Women in the French Revolution

October Days/Women's March

- 5/6 October Issues: - The people suspected that the King did not support the revolution - He did not make August Decrees or DORMAC into law - He sent more troops to Versailles - Did not visit Paris since he visited the commune - Military seen as disloyal - Bread price was still very high Wanted: - The King to be brought back to Paris - Bread - Passing of the August decrees and DORMAC as law Result - King gives consent to the August Decrees and DORMAC (hastily compiled by Bailly and Lafayette) - Martial Law declared: if the National Guard ordered the crowd to disperse, they had to do it or it would be deemed a criminal offence.

Important Women

- Marie Antoinette. - Excessive spender who often gave gifts and well-paid jobs to friends. - Enjoyed lavish buildings and grounds, such as Petit Trianon and own hamlet. - Innocent in Diamond Necklace Affair (1785) but on one occasion bought earrings for 400,000 livres. - Became scapegoat for inequalities of old regime and was demonised for Austrian heritage.

Events women were involved in the French Revolution

- Revolutionaries and troops take down the Bastille. - For the first time, women would participate alongside men in dismantling the Bastille. - October Days/Women's March.

What did women want in the French Revolution?

- When the French Revolution exploded in 1789 due to a long history of social and political tensions, was for the first time, bringing the discussion of human rights into a greater light. - Through years of discrimination and injustice, women were eager to fight got their basic rights in order to live a more fulfilling life. - A group called cercle social (social circle) took shape. In this group were people who supported women's rights. - During this time, they argued for liberal divorce laws and reforms in inheritance laws so that girls and women could inherit property. - Women wanted to be able to vote and participate in political events in the public. - Women wanted rights and DORMAC was adopted but it stated nothing in regard to women's rights.

What did women do in the French Revolution?

- Women participated in virtually every aspect of the French Revolution, but their participation almost always proved controversial. - The writers of the Enlightenment most often took a traditional stance on "the women question;" they viewed women as biologically different from men, destined to play domestic roles inside the family rather than the public, political ones. - Among the many writers of Enlightenment, Jean-Jacques Rousseau published a book on the subject of women's role in society. - In his book Emile, he described his vision of an ideal education for women and how they should take an active role in the family by breast-feeding and educating their children, but they should not venture to take active positions outside home. - Women were thought to have small intellectual capacity and were therefore, excluded from political issues. - Not allowed to vote.