CLASS 9 THE FRENCH REVOLUTION (HISTORY-1)

History - Unit 1 (Class IX)	THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
Introduction	w  The French Revolution is known as a landmark in the history of Europe and the world. It gave a sudden move to the ‘ancient regime’, a system based on the privileges of nobles, the clergy and the supremacy of monarchy. w  The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen during the FR announced the coming of new era. The slogan of the FR liberty, freedom and equality became the new language in the world politics.
Glimpse of F R	w  On 14th July, 1789 around 7000 men & women of Paris gathered in front of the town hall. They decided to form a people’s militia. They destructed number of government building in search of arms. w  The king ordered his troops to move into the city. Several hundred people stormed the Bastille, the fortress prison of Paris. They hoped to find large quantity of ammunition from the fort. In the armed battle, the commander of the Bastille was killed and seven prisoners were released. w  The Bastille was hated by all French people as it symbolized the despotic power of king. The fortress was demolished and its stone fragment were sold in the markets as souvenir. At that time people were protesting against the high price of bread. w  Large scale of riot spread in Paris and countryside. All these are beginning of a chair of events which ultimately led to the execution of the king in France, though most people at the time did not anticipate this outcome.
French Society during late 18th century	w  Since 1589, the Bourbon dynasty ruled France and the kings were absolute monarchs. In, 1774, Louis XVI of Bourbon family became the king. w  Louis XVI married to the Austrian princess Marie Antoinette. When he became the ruler, he found an empty treasury, long years of wars had drained the financial resources of France. The cost of maintaining an extravagant court at the immense Palace of Versailles also added to the problem. w  Moreover, Louis XVI helped 13 colonies to gain their independence from Britain, which was their common enemy. w  The war added more than a billion livres to a debt that became more than two billion livres. Lenders, who gave the state credit, now began to charge 10% interest on loans. w  So the French government was obliged to spend an increasing % of its budget on interest payment only. To meet its regular expenses, the state was forced to increase taxes.
Structure of French Society in 18th century	w  French society in the 18th century was divided into three estates, of them only the third estate paid taxes. The society of estates was of the feudal system that dated back to the middle ages. w  The term Old Regime is used to describe the society and institutions of France before 1789.  Nobles, the clergy and rich men were exempted from paying the taxes.
The Three Estates	w  Before the revolution the French people were divided into three groups: –        The first estate constituted the clergy –        The second estate constituted the nobility –        The third estate: the common people (bourgeoisie (middle class), urban workers, artists and peasants). w  Legally the first two estates enjoyed many privileges, particularly exemption from most taxation while the third estate shouldered the burden of taxation and had few privileges.
Social status of Estate members	w  Peasants made up about 90% of the population. Only a small number of them owned the land. They cultivated 60% of the land, owned by nobles, the Church and other richer members of the third estates. w  The members of the first two estates, enjoyed certain privileges by birth. The most important of these was exemption from paying taxes to the state. The nobles further enjoyed feudal privileges. These included feudal dues, which they extracted from the peasants. w  Peasants were obliged to serve to the lord in his house and fields, in army and also in the construction work. The Church took taxes called tithes from the peasants, all members of the third estate had to pay taxes to the state. w  This included taille, a direct tax and a number of indirect taxes, which were levied on articles of everyday consumption like salt or tobacco. The burden of financing activities of the state through taxes was borne (bear) by the third estate alone.
Struggles to survive	w  The rapid expansion of the French population (23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789) during the 18th century created a situation in which the grain production could not meet the demand. w  The price of bread, which was staple diet of the majority rose rapidly. Most workers were employed as labourers in workshops, whose owner fixed their wages, did not keep peace with the rise in prices. w  So the gap between the poor and the rich widened. It became worse when bad weather conditions reduced the harvest. This frequently created a subsistence crisis.
A growing Middle Class Envisages an End to Privileges	w  In the past, peasants and workers had participated in revolts against taxes and food scarcity. But they lacked the means and programmes to carry out full scale measures that would bring about a change in the social and economic order. This was left to those groups within the third estate who had become prosperous and had access to education and new ideas.
Emergence of Middle Class	w  In the 18th century, a new social group emerged who were known as middle class. They had become rich through expansion of overseas trade. w  In addition to merchants and manufactures, there were lawyers and administrative officials, who were educated and believed that no group of society should be privileged by birth, but their position should depend on merit. w  These ideas envisaging a society based on freedom and equal laws and opportunities for all, were put forward by philosophers like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau. w  John Locke in his book ‘Two Treatises of Government’, criticised the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of monarch. Rousseau carried the idea forward, proposing a form of government based on social contract between people and their representatives. w  Montesquieu in his book ‘The Spirit of Laws’, proposed a division of power within the government between the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary. w  This model of government was put into force in the USA, after the 13 colonies declared their independence from Britain. w  American Constitution and its guarantee of individual rights was an important example for political thinkers in France. w  People were discussed these ideas of philosophers,  generally in salons and coffee-houses and spread among people through newspapers and books. w  These news were frequently read about in groups for the benefit of those who could not read and write. The news that Louis XVI planned to impose further taxes to be able to meet the expenses of the state generated anger and protest against the system of privileges.
The Outbreak of the Revolution	w  Louis XVI had to increase taxes for several reasons. In practically monarch had no power to increase the taxes on his own wish and he had to call the meeting of the Estate General to pass the proposal. The Estate General was a political body to which the three estates send their representatives. The monarch alone had the power to decide about the meeting. The last time it was done in 1614.
Assembly of the Estates General	w  Louis XVI called together an assembly of the Estates General on 5th May, 1789 to pass proposals for new taxes. In Versailles, a resplendent (beautiful) hall was prepared to host the delegates. The first and second estates sent 300 representatives each, who were seated in rows facing each other on two sides, while the 600 members of the third estates had to stand at the back. w  The third estate had the most powerful people and this was represented by its more prosperous (wealthy) and educated members. Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly. Demands and grievances of the peasants, artisans and women were listed in some 40000 letters which the representatives had brought with them.
Meeting of the Estates General	May 5, 1789
Demand for Voting in Democratic Way	w  Voting in the Estates General in the past had been conducted according to the principle that each estate had one vote. Louis XVI also was determined to continue the same practice. But this time, the members of the third estate demanded that voting now be conducted by the assembly as a whole, where each member would have one vote. The idea was given by philosophers like Rousseau in his book The Social Contract. When this proposal rejected by the king, members of the third estates walked out of the assembly in protest.
National Assembly of Third Estate	w  Want to establish a National Assembly where EACH representative  has a vote. w  The representatives of the third estate assembled in the hall of an indoor tennis court in the ground of Versailles on  20th June and they viewed themselves as spokesman for the whole France. The declared themselves a National Assembly and swore (promise) not to disperse till they had drafted a Constitution for France that would limit the powers of monarch.
Leaders of National Assembly	w  The representatives of the third estate led by Mirabeau and Abbe Sieyes. w  Mirabeau was born in a noble family, but discarded (throw away) the feudal privileges. He brought out a journal and delivered powerful speeches to the crowd to inspire them at Versailles. w  Abbe Sieyes, originally a priest, wrote an influential pamphlet called ‘What is the Third Estate’?
Revolt in Bastille	w  While the National Assembly was busy at Versailles drafting a Constitution, the rest of France seethed (agitated) with turmoil (violent) because a bad harvest led of increase in bread prices, often bakers exploited the situation and hoarded supplies. After spending hours in long queues at the bakery, crowds of angry women stormed into the shops. At the same time, the king ordered troops to move into Paris.
Effects of Revolt in Bastille	w  On 14th July, the agitated crowd stormed and destroyed the Bastille. w  In the countryside, rumours spread from village to village that the lords of the manor had hired bands (un official groups) of brigands(an armed thief who is a member of a band) who were on their way to destroy the ripe crops. w  Caught in a frenzy (violent) of fear, peasants in several districts seized hoes(a tool with a flat blade) and pitchforks(a long-handled hand tool) and attacked chateaux. w  The peasants looted hoarded grain, burnt down documents containing records of manorial dues. Consequently, a large number of nobles fled to neighbouring countries.
End of Special Privileges	w  Faced with the power of his revolting subjects, finally Louise XVI recognized the National Assembly and accepted that his powers would from now checked by a Constitution. On the night of 4th August, 1789, the Assembly passed a decree abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes. Members of the clergy were also forced to give up their privileges. w  Tithes were abolished and lands owned by the Church were confiscated(seized). At the end, as a result, the government acquired assets worth at least 2 billion livres.
France Becomes a Constitutional Monarchy	w  The National Assembly completed the draft of the constitution in 1791. Its main object was to limit the powers of the monarch. w   Instead of the powers being concentrated in one hand, powers were now separated and assigned to different institutions like the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. w  This change of powers made France a Constitutional monarchy.
The Laws made by the National Assembly	w  The men who were above 25 years of age and who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s wage were given the status of active citizens, it mean they had right to vote. Remaining men and women were classed as passive citizens. w  To qualify as an voter and then as a member of the assembly, a man had to belong to the highest bracket(group/set) of tax payers. w  The Constitution began with a ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen’. w  According to this, right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion and equality before law were established as natural rights and it was the duty of the state to protect these.
France Abolishes Monarchy and Becomes a Republic	w  Situation of France After July Revolution w  Since 1789, the situation of France continued to be tensed. Even though Louis XVI signed the Constitution, he entered into the secret negotiation with the King of Prussia.(Germany) w  Rulers of the neighbouring countries were worried by the developments in France and tried to help Louis XVI. Before this could happen, the National Assembly declared war against Prussia and Austria in April, 1792. w  It was a war of the people against kings and aristocracies all over Europe. Among the patriotic song sung by them was ‘La Marseillaise’ composed by the poet Roget de L’ Isle, which later became the national anthem of France. It was sung for the first time by volunteers, from Marseillaise as they marched into Paris.
Result of Revolutionary Wars	w  Economic difficulties and losses were the result of the revolutionary wars. While men were busy in fighting at the front, women had to earn a living and look after their families. w  A large segment of the population were convinced that the revolution had to be carried further, as the Constitution of 1791 gave political rights only to the richer sections of the society. w  Political clubs became popular, where people could discuss government policies and their own plans of action. w  The most successful of these clubs was that of the Jacobins which go its name from the former convent of St. Jacob in Paris. Women, who had been active throughout this period, formed their own club.
The Jacobin Club	w  The Jacobins comprised less prosperous sections of society. They included shopkeepers, artisans, cooks, shoe makers, watch makers, printers, servants and dialy wage workers. Their leader was Maximilian Robespierre. They dressed differently. They started wearing long striped trousers similar to those worn by the dock workers. w  This was to set themselves apart from the fashionable sections of society, especially nobles, who were knee breeches. It was a way of proclaiming the end of the power wielded by the wearers of knee breeches (trousers ending just below the knee). They came to be known as ‘sans-culottes’ meaning ‘those without knee breeches’. Sans-culottes men wore red cap that symbolized liberty.
Newly Elected Assembly: The Convention	w  Due to the short supplies and high prices of food, on 10th August 1792, the Jacobins stormed the Palace of the Tuileries (royal family live), killed the king’s guard and held the king himself as hostage for several hours. Later the assembly voted to imprison the royal family. w  Elections were held and now all men above 21 years of age were allowed to vote. The newly elected assembly, called the Convention, abolished monarchy on 21st September, 1792. France was declared a ‘Republic’. There would be no hereditary monarchy. w  A republic was a form of government where the people elected the government including the head of the government. Louis XVI was sentenced to death by a court on the charge of treason. On 21st January 1793,  he was executed publicly at the Place de la Concorde. The queen Marie Antoinette met with the same fate shortly after.
The Reign of Terror	w  The period from 1793 to 1794 is referred to as the ‘Reign of Terror’ in France. Robespierre followed a policy of severe control and punishments. All those whom he saw as being ‘enemies’ of the republic including ex-nobles and clergy, members of other political parties, even members of his own party who did not agree with his methods were arrested, imprisoned and then tried by a revolutionary tribunal. w  If the court found them guilty, they were guillotined (mass execution by simultaneous beheading). It was named after Dr. Guillotin who invented it. w  Robespierre’s government made laws placing a maximum ceiling on wages and prices. Meat and bread were rationed. Peasants were forced to transport their grain to the cities and sell it at the prices fixed by the government. w  The use of expensive white flour was forbidden. People were forced to eat the pain d’egalite (equality bread), a loaf made of whole wheat. Instead of the traditional Monsieur (Sir) and Madame (Madam) all French men and women were henceforth Citoyen and Citoyenne (Citizen). w  Churches were shut down and their buildings were converted into barracks or offices.  Robespierre became a virtual (practical) dictator of France. He followed his policies so relentlessly that his supporters in the end left him. He was finally convicted by a Court and guillotined in July, 1794.
A Directory Rules France	w  After the fall of the Jacobins, the wealthier middle classes to seize power. A new constitution was introduced which denied the vote to non-propertied men. It provided for two elected legislative councils, who appointed a Directory, an executive made up of five members. w  It was meant as a safeguard against the concentration of power in a one man executive as under the Jacobins. Often the Directors clashed with the Legislative Councils and were dismissed. w  This political instability paved the way for the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. The idea of freedom, equality and fraternity remained inspiring ideals that motivated political movements for France and the rest of the Europe.
Role of Women in Revolution	w  Women played a very significant role in the French Revolution. w  Most of the women belonging to the third estate worked for a living and they worked as dress makers, laundry workers, flower vendors, fruit and vegetable vendors etc. Sometime they worked as domestic servants in the houses of the rich. w  They were not trained for any job and were largely uneducated. Only the daughters of nobles and wealthier members of the third estate could study at a convent. w  Besides caring for their families, the French women had to cook, fetch water, stand in queues for bread and look after the children etc. Their wages were always lower than the men.
Women in France	w  Women in France were disappointed with the Constitution of 1791, which reduced them to passive citizens who had no political rights. They demanded political rights via, right to vote, to be elected to the Assembly and to hold political office. w  To express their own views and demands, women started their own political clubs and newspapers. About sixty women’s clubs came up in different cities of France. Of them The Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women were most famous. One of their main demands was that women enjoy the same political rights as men.
Some Laws were passed to improve Women lives	w  They gained access to education with the introduction of state schools and systems of compulsory education for girls. w  Women could no longer be forced into marriage by their fathers, they could marry at will. w  Marriage was now a contract which could be registered under civil law. w  Divorce was made illegal and both men and women could apply for it. w  Women could train for jobs, become artists or run small business. w  However women’s struggles for equal political rights was continued through the next two hundred years in many countries of the world. w  During the Reign of Terror, the government ordered for the closure of women’s club and banned their political activities. w  Many prominent women were arrested and executed. w  Women’s struggle for voting and equal political rights carried out through an international suffrage movement during the late 19th and 20th century. w  Finally in 1946, French women won the right to vote.
The Abolition of Slavery	w  The greatest social reform made by the Jacobin government was to abolish slavery in French colonies. The French colonies in Caribbean like Martinique, Guadeloupe and San Domingo were important suppliers of tobacco, indigo, sugar, coffee etc. w  The French needed workers for plantations in these areas, but the Europeans did not want to work in distant and unfamiliar lands. Thus, started a three way trade in slaves between Europe, Africa and America in the 17th century. This was known as Triangular Slade Trade. French merchants sailed from the ports to the African coast, where they bought slaves from local chieftains.(headman) w
Criticism of Slavery in France	w  The National Convention, after long debates, passed a law in 1794, which declared slavery illegal and freed all slaves in France’s overseas colonies. After 10 years, Napoleon reintroduced slavery to please the plantation owners who considered enslaving African blacks as their right. The slaves were known as African Negroes. Finally, slavery was abolished in French colonies in 1848.
The Revolution and Everyday Life	w  The years following 1789 in France saw many such changes in the lives of women, men and children. The revolutionary governments took it upon themselves to pass laws that would translate the ideals of liberty and equality into everyday practice. w  One important law that came into effect, after the storming of the Bastille in the summer of 1789 was the abolition of censorship. w  All written material and cultural activities-newspapers, books, plays in the Old Regime could be performed or published, only after they had been approved by the censors of the king. w  Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen proclaimed(declare formally) freedom of speech and expression became a natural right. This led to the growth of newspapers, pamphlets, books and printed pictures; these all flooded the towns of France from where they travelled rapidly into the countryside. w  They all described and discussed everywhere and changes taking place in France. w  Freedom of the press enabled voicing of opinions and counter opinions. Every side sought to convince the others of its position through the medium of print. w  Art flourished in the form of plays, songs and festive processions and it attract a large number of people. This was one way they could grasp and identify with ideas such as liberty or justice. w  The idea of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the French Revolution. w
Conclusion	w  In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte, a famous French General, crowned himself Emperor of France. He conquer neighbouring European countries, disposed dynasties even attacked Russia. w  He saw himself as a moderniser of Europe. He introduced many laws such as the protection of private property and a uniform system of weights and measures provided by decimal system. w  Although he was initially perceived as a liberator, but later his armies were seen as an invading force. w  He was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815. w  Many of his ideas and measures that carried the revolutionary ideas of liberty and democratic rights to to other parts of Europe had an impact on people long after Napoleon had left. w  The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of French Revolution. w   These spread from France to the rest of Europe during the 19th century, where feudal system was abolished. w  Colonized people reworked the idea of freedom from bondage into their movements to create a sovereign nation state. w  Tipu Sultan and Raja Rammohan Roy are the two Indians who inspired by the ideas of the French Revolution.