Liberty, Equality, Fraternity! The French Revolution Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!

The 3 Estates of France (The Old Regime) Class Clergy (Priests) 1st Estate Nobles/Lords (Owned Land) 2nd Estate Estates 1 & 2 are called the privileged classes. They owned most of the land and paid little in taxes! 3rd Estate Peasants Servants Bourgeoisie- (Educated, often wealthy merchants or artists) 98% of the French Population The 3rd Estate paid almost all of the taxes in France! http://youtu.be/VEZqarUnVpo

Causes of the French Revolution Widespread Poverty The peasants of France were starving and needed bread to eat. They Blamed the King and Queen of France for the economic problems in the country. Angry mobs soon stormed the streets of Paris. Queen Marie-Antoinette King Louis XVI

King Louis XVI & Queen Marie-Antoinette’s House The Palace of Versailles

More Wasteful Spending by the Monarchy……… The Hall of Mirrors Queen Marie’s Bed http://youtu.be/X235vpOToVU

More Causes……. 2. France was home to the Enlightenment Montesquieu 3. The 3rd Estate was inspired by the American Revolution Rousseau Voltaire

.....More Causes the majority of the taxes. That’s unfair! 4. The 3rd Estate pays the majority of the taxes. That’s unfair! Louis was controlled By his wife, Madame Deficit! 5. Louis XVI was a weak leader and could not fix France’s financial problems.   http://youtu.be/pGPmXQDQi90

The Meeting of the Estates-General 1. King Louis and Queen Marie Antoinette refused to economize and France faced Bankruptcy. They now started taxing the 2nd Estate! 2. The 2nd Estate forced King Louis to call a meeting of the Estates-General (an assembly of all 3 estates) in order to discuss tax reform. 3. The 3rd Estate wanted more reforms for France like freedom of speech, equality and a constitution The 3rd Estate was out voted 2-1!

The Meeting of the Estates-General 1st meeting in 175 years!

The Tennis Court Oath The 3rd Estate representatives were upset about the meeting and declared themselves to be the National Assembly. They broke into a tennis court and took the Tennis Court Oath on June 20, 1789, vowing to not leave until they created a new constitution for France. This was the 1st revolutionary step!

The Fall of the Bastille The French peasants heard that King Louis hired a foreign army to protect him July 14, 1789 A Mob of angry French peasants stormed the Bastille (armory) and stole all of the gun powder in order to defend themselves The Bastille falls into the control of the French people on July 14, 1789, which is now a national holiday in France.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen Written by the National Assembly in 1789 Statement of Revolutionary ideals (rights) Men are born free Equality Freedom of speech/religion Influenced by Declaration of Independence

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