The Estates General - 1789
Convened to explore solutions to the problems of
the Kingdom, most notably the financial crisis.
Each estate was represented by an equal number
of elected deputies representing all the regions of
France (roughly 300 deputies per estate).
Each estate was supposed to meet separately to
deliberate, and then come together to debate and
vote on resolutions that the King could choose to
accept.
Each estate would count as one vote.
Members of the third estate refused to begin
discussions until the voting system was reformed.
Necker urged the King to satisfy them by doubling
their representation. However, this did not change
the fact that the third estate was at the mercy of the
privileged estates.
The third estate began to argue that they were the
true representatives of France and that the
privileged estates were “dead weight”.
Some supported a boycott of the Estates General
in favour of a “National Assembly” composed of all
members where votes would occur by head, not by
estate.
A pamphlet was circulated by E.J. Sieyes:
Inspired by Sieyes, the National Assembly was
declared. Members from all estates were
welcome, however only a few came from the
privileged estates.
Louis XVI was infuriated. He locked them out of
their meeting place in an attempt to force them to
disband.
Instead, the deputies convened at a tennis court
nearby. They declared that they would not disband
until they drafted a constitution for France and
ended the age of absolutism.
Known as the Tennis Court Oath.
Louis XVI reluctantly instructed all members of the
Estates General to join the National Assembly.
The first steps toward change had been achieved.
The King’s Options
1) Embrace the movement. Allow some democratic
reforms and share power as a constitutional
monarch.
2) Crush the movement using the army. He could
still count on the support of most nobles and many
peasants.
He did neither.
The King’s Actions
He allowed the National Assembly to go on, yet he
also called in loyal troops from the provinces.
This threatened the delegates in the NA.
He also dismissed the popular Necker.
When this occurred, it sparked fear that the King
was ready to attack the National Assembly and
Paris itself.
Fear and hysteria was whipped up by men such as
Camille Desmoulins and Georges Danton. Paris
erupted into chaos.
Two events in July 1789 signalled that the King was
losing his grip on power.
1) Storming of the Bastille
Anticipating a fight for their lives, Parisians
ransacked the city searching for weapons.
The mob moved towards the Bastille fortress. It
served as a prison and a symbol of the King’s
authority. They wanted gunpowder.
Soldiers sent to stop the mob mutinied and joined
the protest.
After a brief negotiation and some confusion, the
mob stormed the Bastille, massacring the guards
and setting fire to it. The fortress was torn down.
2) The Great Fear
Food shortages continued in the countryside.
Peasants were accusing landowners of hording grain
to drive up prices.
As authority appeared to be breaking down in Paris,
chaos and panic spread to rural areas.
The property and homes of nobles were stolen or
destroyed.
Peasants targeted records
of feudal obligations and
taxes. They were burned.
The violence lasted for two
weeks.
To solve the problem of lawlessness, the NA
created the National Guard. They were separate
from the regular army and served to protect the
NA, the King, and property rights of citizens.
They were commanded by Lafayette.
Most cities also elected a civil government to keep
things running smoothly and to ensure order. In
Paris this was called the Paris Commune.
The Commune tended to be more radical and
sometimes acted independent of the NA. Cracks
were starting to appear among the revolutionaries.
Key PlayersModerates
Lafayette
Mirabeau
Radicals
Georges Danton Max Robespierre Camille Desmoulins
Jean Paul Marat
Jacques Hebert
The National Assembly 1789-1791 The King had accepted the right of the National
Assembly to exist. They began to propose and
vote on new legislation.
However, there was still debate on how it would
function. Especially concerning the power of the
king in the new system.
Technically, the king was still the Head of State and
had to give his assent to new laws.
He demanded the right to veto.
Others wanted to give him a suspensive veto.
Others wanted no monarch (a republic) or for the king
to remain as a symbolic figurehead.
This debate raged throughout the entire period.
Due to public pressure and even threats to his
personal safety, the king reluctantly allowed the NA
to make several changes (reforms) to France.
The
Revolutionary
Tricolor
Cockade –
worn on hats
N.A. Reforms
1) The 4 August Decrees
In response to the Great Fear, the NA abolished
feudalism and addressed the chief concerns of the
peasantry.
Tax exemptions were abandoned - tax would now
be paid proportionate to income.
The corvee was abolished.
Noble privileges on peasant land were revoked
(ex the right to hunt).
The tithe became optional.
Gov/Mil/Church positions were opened to anyone.
The decrees pacified the peasantry.
From this point on they were not a revolutionary
force, and later would oppose those who wished to
abolish the monarchy and the church all together.
2) Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen• (Aug. 26 1789) – see handout
A human rights charter, based on the ideas of the enlightenment and similar to the Bill of Rights (USA)
Enshrined fundamental freedoms, legal rights, and property rights. It destroyed the ancien regime.
King Louis XVI refused to sign it because it attacked his divine right to rule and he was denied an absolute veto.
However – he eventually signs in October due to the…………..
Women’s March to Versailles (Oct. 5, 1789)
Chaos in France = shortage of food in the cities.
Bread prices were high and at most bakeries there
was no bread at all.
Women (mostly mothers) marched to city hall to
protest.
The Paris Commune suggested they march to
Versailles to demand bread.
Others joined them, capitalizing on the opportunity
to put political pressure on Louis XVI.
There was an immense hatred for Queen Marie
Antoinette. They saw her as a foreigner and a
sexual deviant. Her opulent lifestyle enraged
them.
When informed of the food shortages, the queen
allegedly (but not likely accurately) uttered “let them
eat cake”.
Over 5000 women (and some men) forced their way
into the palace, threatening the safety of the royal
family.
Louis XVI was genuinely surprised by their plight. He agreed to the following to satisfy the crowd:
Immediate shipments of grain to Paris
He accepted the DOROMC and the limited veto powers demanded by the N.A.
He agreed to leave Versailles and take up residence in Paris at the Tuileries Palace. He essentially became a prisoner of the revolution.
3) Nationalization of Church Land (Nov. 1789)
The NA still had to solve the financial crisis somehow. They could not raise taxes and could not risk repudiating the debt.
Instead, they nationalized church lands (15% of France) and sold it off.
Justified this by having the state assume responsibility for education, record keeping etc.
Saw wealth of church as part of ancien regime.
The NA sold assignats – government bonds based on the value of the lands (est. 400 million francs)
Assignats became a paper currency – printed too many and caused inflation later.
Created new landowners that owed their new
found status to the NA – these people become
more opposed to the monarchy.
3a) Civil Constitution of the Clergy (1790)
Put the Church under the complete authority of the
government and NOT Rome.
Gov would now pay and appoint all clergy.
Clergy had to swear an oath to the CCC. Many
refused to do so and lost their positions.
Louis XVI faced lots of pressure from Rome – he
opposed the CCC but accepted it.
It furthered his disdain for the NA. It also angered
the peasantry.
4) Constitution of 1791
Took two years to complete. It established the new
government system and laws of the land.
Similar to American system with separation of
powers = legislative (assembly), executive (King),
and judicial branches.
King had suspensive veto and power to appoint
ambassadors, generals, and ministers.
Elections were to be held on a set calendar.
HOWEVER - the franchise was limited to “active
citizens” (those that paid a certain level of taxes).
This restricted “passive citizens” (working classes)
from voting.
Controversy
Many felt the constitution was too conservative
because of:
Voting restrictions on the poor.
It created political equality but not social equality.
New system would be dominated by bourgeoisie.
However, most of the opposition surrounded the
status of the king, who’s unpopularity had grown
due to two events just prior to the acceptance of the
new constitution.
Escape Attempt
In June of 1791, the King attempted to sneak out of
the Tuileries with his family and flee to a royalist
stronghold in NE France. Why?
Feared for his safety?
Wanted to organize a counter-revolution?
They were discovered and escorted back to Paris.
The King was now seen as a traitor, possibly
working against the revolution. His powers were
temporarily suspended.
Champs des Mars Massacre (July 1791)
A protest was organized by several revolutionary
clubs (ex. the Jacobins) who opposed granting any
power to Louis XVI.
The National Guard under Lafayette were keeping
order. Several protesters hurled stones at the NG,
who ended up firing back and killing a few dozen.
This increased hostility towards the King, National
Guard, and the 1791 constitution.
This foreshadows the struggle between radicals
(Robespierre, Danton, etc) and moderates after
1791.
The National Assembly voluntarily dissolved after
the constitution was accepted.
New elections were to be held. No deputies from
the NA would run for election.
Many changes were made, but historians see it as
a revolution of the Bourgeoisie. The most radical
changes were still to come.