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French Revolution Part I

The document outlines the social structure of pre-revolutionary France, highlighting the inequality among the three estates, with the 3rd estate comprising 98% of the population. It discusses the causes of the French Revolution, including financial mismanagement by Louis XVI, food shortages, and Enlightenment ideas, leading to the formation of the National Assembly and the Tennis Court Oath. Key events such as the Storming of the Bastille and the Declaration of the Rights of Man are also mentioned, illustrating the shift towards a constitutional monarchy.

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17 views20 pages

French Revolution Part I

The document outlines the social structure of pre-revolutionary France, highlighting the inequality among the three estates, with the 3rd estate comprising 98% of the population. It discusses the causes of the French Revolution, including financial mismanagement by Louis XVI, food shortages, and Enlightenment ideas, leading to the formation of the National Assembly and the Tennis Court Oath. Key events such as the Storming of the Bastille and the Declaration of the Rights of Man are also mentioned, illustrating the shift towards a constitutional monarchy.

Uploaded by

iscareu2
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Marie Antoinette Louis XVI

Background
• Based on a French society of Inequality
• Population of 27 million divided into three
estates (groups of people).
• 1st estate: Clergy= ½ % population.
• 2nd estate: Nobility= 1.5% population.
• 3rd estate: Peasants, Bourgeoisie, Workers=
98% population.
Power structure under the Old
Regime…
Clergy
1% 1st Estate
2% Aristocracy
2nd
Estate
97%
Commoners: people with
money but no political
power
3rd Estate

• Louis XVI insisted that this system stay in place, then wanted to
raise taxes for French debts such as building Palace of Versailles
Causes of French Revolution
• Fighting Wars
- Seven Years’ War (Europe)
(French & Indian War in
North America)
• Louis XVI spending too
much money!!!
– Example: Palace of
Versailles
• Taxes imposed on the poor
• Food Shortages & Poor
harvests
– Hailstorm, then a drought,
then a Frozen Winter in
1788
• Price increases for food
• Ideas of the Enlightenment Marie Antoinette: “let them eat
cake”
Marie Antoinette’s
“Peasant Cottage”
Estates-General Meeting
• Called by Louis XVI in need of new taxes.
• 1st & 2nd estates had 300 delegates each
• 3rd estate had almost 600 total.
• System of voting was unfair, so the 3rd
estate wanted a constitutional monarchy,
which the king refused, favoring current
system.
Convening the Estates General
May, 1789

Last time it was called into session was 1614!


“The Third Estate Wakes
YUp”
Commoners presented their demands, but as
“representatives of the nation.”

Y To protest the lack of representation, the 3rd Estate


proclaimed themselves the “National Assembly” of France.
Y Inspired by political ideas of Enlightenment
The French Urban
Poor
80
70
60
50
40 1787
30 1788

20
10
0
% of Income Spent on Bread
Tennis Court Oath
• The 3rd estate’s move to
a local tennis court
where they swore to
continue to meet until a
constitution was made!

• This infuriated the king,


who wanted to use force
against them.

• Commoners saved the


3rd estate from letting
this happen.
Storming the Bastille, July 14,
1789
Y Why? There was a rumor the king was planning a
military coup (takeover) against the National
Assembly.
Y The 3rd Estate attacks a prison called the Bastille for
weapons. (This is “Bastille Day” now, same as the 4th
July in the US.)*
Storming the Bastille, July 14,
1789
Y This event sparked the Great Fear, which was a time
of panic throughout France
Y The peasants of France took revenge against their
masters.
The Great Fear: Peasant Revolt
(July 20, 1789)
The Declaration of the Rights of
Man and of the Citizen, August
26, 1789 V A list of all the
rights the French
now have.
V This is modeled
after the US Bill
of Rights.
V Inspired by the
American Rev!
Meanwhile…
V Bread is brought back
to Paris.
V The King and royal
family become
prisoners
V The National Assembly
is selling Church land
for money
V A new constitution
begins a limited
monarchy (king is still
around but not making
decisions)
New Constitution
Louis XVI “Accepts” the
Constitution
& the National Assembly. 1791
Calling for a National
Convention
V Revolutions are spreading
across Austria & Prussia… they
are threatening to restore Louis
XIV to power
V Radicals in France attack the
Legislative Assembly and are
calling for a National Convention
V These radicals call themselves
Sans-Culottes (ordinary Patriots
w/out fine clothes)
V They will choose France’s future
government
Identify Which Estate They
Belong To

1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
End Part I

Storming the

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