Chapter 23

The French Revolution Begins Section 1 The French Revolution Begins

The Old Order The Old Regime-social and political system in France during the 1770s Estates-three social classes of France’s Old Regime

The Privileged Estates First Estate Catholic clergy Own 10% of lands Pay few taxes Scorned Enlightenment ideas

Second Estate Made up of rich nobles Made up 2% of population Owned 20% of lands Held highest offices in government Disagreed about Enlightenment ideas

Third Estate 97% of people are peasants, urban workers, middle class Have few privileges Pay heavy taxes Embraced Enlightenment ideas Resented other two social classes

Doctors, lawyers, merchants, and business managers made up the middle class. Clergy: bishops, abbots, and parish priests are at the top of the social pyramid. This group represented .5% of the total population.

The French Urban Poor

Financial Problems in France, 1789 Urban Commoner’s Budget: Food 80% Rent 25% Tithe 10% Taxes 35% Clothing 20% TOTAL 170% King’s Budget: Interest 50% Army 25% Versailles 25% Coronation 10% Loans 25% Admin. 25% TOTAL 160%

The Forces of Change Enlightenment Ideas Third Estate members inspired by the success of the American Revolution Questioned their own society’s structure

Economic Troubles High taxes and rising costs damage economy by 1780s King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette known for extravagance Louis doubles nation’s debt; banks refuse to lend more money

A Weak Leader Louis’s poor decisions and lack of patience add to France’s problems His wife makes things worse Gives Louis bad advice Not well-liked by the people He calls Estates-General in Versailles, 1789 Meeting of representatives from all three estates

The Suggested Voting Pattern: Voting by Estates Clergy 1st Estate 1 Aristocracy 2nd Estate 1 1 Commoners 3rd Estate Louis XIV insisted that the ancient distinction of the three orders be conserved in its entirety.

The Number of Representatives in the Estates General: Vote by Head! Clergy 1st Estate 300 Aristocracy 2nd Estate 300 648 Commoners 3rd Estate

Convening the Estates General May, 1789 Last time it was called into session was 1614!

Dawn of the Revolution The National Assembly Third Estate has little power under old rules Sieyes persuades them to make major changes in the French government Third Estate sets up National Assembly- new legislature to make reforms Tennis-Court Oath- Delegates decide to write new constitution for France

“The Tennis Court Oath” by Jacques Louis David June 20, 1789

Storming the Bastille Rumors fly in Paris that Louis wants to suppress the National Assembly Mob attacks and seizes Bastille, killing guards on July 14, 1789

A Great Fear Sweeps France Rebellion- Rumors and panic spread throughout France Great Fear-attacks by peasants taking place across France Peasants destroy legal papers binding them to feudal system In October 1789, Parisian women revolt over rising bread costs They demand action, forcing Louis to return from Versailles to Paris

Estates First Estate Second Estate Third Estate