The French Revolution

Revolution Begins Internal revolt against entrenched feudal, clerical and monarchical privilege of France Three Estates (classes)- Clergy- 100,000 pop./ controlled 10% of land Nobility- 300,000 pop./ controlled 25% of land Everyone else- 8% of pop. urban merchants, professionals, artisans/ 80% of pop. Farmers Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette were extravagant rulers, required lots of money Built the Palace at Versailles, breaking the financial back of France

Revolution Begins Each group had their own group of reps. who met together. Parlement ruled to meet separately, estate three boycotted the meetings, until they were locked out of their meeting house They met in an indoor tennis court, took the “Oath of the Tennis Court” Claimed legal power Would not disband until new constitution was written Established the National Assembly Louis XVI called 18,000 troops to protect him at Versailles, fearing an attack

Revolt of the Poor Poor harvest, price of bread skyrocketed 1789- Poor harvest, price of bread skyrocketed Mobs of beggars and poor farmers stormed into Paris Stormed the Bastille- French jail and armory Killed the mayor, several soldiers and governor of the Bastille Trying to subdue the mob, the king recognizes the National Assembly and its allies Created a new constitution: abolished feudalism, serfdom, the tithe for church, special privilege for the nobility, created the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen” Men are born and remain free The aim of every political association is the preservation of the natural and unalienable rights Law is the expression of the will of the people

Revolution Builds Still angry mobs marched on Versailles “The March of the Women”- Housewives, market women, and revolutionary militants broke into the palace and forced Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette to return to Paris where they were kept under surveillance In the country- farmers feared their landlords were going to block reform stormed nobility estates

Revolution Builds The National Assembly: Called for a constitutional monarchy Did away with titles and prerequisites for nobility Uniform government countrywide Disestablished Roman Catholic clergy Confiscated the property of the church