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Divided French Society and Financial Trouble
France had three estates. Nobility, Clegy, and Peasants.
France had a high debt from wars and nothing to show for it so inflation got crazy.
Bread prices soared and people worried and got angry. They blamed the other two estates for being careless with money and oppressing them.
Talk of fighting/ a revolution began. -
Louis XVI Calls the Estates-General
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Louis XVI Calls the Estates-General
Louis XVI had to have the Estates General which was a gathering of the three estates.
The peasants presented their problems and asked for them to be resolved through means of less taxation and civil rights. However the rigged system of one vote per estate ended up causing them to lose.
The King likes having absolute power so he hated having to call this meeting.
The fact that nothing had been solved caused the peasants to become even angrier.
This would push them to true violence. -
Parisians storm the Bastille
The Parisians storm the Bastille (A prison) in search of weapons for a revoltuion.
The King was scared by how easily the citizens took down the guards.
As a symbol of their victory the peasants began tearing the bastille down with their bare hands. Literally brick by brick.
This is considered the first true revolutionary act and would show just how far the people were willing to go. -
Revolt/National Assembly (Rights of Man, women's March, Church, Constitution
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Revolt/National Assembly (Rights of Man, women's March, Church, Constitution
King was forced to take action and give rights.
Rights only went to men.
Women essentially kidnapped royal family,
New Republic beginning,
Clergy needed to be elected.
Rights still were jipping the peasants. -
Divided French Society and Financial Trouble
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Threats From Abroad
Rulers feared the French Plague. Or revolutionary ideas.
Emigrants spread the news.
Austria's king was concerned for the Queen and so declared war.
As did Britain since it didn't like France.
Finally, the germanic states also begin to take land.
Fighting will go on for years as France prepares for war. -
Civil War(Radicals Take Over)
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Civil War (Radicals Take Over)
The Legislative Assembly essentially takes full power of France.
The San-culottes (normal people) demand a republic for their rights. They considered themselves the "true people"
of France. They were not poor but also not rich however most did work in factories.
A war is declared on tyranny in 1792. Fighting continues until 1815.
The country has to adapt to having more than just a king rule them.
The country was in a slightly awkward mood because of how fragmented the government was. -
Threats from Abroad
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Monarchy is Abolished
The right to vote is spread across the nation.
The king will soon be executed.
The citizens yet again revolt(they're really good at that).
The king must die so the revolution can live. -
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Threats from Abroad
Rulers of nearby countries feared what they called the "French Plague".
It was the information that if the people were unpleased with their government, they could rise up and overthrow their monarchs.
Emigrants from France told of what had exactly happened in France.
The Queen had been locked away once more after King Louis' failed escape attempt and her brother, the king of Austria, was concerned for her safety. He sent an army when they didn't let her go. England also prepared for an assault. -
Nationalism Spreads
For the first time people felt a loyalty to their country rather than their monarch.
People began calling France the "Fatherland" and fighting in honor of it.
This allowed them to be passionate of their country while not having to necessarily like their leader. -
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Robespierre and the Reign of Terror
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Third Stage of Revolution
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Third Stage of Revolution
A five man directory and a two house legislature was the government.
Peace was made with Prussia and Spain but Austria and England still fought on.
Some leaders were corrupt and were replaced with supporters of a Constitutional Monarchy.
Napolean Bonaparte became the best candidate for a leader.
It would not be long before they realized their mistake.
