On the Eve of Revolution 3.1 Notes

I. French Society Divided ancien regime or “old order” French divided into estates Estate-social classes 1st Estate Clergy, closest to God 2nd Estate Nobles 3rd Estate Everyone else 98% of the population

I. French Society Divided cont. Bourgeoisie- middle class that included bankers, merchants, lawyers, doctors Poorest members of 3rd estate were urban or city workers 1st and 2nd Estates paid almost no taxes

Questions Describe the social structure in France? Why would the 3rd Estate be upset? The 3rd Estate was upset because…

II. Financial Trouble France had economic problems Deficit spending-spending more money than you take in High national debt Nobles and clergy refuse to pay more taxes Louis XVI (16th) chose Jacques Necker to as a financial expert Nobles and Clergy had him fired however to prevent him from raising their taxes

Questions What were two economic problems France had? Two economic problems France had were…

III. Louis Calls the Estates-General Estates-General- a legislature where each estate gets one vote Clergy and Nobles always gang up on 3rd Estate Each estate prepared a list of complaints in notebooks called cahiers “bloodsuckers of the nation who drink the tears of the unfortunate from goblets of gold” –3rd Estates cahier, describing the nobles and clergy

Questions How was the Estates-General unfair? The Estates-General was unfair because…

IV. Tennis Court Oath Representatives of the 3rd Estate declared themselves the National Assembly that truly represented France Locked out of their meeting place they went to a nearby tennis court Tennis Court Oath-a pledge to never separate till France had a just constitution

V. Parisians Storm the Bastille Bastille- old medieval prison Rumors that the King would occupy the city with truth led to an angry mob of French people stormed the Bastille looking for weapons Fall of the Bastille is a symbol of triumph over medieval times French celebrate Bastille Day every July 14th