The French Revolution

pt. 1
Mr. McCaskill
LIBERTE,
EGALITE,
FRATERNITE

Setting the Stage

In the 1700s, France was considered
the most advanced country of
Europe.

Paris was the center of the

Enlightenment.

Frances culture was widely praised

by the rest of Europe.

However, the appearance of success

was deceiving.

The Three Estates

The people in France were divided into three
large social classes.

These social classes were called estates.

Two of the estates had privileges.
Access to high positions in government and
exempt from paying taxes

Upper Classes
The upper class owned about 10% of the land
in France.
Only about 1 percent of the population
Only about 2 percent of its income went to
government.

The Second Estate was made up of rich nobles.

Only about 2 percent of the population
This Estate owned about 20% of the land and
paid no taxes.

The Bourgeoisie
About 97% of the people belonged to the Third
Estate.

This class was split up as well.

The bourgeoisie was the middle class.
bankers, factory owners, and professionals.

Often they were educated and believed in

liberty and equality.

Common Workers
The workers of Frances cities formed the
second group within the Third Estate.

These were the butchers, bakers, and

candlestick makers.

Peasants

Peasants formed the largest group within the

Third Estate, more than 80% of Frances people.

Peasants paid about half their income to the

kings agents.

The heavily taxed and discontented Third

Estate was eager for change.

Demands for change

New ideas about government, economic
problems, and weak leadership all helped
to create a desire for change.

New views about government were

spreading among the Third Estate.

Members of the Third Estate were

inspired by the success of the American
Revolution.

People began to demand equality, liberty,

and democracy.

All types of drama

By the 1780s, Frances economy was in decline.
Heavy taxes made it almost impossible to
conduct business profitably.

Also, the cost of living was rising sharply.

Bad weather caused widespread crop failures.

Not my bread!!!
This caused the price of bread to double and
many people faced the threat of starvation.

Bread was a staple of the diet of the common

people of France.

Most families consumed three or four 4-pound

loaves a day.

People were highly upset by the dramatic rise

in price of this extremely important item.

Impact of the Americans

During this time, Frances government sank
deeply into debt.

The problem was the spending of Louis XVI

(16th) and his queen Marie Antoinette.

He borrowed heavily in order to help the

American Revolution in their war against Great
Britain.
This nearly doubled the governments debt.

Marie Antoinette
The queen of France only added to Louiss
problems.

She often interfered in the government, and

typically gave Louis poor advice.

Marie Antoinette had been unpopular from the

moment she set foot in France.

As queen, she spent so much money on jewels,

gambling, and gifts that she became known as
Madame Deficit.

Estates-General
Louis XVI was indecisive and allowed
matters to drift.

Louis put off dealing with emergencies

until he practically had no money.

His solution was to call a meeting of the

Estates-General.
An assembly of representatives from all
three estates to approve new laws.

Tennis Court Oath

The Third Estate was eager to make changes
in the government.

Shortly after establishing the idea of a

representative government, the Third Estate
was locked out of their meeting room.

They met at an indoor tennis court, pledging

to stay until they drew up a new
constitution.

This became known as the Tennis Court

Oath.

Storming of the Bastille

In Paris, rumors flew.
Some suggested that Louis was intent on
using military force to dismiss the Third
Estate.

People began to gather weapons in order

to defend the city against attack.

On July 14, a mob searching for

gunpowder and arms stormed the Bastille
(a Paris prison).

Storming of the Bastille cont.

The mob took control of the building.
The angry attackers hacked the prison
commander and several guards to death.
They were chopping heads off son!!!

The fall of Bastille became a great act of

revolution to the French people.

Ever since, July 14 is similar to the Fourth of

July in the United States.

The Great Fear

Before long, rebellion spread through the entire
country.

Rumors spread that nobles were hiring outlaws

to terrorize the peasants.

A wave of senseless panic called the Great Fear

rolled through France.

Armed with pitchforks and farm tools, they

broke into nobles houses and destroyed legal
papers that made them pay taxes.

Women join the fight

In October 1789, thousands of women rioted over
the rising cost of bread.

They turned their anger on the king and queen.

They broke into the palace, killing some guards.
The women demanded that Louis and Marie
return to Paris.

A few hours later, the king, his family, and

servants left Versailles, never again to see the
magnificent palace.