Students will be able to identify how the economic troubles of the French Kingdom led to a revolution. )Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Estates General, Tennis Court Oath, National Assembly, Bastille, and The Great Fear

Warm-up: You are hungry. There is no bread or other food to take home to your starving family. You become desperate. You can’t help notice that King Louis and his wife are living in luxury as most of your townspeople are suffering. The citizens around you demand food and equality. What could make people angry enough to react with violence? Do you join this angry mob or pursue peaceful alternatives? How successful could a revolution of peasants be?

Let’s Review: Great unrest in France caused by high prices, high __________, and questions raised by enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau and Voltaire. The success of The American Revolution began to ____________the French poor majority. People were divided among _________________ estates or social classes. The first estate was that of the ___________ or church members. The second estate made up of the ____________ or rich. The third estate was made up of the ___________________. The third estate were paid _____________ wages, paid ____________ taxes and had no political ________________. The first and second estate paid no ________________.

Key Terms: Please write down in notes Estate: One of the three social classes in France before the French Revolution. Estates-General: An assembly of representatives from all three estates. National Assembly: A French Congress established by representatives of the Third Estate to enact laws and reforms. Tennis Court Oath: A pledge made by the members of France’s National Assembly in which they vowed to continue meeting until they drew up a new constitution. Great Fear: A wave of senseless panic that spread through the French countryside after the storming of Bastille.

France’s once prosperous economy was failing. Population grew rapidly. Economic Issues France’s once prosperous economy was failing. Population grew rapidly. Bad weather caused widespread crop failures resulting in a shortage of grain. Price of bread doubled!

France’s government sank deeply into debt King borrowed money to help revolution in America against England. Extravagant spending from the King and Queen. Banks in France refused to loan out any more money to the government.

Further Problems King Louis had little interest in the affairs of his country. His Austrian wife spent so much money on gowns, jewels, and gifts that she became known as “Madam Deficit” King Louis is finally forced to attempt to tax the aristocrats when faced with bankruptcy. He called a meeting to the Estates-General (an assembly of representatives from all three estates)

Questions: What was one of the reasons that the economy was closer to bankruptcy? What was the nickname for Marie Antoinette given to her for her outrageous spending? Why did King Louis finally decide to tax the rich First and Second Estates?

The National Assembly Fueled by enlightenment ideas, the Third Estate was eager to make changes in the government. They insisted each delegate cast one vote. The Third had more citizens so had more delegates…..would have the advantage. King ordered each estate had one vote……meaning First and Second Estate would vote the same (They are both rich) Third Assembly agreed to establish the National Assembly. (To pass laws and reforms in the name of the French people, end absolute monarchy, and the beginning of representative government.)

The Tennis Court Oath Locked out of meeting room so broke down door to indoor tennis courts. Pledged to not stop meeting until they had drawn up a new constitution.

Bastille Day King no longer trusted his troops so he hired Mercenary army of Swiss Guards. In Paris, rumors flew that foreign troops were coming to massacre foreign troops. French citizens gathered weapons to defend themselves……but lacked gun powder to fire the weapons.

Mob gathers and they begin to get gunpowder that is stored at the infamous Bastille Prison in Paris. Crowd overwhelmed the king’s soldiers, and the Bastille fell into the control of the citizens. Becomes a great symbolic act of the revolution. July 14th –national holiday

The Great Fear Rumors spread that the nobles were hiring assassins to terrorize the pheasants in the countryside. Broke into noble’s manor houses and vandalized other property. 6,000 armed women rioted over the price of bread. Marched on Versailles where the King and Queen lived. Killed guards. Forced the King and Queen to leave palace and go to Paris. (Never to return!!)