"Best Book of The Year"Mr'Mills

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"Best Book of The Year!"-Mr.Mills
The French Revolution
By Henry Bi and Rory McCallion
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Introduction
In the 1700s, France was considered the most
advanced country in Europe. France was the center
of the Enlightenment, but it still used the ideas
left over from the middle ages. In the 1770s, the
feudal system, the Old Regime, was still used in
France. This system divided the people of France
into three social classes, known as estates. The
first estate made up only once percent of the
population (the clergy of the Roman Catholic
Church) and paid no taxes. The second estate also
made up only one percent of the population (the
nobles), and they paid almost no taxes. The third
estate made up 98 of the population and were
taxed very heavily. The third estate was in civil
unrest.
My gradma is from France
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The Meeting of the Estates General
The Meeting of the Estates General was held on
May 5, 1789, at Versailles. The purpose of this
meeting was to raise money for the king (France
was in a financial crisis, and the king called
for a tax reform). All three estates met at the
palace to discuss it and vote in order, but a
more than a tax reform was being questioned. The
third estate wanted to change a lot of government
policies to fit the Enlightenment ideas. A man
named Abbe Sieyes wanted the Third Estate to meet
and form their own body, the National Assembly.
This act did not directly contribute to the rise
of democracy, but it was the first step in the
French Revolution.
Wow! Thats a big room for that many people!
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The Tennis Court Oath
They have stay there until they write up a new
constitution
On the twentieth of June 1789, at the indoor
tennis courts in the Palace of Versailles, the
members of the National Assembly pledged to stay
in the courts until they came up with a written
constitution. This Pledge became known as the
Tennis Court Oath, and the final product was the
Constitution of 1791. This act, again, didnt
directly contribute to the rise of modern
democracy because this constitution didnt work
too well, but this was another act of the third
estate trying to reform Frances government
closer to something resembling democracy.
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The Storming of the Bastille
The Storming of the Bastille Prison on July 14,
1789, was done by the members of the Third Estate
of Paris. Rumors spread of foreign troops coming
to slaughter French citizens, so the people
stormed the Bastille to seize gunpowder.
This act became the symbolic act of the French
Revolution, similar to our July 4th. This act
contributed to the rise of democracy because it
was the first act of the people that said, we
have the power, give us our say.
14th of July!!
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The March on Versailles
In October 17 1789, about 6,000 Parisian women
marched to the Palace of Versailles to demand
bread for the starving masses of Paris. The king
made a promise to go back to Paris with the angry
mob, but he never would return to Versailles.
This act contributed to the rise of democracy
because it signaled the change of power and
radical reforms to overtake France.
We want bread! We want bread!
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Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was the time period in the
French Revolution when Robespierre was put in
charge of the Committee of Public Safety.
Robespierre decided who would be named an enemy
of the Republic and executed on treason.
Executions were carried out on the guillotine.
From July 1793 to July 1794, about 40,000 people
were executed, most of them being falsely
accused, and 85 percent of them being peasants.
The Reign of Terror ended when Maximilian
Robespierre lost his head on July 28, 1794. The
Reign of Terror did not do anything to help
democracy, but it made way for a brilliant
leader.
Mommy! Im scared!
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Rise of Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte was debatably one of the most
brilliant leaders of all time. He was able to
take France out of its revolution and he made it
one of the largest powers the world has ever
seen. Napoleon introduced some reforms of the
revolution that stabilized Frances economy,
government, and religion. Right after crowning
himself emperor, he led conquests into other
countries and had great military success. I think
it is debatable if Napoleon contributed to
democracy or not. Some of his reforms shafted
citizens of basic freedoms, something usually
done in a dictatorship, but he gave France what
it needed to become a great democracy.
Napoleon is a hottie
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Conclusion
Napoleons power was at a peak, and so was
Frances. In an effort to control Europe,
Napoleon invaded Russia. His army was crushed,
and so was Frances power in Europe. Soon after,
Frances newly acquired territory was lost, and
the old monarchies were restored. A balance of
power was put into effect so no country would
ever become too powerful. All of these things
happened at the congress of Vienna. In France,
the monarchy was also restored, but this time as
a constitutional monarchy under the rule of King
Louis XVIII. Fearing that he would also be
beheaded, he gave up some of his power to the
constitution.
Thats a lot of work for nothing
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Resource
www.members.aol.com/agentmess/frenchrev/
www.txdirect.net/users/rrichard/napoleo1.htm
www.chnm.gmu.edu/revolution
www.humanities.uchicago.edu/homes/mark/fr_rev.html

www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook13.html
www.history.hanover.edu/modern/frenchrv.htm
www.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/History/
/french-rev.htm
www.port.ac.uk/andressd/frlinks.htm