2. WHAT IS FRENCH
REVOLUTION?
The French revolution (1789–1799) was a
period of ideological, political and social
upheaval in the political history of France and
Europe as a whole, during which the French
polity, previously an absolute monarchy
with feudal privileges for
the aristocracy and catholic clergy, underwent
radical change to forms based
on enlightenment principles of republicanism,
citizenship, and rights. These changes were
accompanied by violent turmoil, including
executions and repression during the reign of
terror, and warfare involving every other major
European power
3. WHY FRENCH REVOLUTION
WAS NEEDED ?
The underlying causes of the French
revolution are generally seen as arising from
the failure of the ancient régime to
manage social and economic inequality.
Rapid population growth and the inability to
adequately finance government
debt resulted in economic depression,
unemployment and high food prices.
combined with a regressive tax system and
resistance to reform by the ruling elite, it
resulted in a crisis louis XVI proved unable to
4. EVENTS OF FRENCH
REVOLUTION
The Tennis Court Oath
The Storming Of The Bastille
The Declaration Of The Rights Of Man
The March On Versailles
The Royal Family Attempts To Flee.
The September Massacres
The Paris Mob Attacks The Tuileries
King Louis XVI Was Executed
The Execution Of Robespierre
5. THE TENNIS COURT
OATH
On June 20th 1789
The third estate, angry with the current situation of things
in France, decided upon themselves to meet with each
other, and members of other estates, in order to design and
create a new, fairer constitution for France. The oath was
taken by 576 of 577 members from the third estate, who
were locked out of the meeting of the estates-general on
June 20th, 1789. Finding themselves locked out, they went
and made a makeshift conference room inside a tennis
court (indoors), and swore an oath to create a new and
fairer constitution, as stated above. This was an important
event in the French revolution because it marks the first
time in which the people stand up to the king. This was
influenced in some ways by the united states declaration of
independence.
6. THE STORMING OF
THE BASTILLE
On July 14th 1789
The Paris Mob, determined to arm themselves due to the
new presence of foreign troops in Paris' streets, attacked
the old prison/fort in search for weapons. Bastille was
known as a symbol of the king’s authority, which was
another large factor in the decisions made. Having
previously obtaining ~30'000 muskets from the Invalides
fortress, they were well armed, and the poorly trained
guards were no problem. The storming of the Bastille is
an important event in the French revolution because it
showed that the people of France were capable of
defeating the guards, as well as the fact that they had
successfully attacked what was once a symbol of the
king’s authority.
7. THE DECLARATION OF
THE RIGHTS OF MAN
On August 26th 1789
The signing of the Declaration of the Rights of Man was a major event -
asserting the equality of men, politically and socially. It gave other estates
new rights, and balanced out the amount of power each estate had. "The
Declaration of the rights of Man and of the Citizen passed by France's
National Constituent Assembly in August 1789, is a fundamental document
of the French Revolution and in the history of human and civil rights. The
Declaration was directly influenced by Thomas Jefferson, working with
General Lafayette, who introduced it. Influenced also by the doctrine of
"natural right", the rights of man are held to be universal: valid at all times
and in every place, pertaining to human nature itself. It became the basis for
a nation of free individuals protected equally by law. It is included in the
preamble of the constitutions of both the Fourth French Republic (1946)
and Fifth Republic (1958) and is still current. Inspired in part by the
American Revolution, and also by the Enlightenment philosophers, the
Declaration was a core statement of the values of the French revolution and
had a major impact on the development of liberty and democracy in Europe
and worldwide“. This event was so significant because it took power away
from the king, which at the time, and from the viewpoint of the king, was
seen as insane, and wrong. The king was not very happy with it.
8. THE MARCH
ON VERSAILLES
On October 5th 1789
Rumors of the king (Louis XVI) stepping on the flag, as
well as the overall building up of anger in the general
population, woman finally decided that something had
to be done about the conditions in France. The marched
through the streets and to Versailles, demanding bread.
The mob, in on the whole thing, demands that the royal
family will return to Paris with them. King Louis XVI
signs the Declaration of Rights of Man. The March
on Versailles was an important event because it showed
that woman, as well as men, were angry at the royal
family, and having the king moved into Paris and out of
Versailles helped to show the conditions people lived in
at the time to the king.
9. THE ROYAL FAMILY
ATTEMPTS TO FLEE
On June 20th, 1791
The situation in Paris in June convinced the queen, Marie
Antoinette that the royal family should flee (which was
smart on their side.) With the help of a friend (Count
Axel von Ferzan), they organized an escape. The
travelled up until Varennes, where a guard spotted, and
recognized them. From here on, they were taken back to
Paris, followed and through crowds of angry people. This
event shows that the royal family had noticed the bad
situation in France, and those trying to flee only made
things worse in the general public. Had they stayed, and
tried to work things out, the whole revolution could have
gone differently than it did.
10. THE SEPTEMBER
MASSACRES
On September 11th 1792
By far one of the bloodiest events in all of the
French Revolution. The Paris Mob, hearing rumors
about 3000 prisoners being held in Paris prisons
that were planning an uprising, and that Verdun
was threatened by the Prussian army, decided that
they would go on a murderous rampage through
the area, killing many, many people. An angry mob,
led by Jean Paul Marat stormed the prisons, killing
around 1600 of them. What makes this an
important event is the sheer gore of the situation,
and how ludicrous the whole situation was. Priests,
and bishops were brutally slaughtered.
11. THE PARIS MOB ATTACKS
THE TUILERIES
On August 10th 1792
People in Paris, extremely angry and discontent with
everything that has happened prior, hungry, and distrustful
towards their government, and discouraged by the failures
France was having in war, they decided to attack, once again,
because we all knows that brute force is always the
answer…“The mob stormed the Tuileries where the royal
family was being held. They demand a new constitution and
a convention to replace the Legislative Assembly. The
Legislative Assembly dissolves and is replaced by the
National Convention. "Like previous attacks by the Paris
Mob, this just goes to show how much the people of France
were against the current governing structure, and
demanding of change. Turning against their own king
became the only option, other than to continue their lives in
starvation.
12. KING LOUIS XVI
WAS EXECUTED
On January 21st 1793
King Louis XVI was hanged. The Jacobins, during the period
of time they were in control, they made an attempt to erase all
traces of the Old Regime (kevin.gilchrist.8, The death of the
king was debated for six, long, grueling months. Finally, on the
21st, he was hanged, being sent to the guillotine by what used
to be his former subjects. Even though this has been said
many times already, this is probably the most important part
of the whole revolution. The king, who the people fought
against for so many years, was now dead. Great – now what?
With France under new leadership, thigs began to slowly
(very, very slowly) improve. Although the people may have
thought this would solve all of their problems, they still had a
long ways to go before everything was to return to normal.
13. THE EXECUTION OF
ROBESPIERRE
On July 28th 1794
"Born in Arras in 1758, Robespierre suffered loss early in his life. His mother
died when he was six, and soon after, his father abandoned the family. The
children were brought up by elderly relatives who continually reminded them
of their dependent situation and their father’s irresponsibility. Maximilien
was the eldest, a conscientious, hardworking scholarship boy. As soon as he
was able he shouldered the burden of caring for his younger siblings.
Whether the above, or some other things caused his tyrant like behavior is
unknown, but it is said that he was like a tyrant in his final years of life. In the
beginning of the French Revolution, he changed his life path. Elected as
deputy for the Third Estate, and witnessing the downfall of that used to be an
absolute monarchy, he worked towards making a reputation for himself as a
speaker in the Assembly. He had most of his power from the Jacobin Club.
Because Robespierre felt otherwise, and was known for is irrational and
strict behavior, he was arrested on July 27th, and executed the following day,
on the 28th.This is an important event because it marks the downfall of
Robespierre, one of the people that caused the kings death. From greed, he
wanted more power, and had become corrupt with it after the kings death. As