THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

What was the French Revolution?

The French Revolution was a period of time in France when the people overthrew the monarchy and took
control of the government.

When did it take place?

The French Revolution lasted 10 years from 1789 to 1799. It began on July 14, 1789 when revolutionaries
stormed a prison called the Bastille. The revolution came to an end 1799 when a general named Napoleon
overthrew the revolutionary government and established the French Consulate (with Napoleon as leader).

The French Estates

Before the French Revolution, the people of France were divided into social groups called "Estates." The First
Estate included the clergy (church leaders), the Second Estate included the nobles, and the Third Estate
included the commoners. Most of the people were members of the Third Estate. The Third Estate paid most
of the taxes, while the nobility lived lives of luxury and got all the high-ranking jobs.

Revolutionary Government
The French Government was in constant turmoil throughout the revolution. At the start of the revolution,
representatives from the Third Estate established the National Assembly where they demanded that King
Louis XVI give them certain rights. This group soon took control of the country. They changed names over
time to the Legislative Assembly and, later, to the National Convention. After the Reign of Terror, a new
government was formed called the Directory. The Directory ruled until Napoleon took control.

Reign of Terror
The darkest period of the French Revolution is called the Reign of Terror which lasted from 1793 to 1794.
During this time, a man named Robespierre led the National Convention and the Committee of Public Safety.
He wanted to stamp out any opposition to the revolution, so he called for a rule of "Terror." Laws were
passed that said anyone suspected of treason could be arrested and executed by guillotine. Thousands of
people were executed including Queen Marie Antoinette and many of Robespierre's political rivals.

Political Clubs
Many of the new political ideas and alliances of the French Revolution were formed in political clubs. These
clubs included the powerful Jacobin Club (led by Robespierre), the Cordeliers, the Feuillants Club, and the
Pantheon Club.

Outcome
The French Revolution completely changed the social and political structure of France. It put an end to the
French monarchy, feudalism, and took political power from the Catholic church. It brought new ideas to
Europe including liberty and freedom for the commoner as well as the abolishment of slavery and the rights
of women. Although the revolution ended with the rise of Napoleon, the ideas and reforms did not die. These
new ideas continued to influence Europe and helped to shape many of Europe's modern-day governments.
 Timeline

1789
June 17 - The Third Estate (commoners) declares the National Assembly.
June 20 - Members of the Third Estate take the Tennis Court Oath demanding certain rights from the king.
July 14 - The French Revolution begins with the Storming of the Bastille.
August 26 - The National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of man and of the Citizen.
October 5 - A large group of women (and men) march from Paris to Versailles to demand lower bread prices.
They force the king and queen to move back to Paris.
October 6 - The Jacobin Club is formed. Its members become some of the most radical leaders of the French
Revolution.

1791
June 20-21 - The "Flight to Varennes" occurs when the royal family, including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie
Antoinette, attempt to flee France. They are captured and returned to France.
September 14 - King Louis XVI formally signs the new constitution.
October 1 - The Legislative Assembly is formed.

1792
March 20 - The guillotine becomes the official method of execution.
April 20 - France declares war against Austria.
September - The September Massacres occur between September 2 - 7. Thousands of political prisoners are
killed before they can be freed by royalist troops.
September 20 - The National Convention is established.
September 22 - The First French Republic is founded.

1793
January 21 - King Louis XVI is executed by guillotine.
March 7 - Civil war breaks out in the Vendee area of France between revolutionaries and royalists.
April 6 - The Committee of Public Safety is formed. It will rule France during the Reign of Terror.
July 13 - Radical journalist Jean-Paul Marat is assassinated by Charlotte Corday.
September 5 - The Reign of Terror begins as Robespierre, the leader of the Committee of Public Safety,
declares that terror will be the "order of the day" for the revolutionary government.
September 17 - The Law of Suspects is decreed. Anyone suspected of opposing the revolutionary government
is arrested. Thousands of people will be executed over the next year.
October 16 - Queen Marie Antoinette is executed by guillotine.
1794
July 27 - The Reign of Terror comes to an end as Robespierre is overthrown.
July 28 - Robespierre is executed by guillotine.
May 8 - Famous chemist Antoine Lavoisier, the "father of modern chemistry", is executed for being a traitor.
1795
July 14 - "La Marseillaise" is adopted as the national anthem of France.
November 2 - The Directory is formed and takes control of the government of France.

1799
November 9 - Napoleon overthrows the Directory and establishes the French Consulate with Napoleon as
leader of France. This brings an end to the French Revolution.
French Revolution
The French Revolution began in 1789 with the Storming of the Bastille. Over the next 10 years. the
government of France would be in turmoil, the king would be executed, and groups of revolutionaries would
battle each other for power. But what caused the revolution to occur in the first place?

Before the Revolution

To understand what caused the French Revolution, we have to understand what France was like before it all
happened. France was a monarchy ruled by the king. The king had total power over the government and the
people. The people of France were divided into three social classes called "estates." The First Estate was the
clergy, the Second Estate was the nobles, and the Third Estate was the commoners. Most of France belonged
to the Third Estate. There was little chance for people to move from one estate to another.

Major Causes
There wasn't one event or condition that led to the French Revolution, but, rather, a number of factors came
together to cause a perfect storm leading to the revolt of the people against the king.

Debt and Taxes

In 1789, the French government was in a major financial crisis. The king had borrowed heavily to maintain a
lavish lifestyle. Also, the government had borrowed to fight Great Britain in the Seven Years' War and to help
the Americans in the Revolutionary War.

With such great debt, the king had no other option than to try and raise taxes. The commoners of France (the
Third Estate) had to pay the majority of the taxes. The nobles and the clergy were largely exempt from paying
taxes. Higher taxes angered the common people, especially since the nobles didn't have to pay their share.

Famine and Bread Prices

France was experiencing famine at the time. The common people mostly ate bread to survive. However, the
cost of bread skyrocketed and people were hungry and starving.

Changes in Culture
For hundreds of years the people of France had blindly followed the king and accepted their place in life.
However, in the 1700s, the culture began to change. The "Era of Enlightenment" presented new ideas such as
"liberty" and "equality." Also, the American Revolution represented a new type of government where the
people ruled rather than a king.

Politics
Before the Storming of the Bastille, King Louis XVI had been losing power within the French government. He
was a weak king and didn't realize how bad the situation was for the commoners in France. The members of
the Third Estate formed the National Assembly to force the king to make reforms. Not only was the king in
conflict with the commoners, but the king and the nobles could not agree on reforms.

Interesting Facts about the Causes of the French Revolution

 The commoners resented a tax on salt called the "gabelle." They needed salt to flavor and preserve
their food.
 The political system of France before the French Revolution was called the "Ancien Regime."
 Each year peasants had to work a few days for their local landlord for free. This labor tax was called
the "corvee." They typically worked on improving roads or building bridges.
 The nobles held all the powerful positions in the government and the church, but didn't have to pay
many of the taxes.
Estates General
The Estates General was the legislative body of France up until the French Revolution. The king would
call a meeting of the Estates General when he wanted the advice on certain issues. The Estates General
didn't meet regularly and had no real power.

What were the French Estates?

The Estates General was made up of different groups of people called "Estates." The "Estates" were
important social divisions in the culture of ancient France. What estate you belonged to had a major
impact on your social status and quality of life.
 First Estate - The First Estate was made up of the clergy. These were people who worked for
the church including priests, monks, bishops, and nuns. This was the smallest estate in terms of
population.
 Second Estate - The Second Estate was the French nobility. These people held most of the high
offices in the land, got special privileges, and didn't have to pay most of the taxes.
 Third Estate - The rest of the population (around 98% of the people) were members of the
Third Estate. These people were the peasants, craftspeople, and laborers of the land. They paid
taxes including the gabelle (a tax on salt) and the corvee (they had to work a certain number of
days for free for the local lord or the king each year).

The Estates General of 1789

In 1789, the King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General. It was the first meeting of the
Estates General called since 1614. He called the meeting because the French government was having
financial problems.

How did they vote?

One of the first issues that came up at the Estates General was how they would vote. The king said
that each estate would vote as a body (each estate would get 1 vote). The members of the Third
Estate did not like this. It meant that they could always be outvoted by the much smaller First and
Second Estates. They wanted the vote to be based on the number of members.

The Third Estate Declares the National Assembly

After arguing over how they would vote for several days, the Third Estate began to take matters into
their own hands. They met on their own and invited members of the other estates to join them. On
June 13, 1789, the Third Estate declared itself the "National Assembly." They would begin making
their own laws and running the country.

King Louis XVI did not condone the formation or the actions of the National Assembly. He ordered the
building where the National Assembly was meeting (the Salle des Etats) closed. The National
Assembly was not to be denied, however. They met on a local tennis court (called the Jeu de Paume).
While at the tennis court the members took an oath to keep meeting until the king recognized them
as a legitimate government body.

Interesting Facts about the Estates General

 The king also took advice from the "Assembly of Notables." This was a group of high ranking
nobles.
 In 1789 France, there were around 100,000 members of the First Estate, 400,000 members of
the Second Estate, and around 27 million members of the Third Estate.
 Some members of the First Estate (the clergy) were commoners before they became clergy.
Many of them sided with the issues and concerns of the Third Estate.
 It was very rare for a person to move up in status from the Third Estate (commoner) to the
Second Estate (noble).
 The representatives of each estate at the Estates General assembly were elected by the people
from their estate.