Laissez-nous Commencer

When Paul, our 7^th grade history teacher, handed out the assignment sheet titled “Revolutions”, I couldn’t help but smirk in amusement. Compared to our last project that flaunted the intimidating title, “Feudal Asia Medieval Europe”, “Revolutions” seemed so… diminutive. At first glance, a confident, bordering on cocky, individual like myself would indubitably see the assignment as straightforward and painless. Write a paper on the Industrial Revolution; make a map of the battles of the American Revolutionary War. Sounds easy enough. How wrong was I? Three weeks into the project, I haven’t only ignored multiple elements of “Revolutions” (such as the LIT packet), but I have also allowed myself to procrastinate this blog post until the evening before the due date! Only making matters worse, Super Bowl XLVI is on tonight, and trust me, trying to write a blog post while simultaneously jumping up whenever Eli Manning throws an unbelievable pass is asking for a cracked laptop screen. Currently at halftime, with Madonna’s singing on mute, I prepare to get started on the bulk of my blog post, the French Revolution. I don’t have the time or patience to write a detailed account covering the entire French Revolution. I will, however, highlight the causes for the French revolution and subsequently travel through specific events of the French Revolution from the Storming of the Bastille up to the execution of France’s absolute monarch.

Being the first one in the entire 7^th grade class to blog, I feel as if I have the duty to set the bar high for my classmates. So, here it is, the French Revolution:

As regalia rung throughout the city of Reims, Louis-Auguste, receiving the anointment of the Holy Ampoule, transformed into King Louis XVI, the absolute monarch of France. The gathered thousands, in a state of utter jubilation at the time, were oblivious of how soon and how much they would come to loathe their King.

French soldiers in the American Revolution

            As June 11, 1775, the day of King Louis XVI’s flamboyant coronation, came to a close, the young adult, only twenty years of age, was well aware of the difficult task he had in front of him. France’s involvement in the Seven Years’ War had resulted in a financial crisis, and the French people were desperate to put an end to their economic slump. King Louis XVI wasn’t succeeding the throne a popular man. He had married the Austrian Marie-Antoinette, a very unpopular candidate for the Queen of France. To make matters worse for the King, just four years into his reign, Louis XVI made a critical decision that not only worsened France’s debt crisis, but further diminished his popularity. King Louis declared war against Great Britain in 1778, aiding the American Colonies that wished to gain independence from their mother country. It is still unclear why King Louis XVI chose to aid the Americans, a controversial move that he could’ve easily avoided. Perhaps, Benjamin Franklin, a gifted diplomat, persuaded the young King, or more likely, Louis seized the opportunity to avenge the Frenchmen that fell to British arms in the Seven Years’ War. Ignoring the motives for King Louis’ decision, France’s involvement in the American War for Independence ultimately worsened the debt crisis. Even worse, in perspective of those benefiting from the monarch system, the successful American Revolution further augmented aspirations for reformation in France.

            Beginning in 1789, France would enter a ten-year battle against an enemy that surpassed all predecessors in strength and influence: Its own people. In a torrent of dominoing events, French society would be uprooted in a matter of three years, and the feudal beliefs that controlled France for centuries would be substituted with Enlightenment principles, valuing natural rights and equality. Through the chaos, one man, utilizing his uncanny ability with words, would rally a kingdom to rebel against their monarchs. The same man, ironically dubbed “the incorruptible”, once obtaining power over France, would veer the progressive path of the revolution to fulfill his own radical interests. The bloody era known as the Reign of Terror, and the French Revolution as a whole, concluded with the death of its institutor, Maximilien Robes-Pierre.

            Following the American Revolution, the French debt crisis continued to worsen. Finally, King Louis XVI, after years of criticism for his ignorance of his people’s oppression, publicly addressed the nation’s financial struggle by calling a meeting of the Estates-General. In the May of 1789, 1,201 delegates comprised of nobles, clergy, and the Third Estate discussed the nation’s matters, in hope of eventually creating a solution to the debt crisis. For a month, the talks were stagnant, so on the 17^th of June, the Third Estate made a radical move in hope of proceeding negotiations.

Tennis Court Oath

          The Third Estate, making up the majority of the Estates-General, declared themselves the National Assembly, a group representing “the people”. King Louis XVI, in a halfhearted attempt to prevent the National Assembly from gathering, hastily closed the Salle des États, the meeting room of the National Assembly. This had no effect whatsoever on the persistent members of the National Assembly, and after moving their meeting to an indoor tennis court, swore the Tennis Court Oath, proclaiming that they wouldn’t stop meeting until France had a constitution. The Third Estate invited the other two estates to join them, and the majority of clergy representatives and a good fraction of the nobility joined the National Assembly. The royal court had no choice but to succumb to the rising political power. After receiving formidable recognition from King Louis, the National Assembly renamed themselves the National Constituent Assembly, stressing evermore their desire for a constitution. King Louis found himself in the worst possible position; he was the blame of the nations problems, and the National Constituent Assembly was the solution.

The Storming of the Bastille

            Throughout the summoned meeting of the Estates-General and the ultimate establishment of the National Constituent Assembly, the common people of Paris were causing chaos in the already suffering city. Paris had transformed from a stronghold city into the most rebellious city in France. Riots erupted in Paris, and looting became an acceptable mean of acquiring food. In hope of settling the bedlam in Paris, King Louis XVI issued an order, sending a large party of soldiers to the capital city. The rumor reached Paris on July 14, 1789. As a sign of complete rebellion, the people of Paris took up arms and stormed the Bastille fortress. The rebels, predominately composed of hefty women from the fish marketplace, mutilated the guards on duty. The Bastille held only seven prisoners, but the seemingly impregnable fortress symbolizing the power of France’s aristocracy, made it a target for the insurgents. King Louis XVI took a great scare from the act of violence, and he appointed Marquis de la Fayette to take charge of the National Guard occupying Paris. Spontaneous acts of violence enveloped France, and as July drew to an end, local militias scattered France’s countryside. France was on the verge of complete governmental collapse.

            On August 4, 1789, the National Constituent Assembly, now holding true political authority, eradicated feudalism. Formally called the August Decrees, the nobles and clergy lost their privileges in a swift decision by the Assembly. Just twenty-two days later, the National Constituent Assembly released the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The Assembly had fulfilled their original goal, but while being preoccupied with legislature matters, the National Constituent Assembly had yet to address France’s debt crisis. This failure to resolve the debt crisis most likely provoked the Women’s March on Versailles.

Women's March on Versailles

           On October 5, 1789, thousands of women gathered in the marketplaces of Paris, sharing one concern. The women were responding to the years of suffering they had endured due to the failing economy, focusing mainly on the bread shortages that had transformed from an ominous possibility into an ever-present dilemma. The 7,000 women marched to Versailles, demanding that King Louis XVI and the entire royal court return to Paris where the officials would be able to address the financial crisis. After the mob stormed the palace, slaughtering multiple National Guardsmen, La Fayette persuaded the king to yield to the women’s demands. On October 6, 1789, King Louis and Marie-Antoinette were “escorted” back to Paris where they would virtually be held as prisoners in the Tuileries Palace until their executions by the guillotine.

Execution of Louis Capet (King Louis XVI)

            September 21, 1792: The French monarchy is officially abolished, and France, for the first time in history, is a republic. King Louis XVI is stripped of all his titles and on the following day, is trialed. Maximilien Robes-Pierre contends, “Louis must die, so that the country may live”. On January 21, 1793, the once King of France, Louis XVI, is guillotined. Many rejoice with the death of the despised monarch, but just as in Louis’ coronation eighteen years earlier, the people are unaware that a far more devastating era will be ushered in with the death of their King.

If you wish to obtain a deeper understanding of the French Revolution and learn aout the devastating era following the death of King Louis XVI, check out the movie below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4BIlEK94fI

Thank you to "historyforall" for posting this in depth video on the French Revolution. 

Photos courtesy of

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Palace_of_Versailles.jpg

http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/french/robes.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Le_Serment_du_Jeu_de_paume.jpg

http://www.historywiz.com/images/frenchrevolution/prisedelabastille.jpg
http://www.genreonline.net/Genre_files/FrenchRevLogo.jpg
http://reeseartofwars.com/images/AWIcombo.jpg