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1.3 Causes of the French
Revolution
The Fr
ench R
evolut
ion1789
-1799
What is a Revolution?1. The overthrow of a ruler or political
system2. A major change in ideas or practice
What makes a bad leader bad?
What makes a good leader good?
What kind of leader was King
Louis XVI?• King Louis XVI became the
king of France at the of 20.
• He was very uninterested with government affairs an paid little attention to them.
• His hobbies included wrestling, locksmithing, and hunting.
• He was very indecisive and put off important decisions until it was almost too late.
• He wanted to be a good king, but lacked self-confidence.
What kind of leader was Marie
Antoinette?• She was Louis XVI’s
wife and was a big spender and loved luxurious clothing, entertainment, and gambling.
• She earned the nickname “Madame Deficit.”
• She was hated by the French people.
• She was only 14 when she married.
What were the 4 causes?
1. Weak Leadership
King Louis XVI’s inability to deal with
important decisions right away allowed
problems to intensify.
2. Economic Crisis
Heavy taxing made it difficult for businesses
to thrive and starvation among the majority
of the population increased.
3. Enlightenment Inspiration
Enlightenment ideas of Locke and
Rousseau inspired many to reform French
society.
The American Revolution also inspired many
people! Life,
Liberty,
and
Property!
Consent
comes
from the
governed!
4. Social Inequalities
Many members of the 3rd Estate were very
unhappy with the inequalities of French
society.
What are the Three Estates?
1st Estate
1. Made up of clergy members of the Catholic church.
2. Consisted of less than 1% of the population.
3. Did not pay any taxes.
4. Owned 10% of the land.
2nd Estate
1. Made up of rich nobles who held very high offices in the government.
2. Paid no taxes.
3. Made up 2% of the population.
4. Disagreed with Enlightenment ideas.
5. Owned 20% of the land.
3rd Estate1. Paid taxes to 1st and 2nd
estates, and the king.
2. Included the bourgeoisie (middle class), lower class, and peasants.
3. The bourgeoisie included bankers, factory owners, and rich professionals.
4. Had no power to influence government and made up about 97% of the population.
5. Embraced Enlightenment ideas!
6. Hated the 1st and 2nd
Estates.