Absolutism

France was an Absolute monarch after Louis 14th

• Absolute monarchs: didn’t share power with a counsel or parliament

  • “Divine Right of Kings”

Louis XIV (14th):

• Ruled from 1643-1715

• Reduced power of the nobility

• Fought four wars

• Greatly increased France’s national debt

The Seven Years’ War

Louis XV (15):

• War fought in Europe, India, North America

• France ends up losing some of its colonial possessions

• Increases French national debt

French and English troops fight at the battle of Fort St. Philip on the Island of Minorca

Causes of the French Revolution:

• Influence of the American Revolution

The Good:

• Inspired by Thomas jefferson

• Declaration of Independence

The Bad:

• France goes into more debt by helping us

• Influence of the Enlightenment Ideas

  • Individual Freedoms

  • Natural Rights

  • Monarchy does not have divine right to rule

France was in a lot of debt and the king was a weak leader

Marie Antoinette

1755 - 1792

• Married Louis at 15 (was the dauphine)

  • Big spender $$

  • Bought new dress almost every other day

• Austrian

• Unpopular in France

  • “Madame Deficit”

Louis XVI (16)

Insecure, clumsy, man with a good heart.

• Disliked being King.

• When one of his ministers resigned, he said, “Why can’t I resign too?”

The Three Estates

First Estate - The Clergy (The Roman Catholic Church)

• Less than 1% of population

• 2nd richest of the three estates

Second Estate - Rich nobles

• Held highest offices in government

• Exempt from taxes

• 2% of population and richest of the three estates

Third Estate - Everyone Else

• Bourgeoisie, urban lower class, and peasant farmers

• Had little power in the government

• 98% of the population paid taxes. Poorest of the 3 estates.

Estates-General

Due to economic and agricultural problems, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates-General

• Each Estate meets separately to vote on tax reform.

  • Each estate gets one vote.

• Third Estate calls for a National Assembly where each rep gets a vote.

Events of the French Revolution

Storming of the Bastille - July 14, 1789

• Marked the beginning of open rebellion against the king

Reign of Terror - 1792-1794, led by Robespierre

• Most famous victim was Marie Antoinette.

• About 18,000 people were killed during that year. About 85% were peasants.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

Adopted by National Assembly on August 27th 1789

• Enlightenment ideals

• Outlined basic freedoms held by all

• Asserted the sovereignty of the people

• “Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite”

First French Republic

September 1792

• Monarchy Abolished

• Introduced a new calendar

• Louis XVI (16) put on trial

  • Convicted and sentenced to death

The Guillotine

Invented in 1792 by a physician as a “humane” way of executing people

• Before the guillotine: burning, strangulation, hanging, beheading by an ax, being pulled apart by horses

Some doctors believed that a victim’s head could still see and hear for up to 15 minutes after the head was chopped off.

Maximilien Robespierre

Tried to wipe out every trace of France’s monarchy

• Became leader of the Committee of Public Safety

Enemies of the Committee were often tried in the morning and guillotined in the afternoon.

• This became known as the Reign of Terror

Outcomes of the French Revolution

• End of absolute monarchy of Louis XVI (16)

• Rise of Napoleon