The May 1968 events in France began as student protests against the education system but quickly escalated into a nationwide general strike involving millions of workers. Students demonstrated against outdated teaching methods and lack of employment opportunities. The protests soon led to violent clashes with police in Paris and other cities. By the end of May, France seemed on the brink of radical leftist revolution. In response, President de Gaulle dissolved the National Assembly and called new elections. The elections returned de Gaulle and his party to power. In the aftermath, de Gaulle's government implemented reforms to higher education and improved wages and working conditions.

1. María Gª-Abadillo Velasco

2. Index:1. What is May 1968?
2. What did cause May 1968 strikes and demostrations?
3. Prominent days
4. People who played a leading role
5. Quotes
6. Posters
7. How did May 1968 strikes and demostrations end?

3. May 1968 eventsThey were strikes started by
college students that spread
into factories and industries
across the country that shut
down newspaper
distribution, air transport,
and two major railroads.
By the end of the month,
millions of workers were on
strike, and France seemed to be
on the brink of radical leftist
revolution.

4. France entered a period of
stability in the 1960s and the
president, Charles de Gaulle
was a popular ruler.
Sporadic student
demonstrations for education
reform began in 1968 and
during may, a lot of
demostrations sunk into
chaos Paris and other French
cities.
However, the studendts felt
unsatisfied considering that
the education system was
outdated and the scarce
employment opportunity for
them.

5. 3rd May: a protest at the Sorbonne.
Several hundred students were arrested
and dozens were injured. The Sorbonne
closes.
6th May:battles between the police and
students in the Latin Quarter led to
hundreds of injuries.
10th May: At night,students set up
barricades and rioted in the Latin Quarter.
Nearly 400 people were hospitalized
24th May:Revolutionary students
temporarily seized the Bourse (Paris Stock
Exchange)
On May 30, President de
Gaulle went on the radio and
announced that he was
dissolving the National
Assembly and calling national
elections.

6. Alain Krivine and Daniel Cohn-Bendit, student leaders
Georges Pompidou, 1st
minister
Charles de Gaulle, president
of the Republic

8. “Under the paviment, the beach”

9. “No good,
no masters”

10. “Lets be
cruel”

11. “What if
we burn the
Sorbonne?”

12. “We prefer
life”

13. “Act out your
fantasies!”

14. The paintins were not only in the Sorbonne, Odeon, Nanterre or in the
Grand Palais. Mani posters were designed in order to support the
upheaval.
“The struggle
keep going”
“Free
information”
“We are all
jews and
Germans”
“Beginning
of a long
struggle”
“The beauty
is under the
street”
“You are
young and
you shut up”

15. During the last days of May, the radical students openly called for revolution
but lost the support of mainstream communist and trade union leaders who
feared be swept away in a revolution led by anarchists and Trotskyites.

16. On May 30, President
de Gaulle went on the
radio and announced
that he was dissolving
the National Assembly
and calling national
elections. Student
protests continued until
June 12, when they
were banned. In the
two rounds of voting
on June 23 and 30, the
Gaullists won a
commanding majority
in the National
Assembly.

17. In the consequences of the May events, de
Gaulle’s government made a series of concessions
to the protesting groups, including higher wages
and improved working conditions for workers,
and passed a major education reform bill intended
to modernize higher education..