The french revolution 1789-91 Flashcards
The fall of the Bastille: lead up
- 11th July: Louis dismissed Necker sparking mass discontent in Paris.
- The national assembly was renamed the national constituent assembly
- 12th July: Tension increased, food prices had already led to rioting, Necker was seen as the minister to solve the economic problems.
- Radicals like the Desmoulins claimed there was a planned massacre of supporters of reform
- people armed themselves, there were clashes with royal troops and the Paris electors (representatives of the estates general) set up a citizens militia.
- 13th July: Barricades were erected to stop royal troops entering Paris
- The constituent assembly in versailles called for the removal of all troops
The fall of the bastille: events
- the first Journee of the revolution
- Parisians seized muskets from Les Invalides then went to the bastille for gunpowder
- The crowed was fired on after beginning to storm in
- the govener Launay surrendered and was killed en route to trial
The fall of the bastille: results
- 15 July: The king announced he was withdrawing his troops from Paris and Versailles.
- The electors established themselves as a new revolutionary council the commune
- the citizens militia became the national guard
- 17th July: Necker was recalled
- Louis recognised the legality of the commune and national guard
- Louis brother and many nobles went into exile
- Louis had lost control of the people and given into their demands
- it showed the Parisian crowed they had control
- Louis now had to share power with the national assembly (and had only a suspensory veto)
causes of the October days
- changes by the national assembly were not legal without consent of the king so there was a stalemate
- 11th September: Louis uses his suspensive veto
- 14th September: Flanders regiment was moved to Paris
- 28th September: Flanders regiment arrives in Paris
- flight of aristocrats from Paris hit trade and exacerbated unemployment, food/ bread was in short supply
- 2nd October: Louis was thought to have disrespected the revolutionary flag at a banquet for the Flanders regiment
March to Versailles
5th Oct: Journee
- women grabbed weaponry and marched on Versailles
- The national guard was ordered by the commune to join them
- the national assembly had to welcome the marchers, the king was forced to agree to the august decrees
- next day: A crowed broke into the palace, national guard restored order, the king had to agree to move back to Paris
October days: results
- the national constituent assembly and the royal family were essentially prisoners in their castle
- The August decrees and rights of man were formally accepted
- the king was seen as weak and movable
Political and administrative reform
- France was devided into 83 departments for elections and local government devided into 547 districts, 4,872 cantons and about 44,000 communes run by elected government (giving power to the people to safeguard against royal recovery of power)
- The right to vote was given to ‘active citizens’ (men over 25 who paid a certain amount of taxes)
- there were about 4 million ‘active citizens’ and about 3 million ‘passive citizens (ineligible to vote)
Tax reform
- everyone paid tax
- All: land and commercial profits
- Active citizens: movable goods like grain
Judicial reforms
Justice became free and equal for all.
- Justice of the peace in each canton
- trail by jury
- abolition of torture and mutillation
Church reforms: the civil constitution of the clergy
- 12th July 1790
- Bishops reorganised to coincide with the new 83 departments
- clerical appointment was by election
- the clergy opposed the oath
- they were denied calling a church synod so waited for the popes judgement
Church reforms: other changes
- church became state property
- abolision of pluralism and other abuses
- clergy would be paid by the state rather than through tithe
- suppression of monastic orders providing neither education or charitable work
- Protestants were given full civil rights
- this was accepted though clergy were unhappy that catholisism was not made the official religion of france
Church reforms: clerical oath
- 27th Nov 1790
- clergy were required to take the oath
- the pope came out against the reforms and over 50% refused to take the oath (refractory preists)
- refractory preists were removed from their positions
- there was a clash between religion and revolution for devout catholics and many people now opposed the revolution
economic and social change
- Abolision of internal customs barriers, guilds and strikes
- benefitted independent craftsmen not the poor
- Deputies saw poor relief as the duty of the state but little was done. They examend the extent of the problem (almost 2 mill beggers) but lacked funds to do anything
- Asignats (form of paper money) were introduced by sale of church lands providing income, a vested interest in supporting the revolution and forced clergy to rely on the state for saleries
End of privilege
- June 1790, law ending hereditary nobility
- September 1790: abolition of Parlements
Flight to Varennes
- Louis initially seemed willing to work towards a constitutional monarchy but the issues of religion and being a prisoner changed this
- He avoided hearing mass from oath sworn clergy and April 1791, was blocked from going to Saint Cloud to hear mass at easter
- 20th June 1791, Louis left for Austria with his family in discuise, leaving behind a proclamaition against the revolution
- They were recognised in Verenne and brought back
- Results:
- Louis had shown he didn’t understand the popularity of the changes
- Louis was no longer trusted
- Doubt over the constiutional monarchy
- growth of republicanism
Champ de Mars
- 17th July 1791
- Cordeliers organised a signing ceremony for the republican petition of the Champ de Mars attended by roughly 50,000
- The national guard, under Lafayette were called to maintain order and fired on the crowd
- up to 50 people were killed and the rest dispursed
- the leaders (Brissot and Danton) fled and the club shut down
Attempts to establish a constitutional monarchy: political clubs
- radicals: cordeliers (later Jacobins)
- moderates: feuillants
- Monarchists: club Monarchique
- they met to discuss politics
Attempts to establish a constitutional monarchy: the legislative assembly
- replaced the national constituent assembly 9th July 1791
- 745 members were elected and met for the first time 1st Oct 1791
- comprised mostly of boursiousie
- a few nobles
- some clergy
Attempts to establish a constitutional monarchy: chance of success
Little chance:
- general distrust of the king
- No former member of the national constituent assembly could be in the legeslative assembly so deputies lacked experience
- the government was devided
Some chance:
- the king accepted the constitution (but later denounced it)
- few people at the time wanted to remove the monarchy
- there were able men in the new assembly
- there were many changes that may have paved the way for modern France
