The French Revolution from 1789 to 1799 saw the absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries overthrown. French society underwent major transformations as new ideas from the Enlightenment spread and economic and financial crises increased discontent among commoners who made up the majority of the population. Key events included the meeting of the Estates General, the formation of the National Assembly, the storming of the Bastille prison, and the march on Versailles that helped overthrow the monarchy. The revolution gave rise to radical new policies under the Reign of Terror and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, who seized power in a coup.

2. • The French Revolution (1789–1799), was a
period of radical social and political
upheaval in France that had a major
impact on France and indeed all
of Europe.
• The absolute monarchy that had ruled
France for centuries collapsed in three
years. French society underwent an epic
transformation, as feudal, aristocratic
and religious privileges evaporated
under a sustained assault
from radical left-wing political
groups, masses on the streets, and
peasants in the countryside.Old ideas
about tradition and hierarchy

3. • Enlightenment ideas
• Economic crisis: bad harvest, rising bread prices
because of hard winters
• Financial crisis: the bankrupt of administration.
The third estate was inable to pay more taxes and
the only exit was that the privileged estates
would pay, but the refused to do it, so the king
convoked the Estates General in order to change
the taxation system
• Influence of American Revolution. The
involvement of France in the American war of
Independence caused a new financial crisis.

4. •Clergy of the Roman Catholic Church form 1st
estate.
•The second estate = rich nobles
They own 20% of land and pay no taxes
•Third Estate: 98% of population
Heavily taxed
Made up of two groups
The bourgeoisie-the wealthy business
owners
The peasants and urban poor

5. Stages Of Revolution
A. Meeting of the Estates General
B. The National Assembly
C. The Tennis Court Oath
D. Fall of the Bastille
E. The Great Fear
F. March on Versailles

6. • All Estates agreed change was needed
– Political reform
– Address corruption
• But bitter division over how to vote.
– Vote by order, Third Estate will lose 2-1.
– Vote by Head, Third Estate wins 610-
591.
• King Louis XVI requests estates to meet
separately

7. •Third Estate refuses and forms
National Assembly
•Invites 3rd Estate to sit with them
•Seized power away from the
First and Second estates

8. •Vowed to write a
constitution
•Members of other estates
joined
•King capitulated to National
Assembly
•The Declaration of the

9. July 14, 1789
° A rumor that the king was
planning a military coup against
the National Assembly
° 18 died.
° 73 wounded.
° 7 guards killed.
° It held 7 prisoners

10. “ ”
• Independent revolutionary
agitation in the countryside
• Rumors of Royalist troops
becoming wandering
vandals
• Fear breeds fear and
peasants start marching
• Within 3 weeks of July
14, the countryside of
France had been completely
changed
• Abolition of the Nobility

11. 10/5/1789
• Rising bread
prices anger
woman of Paris.
– They march on
the assembly.
– They march to
Versailles.
• The woman and
mobs attack
Versailles.

12. • Events from October, 1789 through
September, 1791
• Abolition of the French nobility as a
legal order
• Constitutional Monarchy established
• Economic centralization
• Nationalization of the Church
--Stage set for subsequent civil war

14. • The Committee of
Public Safety
• The Concept of
“Total War”
• Maximum price
ceilings on certain
goods
• Nationalization of
Small Workshops

15. • Execution of 40,000
“Enemies of the Nation”
• Stress on radical definition
of equality
• Wanted a legal maximum
on personal wealth
• Wanted a regulation of
commercial profits
• End of Robespierre’s
dictatorship on July
28, 1794

16. • The Convention was replaced in 1795 by the
Directory, a moderate republican government.
They made another Constitution, more moderate,
and tried to bring peace. They won against Allied
States, thanks to a brilliant general called
Napoleon Bonaparte.
• In 1799 , after a coup d etat by Napoleon, the
Directory was abolished and the power given to
three consules , one of them Napoleon, because
the Directory didn t satisfied anybody.

17. Napoleon
Bonaparte
• Napoleon’s Rise to
Power
(1804-1815)
• The Napoleonic
Code
• Establishment of
the Bank of France
• Reconciliation with
the Catholic Church
--Concordat of
1801
• Heavy Censorship
• Napoleon’s “Art of
War”

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