Post on 23-Dec-2015
• Roman Catholic clergy
• One percent of the population
• Free from taxes
• Owned 10 percent of the land– Collected rents– Became wealthy
• Roman Catholic clergy
• One percent of the population
• Free from taxes
• Owned 10 percent of the land– Collected rents– Became wealthy
First Estate
• Nobility
• Less than 2 percent of the population
• Paid few taxes
• Controlled much wealth
• Held key positions– Government– Military
• Lived on country estates
• Nobility
• Less than 2 percent of the population
• Paid few taxes
• Controlled much wealth
• Held key positions– Government– Military
• Lived on country estates
Second Estate
• Largest group—97% of the population
• Bourgeoisie—city-dwelling merchants, factory owners, and professionals
• Sans culottes—artisans and workers
• Peasants—poor with little hope, paid rents and fees
• Largest group—97% of the population
• Bourgeoisie—city-dwelling merchants, factory owners, and professionals
• Sans culottes—artisans and workers
• Peasants—poor with little hope, paid rents and fees
Third Estate
The Three Estates
Causes of the Revolution
• Long-standing resentments against the monarchy
Inequalities in society◦ Existing social and political structure◦ Called the Old Order, or ancient régime
King at the top and estates under him ◦ King Louis XVI, shy and indecisive ◦ Unpopular, self-indulgent queen, Marie-
Antoinette◦ Rest of French society divided into three classes,
called estates
• Severe economic problems affected much of the country
• France in debt, spending lavishly, borrowing money, and facing bankruptcy
• Hailstorm and drought ruined harvest; harsh winter limited flour production
• People hungry and angry; clergy and nobility no help
A Financial Crisis
• Inspiring new ideas from Enlightenment philosophers such as Rousseau and Thomas Paine.
• Great Britain’s government had limited the king’s power
• American colonists rebelled successfully against British king
Enlightenment Ideas
Further Causes
Louis Calls the Estates-General
Estates General– Similar to Parliament– Representatives from each of the 3 classes of
French society1st Estate - Clergy
2nd Estate - Nobles
3rd Estate – Everyone else- bourgeoisie - artists, farmers,
Peasants, city workers etc
Estates General
1st Estate has 300 members and one vote 2nd Estate has 300 members and one vote 3rd Estate has 600 members and one vote
– How do you feel about this if you are in the 3rd Estate???
– WHY?
Demand for Change
3rd Estate wants to change voting procedures.– Want to establish a National Assembly where
EACH representative has an equal vote.
Louis XVI refused completely.
King Louis XVI’s Response
Get the idea??
NADA!!! No!!, No Way!!! Aint gonna
happen!!!, Forgetaboutit!!! Nope!!! Uh-uh!!! Not on my watch!!! Not here, not
now, not ever!!!
3rd Estate Response
May 1788 -Representatives meet on an indoor tennis court and pledged that they would not leave until the king agrees to their demands– “The Tennis Court Oath”
Embarrassing situation for the king King finally agrees Establishment of The National Assembly
Bastille Day July 1788 French farmers, peasants do not have
enough to eat and are paying high taxes– Nobles out of touch (“Let them eat cake”)– People can not afford food
– Peasants getting a bit rowdy Louis XVI starts assembling troops at Versailles People fear he is planning to attack the new National
Assembly and arrest members
Bastille Day continued People in Paris hear
about the troops– Begin to riot. – July 14, 1789 - Attack
the Bastille – fortress prison in Paris.
• Seen as a symbol of Kings power
• People storm the prison, free the prisoners, take guns and ammo.
Revolution gets out of hand
Riots soon spread to countryside– Peasants attack nobles in their houses. Kill
many nobles– Nobles and Clergy living in fear
• “A Tale of Two Cities” is set in this time period
Declaration of the Rights of Man
National Assembly votes to eliminate all classes, titles, nobility.– Say nobles and clergy must pay taxes too
Serves as a basis for French Constitution“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”
Revolution Getting out of Control King Louis XVI attempts to flee the
country with his wife Marie Antoinette Captured and brought back Radicals (Jacobins) getting more say in
how the government should be run
We better
stop this
This is getting out
of hand
The killed their
King!!!
This is not
good
1792-1793 Other nations of Europe worry that revolution in France will spread to their countries.
Other nations invade France 1792-1793: Other nations of
Europe worry that revolution in France will spread to their countries.
Austria, Prussia (Germany), Spain, Britain, wage war on France.
French fight them off and a young army officer called Napoleon Bonaparte becomes a war hero.
Radicals in France gain even more power
Radicals Gain Control Maxmilian
Robespierre and the “Committee for Public Safety”– Begin hunting
down all those seen as a threat to the Revolution
– 1793 Louis and Marie sent to the guillotine for promoting revolt.
“Reign of Terror”
– “Reign of Terror” Begins• Around 30,000 people
eventually sent to the guillotine.
• Guillotine seen as a humane way to kill people.
• Nobles, peasants, workers - anyone Robespierre saw as a threat to the revolution
End of Reign of Terror 1794 – National
Convention feels Robespierre has gone over the line– He is arrested,
tried, convicted and executed