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The French Revolution
On July 14, 1789, the city of Paris seized the spotlight from the National Assembly meeting in Versailles. The streets buzzed with rumors that royal troups were going to occupy the capital. More than 80 0Parisians assembled outside the Bastille, a grim medieval fortness used as a prison for political & other prisoners. The crowd deman weapons & gunpowder believed to be stored there. -
Womens Suffering During French Revolution
On October 5, 1789, anger turned to action as thousands of women marched from Paris to Versailles. They wanted the king to stop ignoring their suffering. -
The Political Crisis of 1789
The Political crisis of 1789 coincided with the worst famine in memory. Starving peasants roamed the countryside or flocked to towns, where they swelled the ranks of the unemployed. As grain soared, even people with jobs had to spend much as 80% of their income on bread. -
The Church Is Placed Under State Control
In an even more radical move, the National Assembly put the French Catholic Church under state control. Under the Civil Constitution of the Chergy, issued in 1790, bishops & priests became elected, salaried officials. The Civil Constitution ended papal authority over the French Church & dissolved convents & monasteries. The reaction was wift & angry. -
The Constitution of 1791 Established a New Government.
The Constitution of 1791 Established a New Government. The National Assembly completed its main task by producing a constitution. The constitution of 1791 set up a limited mornachy in the place that monarchy ruled France for centuries. They had a new Legislative Assembly that had power to make laws, collect taxes, & decide on issues on war & peace. The Lawmakers would be elcted by tax-paying male citizens over age 25. -
Continuing The Constitution of 1791 Established a New Government.
In order to make the government more efficient, the constitution replaced the old provinces with 83 departments of roughly equal size. It had a bolish the old Provincial courts, & it reformed laws.The constitution of 1791 seemed to complete the revolution. Reflecting Englihtenment goals, it ensured equality before the law for all male citizens & ended Church interference in government. -
Terror & Danger Grip France
By early 1793, danger threatened France on all sides. The country was at war with much of Europe, including Britian, the Netherlands, Spain, & Prussia.Around that time the Vendée region of France, royalists & priests led peasants in rebellion against the government. The sansculottes demanded relief from food shortages & inflation in Paris. The Convention divided itself between Jacobins & a rival group, the Girondins. -
The Guillotine Defines the Reign of Terror
A speech was given on February 5, 1794, in that speech Robespierre explained why the terror was necessary to achieve the goals of the revolution. About 300,000 were arrested during Reign of Terror. 17,000 executed, & many were victims of mistaken or were false accused by their neighbors. Also, many died from being packed into hideous prisons, where deaths from diseases were common. -
Revolution Brings Change
By 1799, the 10-year-old French Revolution had dramatically changed France. It had alot of effects on them like it disloged the old social order, overthrown the monarchy, & brought the Church under state control. -
"Citizens"
Their nrew symbols "liberty caps" & the tricolor confirmed the liberty & equality of all male citiznes. The new title "Citizen" applied to people of all social classes. All other titles were eliminated. -
Nationalism Spreads
Revolution & war gave the French people a strong sense of national identity. In earlier times, people had felt loyalty to local authorities. As monarchs centralized power, loyalty shifted to the king or queen. Now, the governmet rallied sons & daughters of the revolution to defend the nation itself. -
Celebratiing Nationalism
Nationalism, a strong feeling of pride in & devotion to one's country, spread throughput France. The French people attended civic festivals that celebrated the nation & the revolution. A variety of dances & songs on themes of the revolution became immensely popular.