Absolutism 17 th and 18 th Century political theory that suited the absolute monarchs of the time and justified the ABSOLUTE and ORGANIC rule.

UNIT 2: ENLIGHTENMENT AND FRENCH REVOLUTION

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE IDEAS/THEMES OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT? BASED ON WHAT WE LEARNED YESTERDAY, DOES AN ABSOLUTE MONARCHY SUPPORT THESE BELIEFS?

ABSOLUTISM

ABSOLUTISM

Absolutism 17th and 18th Century political theory that suited the

absolute monarchs of the time and justified the ABSOLUTE and ORGANIC rule of all aspects of society through a monarchy

Absolute Monarchy Kings or queens who believed that all power within

their state’s boundaries rested in their hands Justified through idea of DIVINE RIGHT—idea that

God created the monarchy and the monarch acted as God’s representative on earth

ABSOLUTISM Principles of Absolutism

Basic Principle: Ruler has complete power over all aspects of

an individual citizen’s life Political Principle:

King/Queen creates and executes all laws and decisions involved in governing their nation

Social Principle: Ruler oversees nobility that oversees general

population King/Queen & Nobility on topeveryone else

on the bottom

ABSOLUTISM

Principles of Absolutism (cont.) Economic Principle:

King/Queen and Nobility oversee the flow and distribution of money

Heavy taxation Wealth heavily consolidated in the upper class

Cultural Principle: King/Queen dictate cultural trends and religion Heavy use of CENSORSHIP

ABSOLUTISM

Rise of Absolutism in France 17th Century France

Pinnacle (height) of power, wealth, and prestige

Oversees exploration and expansion Cultural and intellectual world leader

Forms of Authority Monarchy Estates General Local Governments

ABSOLUTISM The “Absolute” Louis XVI

Almost single-handedly decided all fates of France during his reign

Heavily taxed his people to build his Palace of Versailles and instigate costly wars

Declining economy due to high expenses

Limited power of nobility by promoting positions of upper-middle class

“L’etat c’est moi”

(“I am the State”)

ABSOLUTISM

The “Absolute” Louis XVI Not religiously tolerant

Revoked Edict of Nantes (1685)granted greater religious freedom to French protestants (Huguenots)

PALACE AT VERSAILLES OR CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES

The court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime.

THE COST OF BUILDING VERSAILLES

What could you buy with 2 billion?

PAY ALEX RODRIGUEZ

10-year, $275 million contract (including $30 million dollar bonus if he breaks the all-time home run record)

Highest-paid player in sports history

BUY A GULFSTREAM JET

$15 million One of the nicest

private jets in the world

OPEN 50 NEW MCDONALD’S

$955,500 a piece Comes with

everything

1,000 STEINWAY PARLOR GRAND PIANOS

$39,400 per piano

LEBRON JAMES’ MANSION

$2.1 million Build one in each

state

BUILD A BASEBALL STADIUM

$346 million Holds 40,000+

people, home of the Phillies

10 BUGATTI VEYRONS

$1.7 million per car

World’s most expensive car

Can reach 253 mph

BUILD YOUR OWN THEME PARK

$250 million Excitement,

thrills…and ALL YOURS!

…AND YOU STILL HAVE MORE THAN $50 MILLION LEFT!!!

PALACE AT VERSAILLES

Palace Video

ABSOLUTISM

Absolutism’s Challenges All nations in Europe (not) England ruled by

Absolutism People began to resent total control and

question DIVINE RIGHT Renaissance ideals bred discussions of

DEMOCRACY Success of England’s Parliament intrigued

many in surrounding nations Emerging studies in Social Sciences such as

psychology and political science generated discussion of how to better rule people

ASSIGNMENT…

The popular French magazine “Louis Life” has chosen you to be its new investigative journalist. Your job is to go undercover and get a sneak peek at the life of Louis XIV at the Palace of Versailles. To do this, you must use the following sources: the video clip we watch in class today; the article we read, and the notes we took in class. Your article will be a series of illustrations (after all, not everyone can read in France).

ASSIGNMENT

This would be a serious shortcoming for anybody else in the world, but fortunately you can draw very well. You are your group will create a series of sketches that indicate what life is like at the palace. You will create five different drawings, each one outlining a characteristic of Louis XIV (daily procedure, personality, surroundings, etc.) For each sketch you should include: A sketch showing who is involved and what is going on Your cartoon’s feelings about the subject (Silly? Useful?

Necessary?) A two-sentence summary explaining each sketch

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

The Beatles?

SO YOU SAY YOU WANT A REVOLUTION?

Enlightenment IdeasPeople begin to question

traditional beliefs

French RevolutionCitizens begin to question socioeconomic structure in

country

BASIC UNDERSTANDINGS

Old Regime Three Estates (social classes)

in France First Estate

Catholic Church Clergy (Bishops, abbots, priests)

1-2% of population Did not pay taxes Paid “free gift” of 2% of

income to the king

BASIC UNDERSTANDINGS

Old Regime (cont.) Second Estate

Nobility (Military officials

Court officers) What % of

population? 2% of the population

Did not pay taxes

BASIC UNDERSTANDINGS

Old Regime (cont.) Third Estate 97% of the population Paid all of France’s taxes Bourgeoisie (doctors, lawyers, bankers,

merchants) Urban Working Class (blacksmith, baker,

servant, peddler Peasants (farmers, homeless and poor, paid

“corvee”working tax)

FRENCH REVOLUTION SIMULATION

Group 1 – has good amount of food – smallest group (1 person)

Group 2 – has the most food- small group (2 people)

Group 3 – has least food – biggest group

The Queen needs “taxes” to be paid…

Group #1 - give 2 pieces

Group #3 – give half of food

Group #2 – give nothing

THE ESTATES (SOCIAL CLASSES)

How can we solve it?

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

Each group gets only one vote… Who votes that the third group should

pay the most taxes ? Raise your hand. Why is this unfair? What would you do if you were in

group 3 and were asked to pay the majority of the taxes?

LET’S TAKE A VOTE ON PAYING TAXES

Group 1 – The clergy – paid only low taxes

Group 2 – The Rich Nobles – paid almost no taxes

Group 3 – The Bourgeoisie (merchants, artisans), cooks, servants and peasants – paid the most taxes

Where were most people? Third Estate

IN FRANCE…

The social class inequities in France in the 1700’s led to unrest among the Third Estate.

This ultimately led to REVOLUTION!

THE RESULT

CAUSES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

3 PARTS TO FRENCH REVOLUTION SECTION OF UNIT

Causes Processes Consequence

FRENCH REVOLUTION

Causes of Revolution The Enlightenment Ideas

Liberty Reason Equality Progress Happiness

Philosophe Ideology Locke defended private property, limited sovereignty,

and fair government Voltaire attacked noble privileges and Church

authority

FRENCH REVOLUTION

Causes of the Revolution (cont.) The American Revolution

Exhibited (showed) ideas of Enlightenment in action

French soldiers (i.e. Lafayette) that fought were instrumental (key) to inspiring lower-class French citizens

Placed Louis XIV in great debt

FRENCH REVOLUTION

Causes of the Revolution (cont.) Failing French Economy

National debt was 4 billion livres 50 percent of government’s income went

to interest on debt No central bank or paper currency Inefficient and uneven taxation system

(varied by region and estate)

FRENCH REVOLUTION

Causes of the Revolution (cont.) Feudal System

Estate system outdated Posed (presented) many

difficulties to rising middle class of Third Estate

Difficult to move upward in society (unless very rich)

Less well-off commoners resented the inequality of the three estates

FRENCH REVOLUTION

Causes of the Revolution (cont.) Louis XVI

Good intentions Weak-willed Indecisive Marie-Antoinette

allowed to “dispense patronage amongst friends”

FRENCH REVOLUTION

Causes of Revolution (cont.) Peasants’ situation

unbearable ‘Web of obligations’ Obviously unfairly

overtaxed Noble hunting privileges Land-starved Subsistence farmers

FRENCH REVOLUTION

Causes of the Revolution (cont.) Harvest Failures in 1787 & 88

Less food Higher prices Businesses failed Unemployment in cities

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION: STAGE 1 ESTATES GENERAL

Periodization of the French Revolution

Stage 1 (Spring and Summer of 1789)• Meeting

of the Estates-General

• Storming of the Bastille

• The Great Fear

Stage 2 (1789-1791)• National

Assembly• Declarati

on of the Rights of Man

• Constitution of 1791

Stage 3 (1791-1792)• Legislativ

e Assembly

• Emergence of 3 political groups

• September Massacre

Stage Four (1792-1795)• National

Convention

• Reign of Terror

• Committee of Public Safety

• Thermidorian Reaction

Stage 5 (1795-1799)• Directory• Coup

d’etat

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stages 1 Fiscal crisis forced Louis XXVI to call the

Estates-General (summer 1788; first time since 1614)

The Three Estates elected delegates: First Estate represented about 100,000

clergymen Second Estate represented about 400,000

noble men and women Third Estate represented about 24.5

million people

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stages 1 (cont.) Main disagreement was representation

Should the estates vote by estate or by individual?

Third Estate argued that all delegates should sit together and vote as individuals

Third Estate demanded as many delegates as the First and Second Estates combined “Doubling the Third”

WHO WERE THE THIRD ESTATE DELEGATES?

Represented the outlook of the elite 25 percent lawyers 43 percent governmental officials Strong sense of common grievance and

common purpose

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 1 (cont.) Storming of the

Bastille (July 14, 1789)

Bastille was a symbol of royal authority

Its fall symbolized of the people’s role in revolutionary change

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 1 (cont.) The Great Fear (July 20

—Aug. 5 1789) Rumors that the

King’s armies were on their way circulated

Peasants attacked and burned manor houses and destroyed manor records

POSTCARD FROM FRANCE

YOUR TASK

ON THE FRONT… ON THE BACK…

Create a colorful French Revolution Image

Postcard images may include Drawings of events Slogans or themes

Your art is not the key…your factual accuracy and effort are!

Write a short postcard message to a friend NOT in France during this time.

Explain what you have seen or experienced since the start of the Revolution.

Identify your perspective – 1st, 2nd, 3rd Estate?

STAGE 2: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 2 May 5, 1789 the Estates General convened at

Versailles June 17, 1789 the Delegates of the Third

Estate declared themselves to be the National Assembly

Voted to end absolute monarch Intent on creating a representative

government Signed their pact on June 20, 1789Tennis

Court Oath

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

The Oath of the Tennis Court (June 20, 1789)The deputies of Versailles were shocked to

discover the doors to their chamber were locked and guarded by soldiers. Fearing an

attack by King Louis, the deputies congregated in a nearby indoor, real tennis

court where they took an oath “not to separate, and to reassemble wherever

circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established”

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 2 The Declaration of the Rights of

Man and the Citizen (August 26, 1789—Issued in Sept.)

Declared Natural Rights Private property Liberty, security, and

resistance to oppression Declared freedom of speech,

religious toleration, and liberty of the press to be inviolable

Equality before the law

EVENTS OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 2 (cont.) August 4 1789 the National Assembly

voted to abolish all noble and other privileges

Church tithe The corvee Hunting privileges Tax exemptions and monopolies Obliterated the remnants of feudalism

STAGE 3: LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

STAGES OF REVOLUTION

Stage 3 Legislative Assembly

is plagued with disagreements the Assembly splits into 3 political groups: Radicals Moderates Conservatives

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Radicals• Opposed the king and idea of

a monarchy; Proposed a Republic; Used violence; Peasants, intellectuals, urban working class

Moderates

•Wanted some changes but not as many as radicals; Believed power should not be in the hands of the masses; Bourgeoisie

Conservatives

•Upheld idea of limited monarchy; Wanted few or no changes; Bourgeoisie and some nobility

Stages 3 (cont.) Monarchies around Europe feared

revolutionary ideas may spread Austria states support for Louis XVI and

threatened to invade Legislative Assembly declared war on

Austria

France now has domestic and foreign conflicts

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 3 (cont.) Radicals begin to dominate Legislative

Assembly July 25, 1792: Radicals capture Louis XVI

and family and put in a stone tower in Paris

Radicals take over Legislative Assembly Ends limited monarchy and Constitution

of 1791 Louis XVI deposed as king Legislative Assembly dissolved

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 3 (cont.) September Massacre (September 1792)

French troops leaving Paris to fight Austrians Parisians fear less troops will allow captured

nobles to escape and regain control Radicals lead raid on imprisoned nobles and

clergy and kill 1000’s

STAGE 4: NATIONAL CONVENTION

Stage 4 Takes over after Legislative Assembly-

September 21, 1792 Made up of radical leaders from the

Jacobin Club Supported a REPUBLIC

3 Main Leaders

STAGES OF REVOLUTION

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Robespierre

Jean Paul Marat

George Danton

Stage 4 (cont.) Abolished monarchy and declared France a

REPUBLIC based on “LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY”

All adult males could vote and hold office & Louis XVI common citizen

Citizen Army 1793- First Coalition takes on France GB, Holland, Spain, Austria and Prussia National Convention holds a draft By 1794, 800,000 men and WOMEN fighting to

protect France

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 4 (cont.) Robespierre Reign of Terror

Goal: use terror to enforce the Republic’s virtues

Committee of Public Safety Created and lead by Robespierre Seek out enemies of the Republic Try and execute enemies of the

Republic in an equal manner using guillotine

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

INFAMOUS EXECUTIONS

Louis XVI-King of France Marie Antoinette-Queen of

France George Danton-a leader of

National Convention

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Guillotine Device created by Dr.

Guillotin as a means to an enlightened execution without prejudice

How might the guillotine be an enlightened form of execution?

EXECUTION OF LOUIS XVI

Louis XVI-King of France

Executed January 21, 1793

Said to have cried like a baby as he

climbed the scaffolding

Symbolic event signifying the

emergence of a true radical republic

EXECUTION OF GEORGE DANTON

George Danton A leader of National

Convention and close friend and

confidant of Robespierre

Executed by guillotine in spring

of 1794 Considered not RADICAL enough!

EXECUTION OF MARIE ANTOINETTE

Marie Antoinette- Queen of France

Executed on Oct. 16, 1793

Was never liked by the people of France

Was executed as a traitor for conspiring against France with

her brother the Emperor of Austria

MURDER OF JEAN PAUL MARAT

Jean Paul Marat Writer and publisher

of “The Friend of the People”

Murdered in his bath tub on July 13, 1793

Murdered by woman that feared his ideas

too radical Wanted an end to unnecessary violence

RADICALS TOO RADICAL?

How does this cartoon depict the “arms” of the radicals?

By the people represented in the cartoon…what might be the cartoonist’s opinion of the “radicals”?

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 4 (cont.) Even the Radicals

had enough National Convention

leaders secretly organize the arrest and execution of Robespierre

July 24, 1794-Thermodorian Reaction

After Robespierre’s execution, National Convention leaders rally to create a more

“moderate” government structure. Convention remains in place until the new

structure is created and new members elected

This will become the 5th and final stage…

THE DIRECTORY

END OF NATIONAL CONVENTION

STAGE 5: THE DIRECTORY

Stage 5 1795- members of defunct National Convention

create new “moderate” government Still have many economic and social problems to

tackle Made up of MODERATES, mostly bourgeoisie Corrupted; enriched themselves at the public’s

expense Structure:

2 House Legislature 5 Executive members

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION

Stage 5 (cont.) Somewhat successful

Created sense of order and stability throughout France

Responsible for the rise of France’s greatest military mastermind…

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

Napoleon will overthrow the Directory in

November of 1799