On the Eve of the Revolution The French Revolution On the Eve of the Revolution

Focus In 1789, French society consisted of three social classes: First Estates: The Clergy Second Estate: The Nobility Third Estate: The Rest of the Population The nation faced: Social unrest Enormous debt Food Shortages

First Estate: The Clergy The Church: Owned 10% of the land Collected tithes Paid no direct taxes to the state Enjoyed life with wealth and privileges Interfered in politics Condemned the Enlightenment

Second Estate: The Nobles Rich nobles that owned land Struggled with inflation Disagreed about Enlightenment ideas Received top jobs in the: Government Army Courts Church

Third Estate: The “Commoners” Had no power to influence government Embraced Enlightenment ideas Resented the wealthy First and Second Estates Included three groups: the Bourgeoisie (lawyers, doctors, teachers, bankers, merchants), urban working class (factory workers, servants), and rural peasant farmers Made up 98% of the population (27 million)

Population by Estate

Why did the Third Estate consider the distribution of land unfair? Discontent The Third Estate resented the privileges enjoyed by the First and Second Estate Enlightened ideas led people to question the inequalities of the Old Regime Why did the Third Estate consider the distribution of land unfair?

What do you think? Which estate would you have liked to belong to? Why?

Enlightenment Ideas Third Estate  inspired by the American Revolution Began to: Question long-standing notions of society Quoting Rousseau and Voltaire Demanded equality, liberty, & democracy

Economic Troubles French economy in decline Why? War Taxes Deficit Spending Palace of Versailles Cost of living increased Bad weather = crop failures Shortage of grain = bread shortage

Economic Troubles FRANCE IS IN DEBT!!! Government was in debt because King Louis had loaned so much money to America for their revolution.  Because France supported America, Britain cut ties with France financially.

A Weak Leader Characteristics: Indecisive/weak leader very good hearted and generous. Paid no attention to his government advisors Marie Antoinette known as “Madame Deficit”

Marie Antoinette Very unpopular. From Austria. Bought expensive jewels and gowns while people were poor in her country.

Louis Calls the Estates General No money  impose a tax on nobles? Second Estates forced him to call a meeting The first meeting in 175 years Louis had all estates prepare cahiers (notebooks listing their grievances) Fairer taxes Freedom of the press Regular meeting of the Estates General

Voting on Issues How would each estate vote? Each estate would meet and vote separately Each estate had one (1) vote Under this system, the First and Second Estate always outvoted the Third Estate two to one The Third Estate wanted all three estates to meet in a single body, with the votes counted “by head” Why did the Third Estate want to change the voting system used in the Estates General?

Third Estates  the National Assembly After weeks of stalemate, delegates declared themselves the National Assembly representing the people of France The National Assembly invited other delegates from the First and Second Estate to help write a: Constitution Laws/Rules

The Tennis Court Oath Three days later the National Assembly found its meeting hall locked & guarded The National Assembly moved to an indoor tennis court and there they took an oath: “…never to separate and to meet wherever the circumstanced might require until we have established a sound a just constitution.” 577 members pledge their oath on June 20, 1789 Some reformed-minded clergy and nobles joined the Assembly, but rumor spread that the King planned to dissolve the Assembly

Storming the Bastille A Medieval Fortress Gathering Supplies Prison Gathering Supplies July 4, 1789 a mob stormed the Bastille for gunpowder Mob killed the guards & paraded their heads throughout Paris on pikes Symbol  of the Revolution

Results of the Bastille When Louis XVI asked, “Is it a revolt?” A noble replied, “No sire, it is a revolution.” The Great Fear Panic that spread through the French countryside Peasants began to: Attack nobles homes Set fire to manor records Steal grain from storehouses