of Reform
- Famine
Debt
- Debt of French Government was around 8 to 12 billion livre (their currency)
- Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, spent a lot of money on very luxurious things, instead of being financially responsible
- Also they still had war debts from the Seven Year's War (with England) 1756-1763
- Much of their debt was compiled 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 England.
Taxation
- 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 should 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 into 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 of judicial execution until the abolition of capital punishment with the backing of President Francois Mitterrand in 1981. (a little more than 30 years ago)
Marie Antoinette
- Born in Vienna, Austria
- Marred 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, very popular.
- Executed by the Guillotine
Napoleon
- Military leader during the later stages fo the Revolution
- Became the Emperor of the French in 1804.
- Known for:
- Napoleonic Code
- Height (short)
- Battle Tactics
- Battle of Waterloo
1. Which of the four components does your group feel is the biggest reason for the French Revolution? Why? We believe that debt was the largest reason for the French Revolution because all of the other reasons for the cause of the French Revolution led to the debt.
2. Success Rate? Always Successful? The success rate was 99.7%, so they were not always successful.
3. What items did her and her husband spend money on? She spent a lot of money on clothes, jewels, and chateaux. Any kind of whim. She was expected to spend money on her attire.
4. Napoleon said, “A horse has memory, knowledge and love." Rode for pleasure and for travel. Napoleon was able to lead an army because he was a good leader. If he was on his horse, he would seem taller.
Excessive used? Reign of Terror? Period from June1793-1794 40000 people lost their heads
Ironic? Made for criminals but it ended up killing their king.
Death vs Fear? Oppression. Which is a bigger symbol for the French peasants? Both fear of doing something wrong and it lead to death.
Marie was born into France
Louis had more power
Nicknames-Austrian Whore and Madam Deficit
The Napoleonic Code — or Code Napoléon (originally, the Code civil des Français) — is the French civil code, established under Napoléon I in 1804. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs go to the most qualified.
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