الثورة الفرنسية والطبقة الثالثة: الأحداث والشعارات

General Information

• French Revolution was one of the most important revolutions in history.
• Its impact extended beyond France, influencing Europe and the world.
• It led to significant political, social, and cultural transformations in France and Europe.
• The revolution lasted for ten years, from 1789 to 1799.
• Key principles of the revolution were liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Causes of the French Revolution

• Absolutism and the intervention of the clergy in the lives of the people.
• The feudal system, hardship faced by the peasantry.
• French society was divided into rigid social classes (nobility, clergy, and commoners).
• A severe economic crisis occurred due to the poor harvests, which led to famine and considerable hardship for the peasants.
• The extravagance of the monarchy and the inaction of Louis XVI further exasperated the situation.
• Enlightenment ideas and the philosophers' thoughts were widespread in France.

Effects of the French Revolution

• Abolition of absolute monarchy.
• Dismantling of feudal privileges of the aristocracy.
• Removal of the clergy's power.
• Emergence of a new era of Enlightenment thought and democracy.
• Emphasis on the rights of the people.

Structure of French Society

• Prior to the revolution, French society was stratified:
  • The clergy (about 1% of the population).
  • The nobility (about 1.5% of the population, who owned 30% of the territory).
  • The common people (about 97% of the population).
• The commoners were further divided into groups, including the bourgeoisie (merchants, professionals) and the peasantry (farmers).
• Each social class possessed varying privileges and obligations regarding taxes and social standing. The burden fell almost exclusively on the peasantry/commoners.

The Role of the King

• King Louis XVI was regarded as a weak and indecisive ruler, who failed to address the nation's grievances.
• The king faced significant economic difficulties resulting from lavish spending and extravagant court life.
• He was perceived as resistant to the needs and demands of the people

The Role of the Estates General

• The Estates General was a representative body made up of various representatives from the different social classes. It had not met for 175 years.
• Louis XVI eventually convened the Estates-General (1789) to address the financial crisis.
• The voting structure of the Estates-General favored the aristocracy and clergy.
• The Third Estate, representing the commoners, demanded a more fair voting system, leading to the formation of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly

• The Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly.
• The National Assembly swore an oath (Tennis Court Oath) not to disband until a new constitution was established for France.
• This act symbolized their commitment to change.
• King Louis XVI initially resisted the National Assembly.
• His actions fuelled public unrest, especially in Paris, which led to significant events like the storming of the Bastille.

The Storming of the Bastille

• The Bastille was a strong prison in Paris, viewed as a symbol of the king's tyranny.
• The storming of the Bastille occurred on July 14, 1789.
• It represented the people's defiance against the monarchy.
• The storming of the Bastille, a pivotal event in the Revolution. It marked the beginning of the French Revolution's radical phase.
• The storming symbolised the power of the people to overthrow tyranny.

Enlightenment Philosophers and their impact.

• Philosophers like Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu influenced the French Revolution significantly.
• Their ideas on liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty inspired the revolutionaries.
• The Salon movement emerged as a form of intellectual exchange and promotion of the Enlightenment’s ideals.

End of the absolute Monarchy.

• The monarchy, including King Louis XVI, was abolished in 1792.
• This marked the establishment of the First French Republic.

Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte

• Napoleon emerged as a prominent military leader during the French Revolution and eventually seized control of France in 1799. He became the First Consul, then Emperor.

Napoleonic Code

• Napoleon established the Napoleonic Code, a set of laws based on equality before the law.

Napoleon's Wars

• Napoleon led France through a series of wars of expansion that brought significant changes to Europe’s political map.
• His conquests spread Enlightenment ideals across Europe.

Fall of Napoleon

• Napoleon's conquests faced resistance, leading to his defeat in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
• He was exiled to Saint Helena.

اختبر معلوماتك عن الثورة الفرنسية، مطالب الطبقة الثالثة، وأثر شعار 'الأمة والوطن في خطر'. تعرف على الأحداث التي تلت ذلك، وأسباب الحملة على إيطاليا وصلح كامبوفورميو.