Unit 1 Notes 2:

French Revolution Notes One

Estates were large
social classes in
France
1
st
Estate: Clergy
2
nd
Estate: Nobles
3
rd
Estate:
Commoners and
Peasants
(1
st
-under 1%, 2
nd
- 2%, 3
rd
-
98%) population
Three Main Causes of the French
Revolution
Enlightenment Ideas
Economic Problems
Weak Leadership
Influence of the Enlightenment
Ideas of Voltaire and Rousseau
Influence of the Enlightenment
The success of the American Revolution

Influence of the Enlightenment
The questioning of long standing beliefs about
the structure of society

Economic Problems in France
High taxes made it
impossible for
businesses to make
a profit
Economic Problems in France
High cost of living

Economic Problems in France
Widespread crop failures

Economic Problems in France
Helped America pay for revolution against
England

Weak Leadership
Frances King Louis XVI was very indecisive
and let matters drift
Paid little attention to the details of governing

Weak Leadership
Frances Queen Marie
Antoinette spent
millions of Frances
dollars on gowns,
jewels, and gifts
Weak Leadership
King Louis XVI became king when he was 19
years old
Queen Marie Antoinette became queen when
she was 18 years old
What was Louis XVIs solution to
bankruptcy?
He called a meeting of the Estates-General
Estates-General was An assembly of representatives from all
three of the estates, or social classes, in France
Describe what happened at the Estates-
General Meeting
King wanted to raise taxes on the third estate
3
rd
Estate wanted 1 person, 1vote (giving them
an advantage)
1
st
and 2
nd
Estate wanted 1 estate, 1 vote (giving
them the advantage)
King agreed with 1
st
and 2
nd
Estates
3
rd
Estate protested the vote and stormed out of
the meeting
The National Assembly
Following the Estates-General meeting,
representatives from the 3
rd
Estate created a
legislative body called the National Assembly
The Assembly could pass new laws and reforms
in the name of the French people
Defying of the King
The National Assembly proclaimed the end of
an absolute monarchy and the beginning of a
representative government
Interference from the King
The Royal Guard locked the Assembly out of
their meeting room
The Assembly was forced to meet on a nearby
tennis court.
At this meeting they made the pledge to stay
together until they had drawn up a new
constitution
This became known as the Tennis Court Oath
The French Revolutions Official Start
Rumors began spreading that the King had
invited foreign armies to attack France
Riots began to break out all over the country,
especially in the French capital of Paris
To get gunpowder in defense of the city, Paris
citizen attacked Bastille prison
This event is known as the Storming of the
Bastille
The Womens March
Women of Paris marched 12 miles to the Palace of
Versailles (where the King and Queen lived)
They demanded bread for their starving families
Forced the King and Queen out of the palace, killing
several guards in the process
Marched back to Paris with the King and Queen and
carrying the heads of the guards on the end of sticks
The King and Queen never returned to their palace