3. The French Revolution

The French Revolution was a series of dramatic/radical changes that put an end to the Ancien Régime.
1. It marked the arrival of a NEW ERA and it was symbolized by a famous slogan:
  1. "LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY "or death"
    1. freedom to live the way that you want.
    2. having the same rights under the law.
    3. sharing the same interests and objectives.
    4. to show that the revolutionaries were prepared to FIGHT or DIE for their principles.
CAUSES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
1. The influence of the Enlightenment.
2. The American Revolution (July 4th, 1776)
3. Economic crisis
  1. French government was bankrupt.
  2. Participation in military conlicts (wars)
  3. Royal lifestyle (palaces, extravagant parties)
  4. Bad harvest
4. Political crisis
  1. Representation of the Third Estate in the Estates General.
5. Social crisis
  1. NOBILITY & CLERGY wanted to protect their traditional economic privileges. They refused to pay taxes.
  2. BOURGEOISIE wanted to participate in government.
  3. PEASANTS suffered economic problems.
THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 4th
1. Responding to the Great Fear, one by one, the members of the nobility and clergy rose to give up:
  1. Feudal dues
  2. Serfdom
  3. The tithe
  4. Personal privileges
CREATING A NEW FRANCE
1. The National Assembly (1789 - 1792) instituted political and social reforms in the early stages of the revolution.
2. In 1791, the assembly finished writing a new constitution that established:
  1. Constitutional monarchy
  2. Popular sovereignty
  3. Limited male suffrage
  4. The separation of powers
3. The Enemies of the Revolution
  1. The nobility
  2. The clergy
  3. The Royal Family
  4. Other political groups:
    1. THE GIRONDINS
      1. Moderate revolutionaries
        favoured the bourgoisie
        had moderate political ideas
        wanted a liberal econommic policy
        wanted to ristrict voting rights (limited suffrage)
    2. THE JACOBINS
      1. Radical revolutionaries
        favoured the sans-culottes
        had radical political ideas
        wanted to control prices
        wanted to give more people the vote
4. Attack to the Tuileries
  1. August 10th, 1792, the constitutional monarchy was over.
THE REIGN OF TERROR
1. Radical revolutionaries took control of the Assembly in 1792, the Convention.
  1. These radicals ended the monarchy, made France a republic, and wrote another constitution.
    1. On January 21st, 1793, they executed the king for treason.
2. Maximilien Robespierre
  1. As president of the republic, Robespierre established a repressive, dictatorial government, whose objectives was to defend the revolution.
    1. On July 28th, 1794, he was guillotined with 21 of his close supporters.

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3. The French Revolution

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	Created by Rita Pons Ameller about 10 years ago