Viva la Resistance!Viva la Resistance!

The causes of the French Revolution

Ms. StilesRiver Dell High School

The causes of the French Revolution

Ms. StilesRiver Dell High School

1. Social Inequalities1. Social Inequalities

Old Order (ancien regime): social & political structure in France

Estates: social classes King/Queen at the top of the social

pyramidKing Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette

lived at Versailles, 12 miles outside Paris

Old Order (ancien regime): social & political structure in France

Estates: social classes King/Queen at the top of the social

pyramidKing Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette

lived at Versailles, 12 miles outside Paris

VersaillesVersailles

Old OrderOld Order

3rd Estate97% of French

Population(Everyone else)

2nd Estate2% of French

Population(Nobility)

1st Estate1% of French

Population(Clergy)

KingHead ofFrenchSociety

3rd Estate97% of French

Population(Everyone else)

2nd Estate2% of French

Population(Nobility)

1st Estate1% of French

Population(Clergy)

KingHead ofFrenchSociety

The Royal FamilyThe Royal Family

King Louis XVI & Queen Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette was from Austria (traditional enemy of France)Not popular with French people

Austrian background Frivolous spender while people were starving

Who played her in the movie “Marie Antoinette”?

King Louis XVI & Queen Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette was from Austria (traditional enemy of France)Not popular with French people

Austrian background Frivolous spender while people were starving

Who played her in the movie “Marie Antoinette”?

1st Estate1st Estate

1% of French population Clergy (Roman Catholic Church) Had special privileges:

Only church courts could try priests/bishops, didn’t have to follow regular laws

Clergy & Church didn’t have to pay taxes Any land owned by church was also exempt from

taxes (church owned 10% of land in France) Collected rents & fees from this land - made higher

clergy very rich (didn’t have to pay taxes on this, either)

Priests who served lower classes were poor, but people still resented their privileges

1% of French population Clergy (Roman Catholic Church) Had special privileges:

Only church courts could try priests/bishops, didn’t have to follow regular laws

Clergy & Church didn’t have to pay taxes Any land owned by church was also exempt from

taxes (church owned 10% of land in France) Collected rents & fees from this land - made higher

clergy very rich (didn’t have to pay taxes on this, either)

Priests who served lower classes were poor, but people still resented their privileges

2nd Estate2nd Estate

Nobility - 2% of the population Paid little to no taxes, held key

positions in government & military Majority lived on estates were

peasants did all the workSome lived at court with the King

(their jobs were ceremonial)

Nobility - 2% of the population Paid little to no taxes, held key

positions in government & military Majority lived on estates were

peasants did all the workSome lived at court with the King

(their jobs were ceremonial)

3rd Estate3rd Estate

Largest group, 97% of population Made up of 3 sub-divisions:

Bourgeoisie-city dwelling merchants, factory owners, lawyers, doctors; had no role in government, but had education

Artisans & City workers: shoemakers, carpenters, bricklayers, dressmakers; if they didn’t work, they didn’t eat (known as sansculottes “those without knee breeches”-proud of that nickname

Peasants: farmed nobles fields, paid rents & fees to nobles, paid 10% of income to the church (tithes), performed much of their labor for no payment, and paid taxes

Largest group, 97% of population Made up of 3 sub-divisions:

Bourgeoisie-city dwelling merchants, factory owners, lawyers, doctors; had no role in government, but had education

Artisans & City workers: shoemakers, carpenters, bricklayers, dressmakers; if they didn’t work, they didn’t eat (known as sansculottes “those without knee breeches”-proud of that nickname

Peasants: farmed nobles fields, paid rents & fees to nobles, paid 10% of income to the church (tithes), performed much of their labor for no payment, and paid taxes

2. Enlightenment Ideas2. Enlightenment Ideas

Social inequalities pushed 3rd Estate towards revolt

Ideas of the Enlightenment help fan the flames Educated bourgeoisie read works of Rousseau,

Locke, Montesquieu & knew that in England Parliament limited the power of the King

More importantly, they knew that the British colonies in America successfully revolted against what they considered unfair treatment and tyrannical rule by the British government

This made them wonder how they could use this information in France

Social inequalities pushed 3rd Estate towards revolt

Ideas of the Enlightenment help fan the flames Educated bourgeoisie read works of Rousseau,

Locke, Montesquieu & knew that in England Parliament limited the power of the King

More importantly, they knew that the British colonies in America successfully revolted against what they considered unfair treatment and tyrannical rule by the British government

This made them wonder how they could use this information in France

3. Financial Crisis3. Financial Crisis

Economic Problems hit most of France hard

Already existing debts & troubles compounded by aid to the Americans during their revolutionSent soldiers, supplies, weapons, and

ships that they really couldn’t afford

Economic Problems hit most of France hard

Already existing debts & troubles compounded by aid to the Americans during their revolutionSent soldiers, supplies, weapons, and

ships that they really couldn’t afford

First Events of the Revolution

First Events of the Revolution

Spring 1789: no one in France is happy with the way things are going

1st & 2nd estates unhappy about losing political power to the king

Bourgeoisie resented government restrictions that limited their business growth & the fact that they were kept out of higher ranks in government & military

3rd Estate: poorer & hungrier than ever

Spring 1789: no one in France is happy with the way things are going

1st & 2nd estates unhappy about losing political power to the king

Bourgeoisie resented government restrictions that limited their business growth & the fact that they were kept out of higher ranks in government & military

3rd Estate: poorer & hungrier than ever

Meeting of the Estates-General

Meeting of the Estates-General

King Louis pushed by nobility to call a meeting of the Estates to discuss new taxes for the 3rd Estate

Spring 1789: 1st meeting of the Estates-General in 175 years No one really knew what to do Everyone wrote their grievances in notebooks

that were sent to the meeting It was clear that everyone wanted drastic

changes BUT the voting process could destroy any

chance at change

King Louis pushed by nobility to call a meeting of the Estates to discuss new taxes for the 3rd Estate

Spring 1789: 1st meeting of the Estates-General in 175 years No one really knew what to do Everyone wrote their grievances in notebooks

that were sent to the meeting It was clear that everyone wanted drastic

changes BUT the voting process could destroy any

chance at change

How the Voting WorksHow the Voting Works

Each estate gets 1 vote Usually the 1st & 2nd Estates voted

togetherCompletely shut out the 3rd Estate

After the Enlightenment, 3rd Estate thought they were more important (knew they were the largest group, wanted more votes)

Wanted to change the voting procedures

Each estate gets 1 vote Usually the 1st & 2nd Estates voted

togetherCompletely shut out the 3rd Estate

After the Enlightenment, 3rd Estate thought they were more important (knew they were the largest group, wanted more votes)

Wanted to change the voting procedures

The Tennis Court OathThe Tennis Court Oath

At the first meeting, Louis instructed everyone to vote as usual The 3rd Estate refused

There was a stand-off & the 3rd Estate renamed themselves the National Assembly (a legislature)

At the next meeting, the National Assembly was locked out of the meeting place

The representatives moved to an outdoor tennis court, where they took the Tennis Court Oath Swore they wouldn’t disband until they wrote a

Constitution for France Louis eventually caved & allowed everyone to have

an individual vote in the Estates-General

At the first meeting, Louis instructed everyone to vote as usual The 3rd Estate refused

There was a stand-off & the 3rd Estate renamed themselves the National Assembly (a legislature)

At the next meeting, the National Assembly was locked out of the meeting place

The representatives moved to an outdoor tennis court, where they took the Tennis Court Oath Swore they wouldn’t disband until they wrote a

Constitution for France Louis eventually caved & allowed everyone to have

an individual vote in the Estates-General

Storming the BastilleStorming the Bastille

Storming the BastilleStorming the Bastille

After the Oath of the Tennis Court, Louis began to worry & ordered troops to protect Paris & Versailles Just in case he needed to defend the monarchy by

force The National Assembly began to panic

(worried that Louis would use violence to end their meetings)

National Assembly had the sympathy of the Parisians, they needed weapons to arm themselves, where would they get them?The BASTILLE!

After the Oath of the Tennis Court, Louis began to worry & ordered troops to protect Paris & Versailles Just in case he needed to defend the monarchy by

force The National Assembly began to panic

(worried that Louis would use violence to end their meetings)

National Assembly had the sympathy of the Parisians, they needed weapons to arm themselves, where would they get them?The BASTILLE!

The BastilleThe Bastille

July 14, 1789 (now known as French Independence Day)

The Bastille was an armory & prison People who spoke out against the monarchy were

kept there, including Voltaire Sign of government oppression

When it was stormed, only 7 prisoners were kept there. The mob tried to negotiate with the guards for weapons

When this failed, the mob killed the commanding guard, cut off his head, & paraded it around the streets of Paris

Powerful symbol of the French Revolution

July 14, 1789 (now known as French Independence Day)

The Bastille was an armory & prison People who spoke out against the monarchy were

kept there, including Voltaire Sign of government oppression

When it was stormed, only 7 prisoners were kept there. The mob tried to negotiate with the guards for weapons

When this failed, the mob killed the commanding guard, cut off his head, & paraded it around the streets of Paris

Powerful symbol of the French Revolution

What Happened Next?What Happened Next?

The people of France were shocked after the storming of the Bastille & afraid of retaliation from the king

The Great Fear: rumors spread that Louis hired mercenaries to punish the 3rd Estate (fact & fiction)

Many peasants took revenge after years of abuse They burned houses, destroyed records, &

crops

The people of France were shocked after the storming of the Bastille & afraid of retaliation from the king

The Great Fear: rumors spread that Louis hired mercenaries to punish the 3rd Estate (fact & fiction)

Many peasants took revenge after years of abuse They burned houses, destroyed records, &

crops

Creating a New NationCreating a New Nation

After the violence of the Revolution lessened, the National Assembly began to form a new government

After the violence of the Revolution lessened, the National Assembly began to form a new government

Legislating New RightsLegislating New Rights August 1789: the National Assembly abolished all feudal

dues & services owed by peasants to landowners Eliminated all legal privileges of 1st Estate Adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the

Citizen Basic principles of Liberty, equality, & fraternity Inspired by American Declaration of Independence,

English Bill of Rights, and work of Enlightenment writers

All men are born equal & remain equal before the law (guaranteed freedom of speech, press, & religion)

Didn’t apply to women, the National Assembly turned down Olympe de Gouges’ declaration of rights for women

August 1789: the National Assembly abolished all feudal dues & services owed by peasants to landowners

Eliminated all legal privileges of 1st Estate Adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the

Citizen Basic principles of Liberty, equality, & fraternity Inspired by American Declaration of Independence,

English Bill of Rights, and work of Enlightenment writers

All men are born equal & remain equal before the law (guaranteed freedom of speech, press, & religion)

Didn’t apply to women, the National Assembly turned down Olympe de Gouges’ declaration of rights for women

Restrictions on PowerRestrictions on Power

Louis made another mistake Called troops to Versailles to protect the throne Angered the commoners who were afraid he’d

use force to crush the Revolution October 1789: 7,000 women marched from Paris

to Versailles to demand bread Broke into the palace To appease them, Louis took the royal family out of

Versailles November: The National Assembly took church

property & sold it to pay off France’s debts Religious orders were disbanded

Louis made another mistake Called troops to Versailles to protect the throne Angered the commoners who were afraid he’d

use force to crush the Revolution October 1789: 7,000 women marched from Paris

to Versailles to demand bread Broke into the palace To appease them, Louis took the royal family out of

Versailles November: The National Assembly took church

property & sold it to pay off France’s debts Religious orders were disbanded

Restrictions on PowerRestrictions on Power

1791: The National Assembly completed a constitution

Created the Legislative Assembly (created laws)

Expanded voting rights (though only taxpaying men over the age of 25 could vote)

Kept the monarchy, but greatly limited it

1791: The National Assembly completed a constitution

Created the Legislative Assembly (created laws)

Expanded voting rights (though only taxpaying men over the age of 25 could vote)

Kept the monarchy, but greatly limited it

Foreign InterferenceForeign Interference

July 1792: Austria & Prussia warned against harming the monarchs

Threatened war (sent 50,000 troops to French border)

Legislative Assembly declared war, but the army wasn’t prepared & was easily defeated

Louis was blamed for defeat & the royal family were made commoners & sent to prison

The Legislative Assembly disbanded itself & created the National Convention National Convention ended the monarchy &

declared France a Republic

July 1792: Austria & Prussia warned against harming the monarchs

Threatened war (sent 50,000 troops to French border)

Legislative Assembly declared war, but the army wasn’t prepared & was easily defeated

Louis was blamed for defeat & the royal family were made commoners & sent to prison

The Legislative Assembly disbanded itself & created the National Convention National Convention ended the monarchy &

declared France a Republic