The French Revolution

Classes of People in France

God, please don’t let anyone find out how much money I have… *** First Estate Church & Clergy Most wealthy! Owned 10% of the land in France Paid few taxes Less than 1% of population

Second Estate Nobles (aristocracy) *** Between 1 and 2% of population Wealthy land owners Paid little or no taxes

Third Estate *** 97% of population Several Classes a. Bourgeoisie: merchants and artisans b. Laborers (carpenters, workers, etc.) c. Peasants Paid 1/2 of their income to taxes !

The Three Estates Second Estate-Nobles First Estate-Clergy Third Estate-Everyone Else

The French Urban Poor Bread was staple food item. Inflation Drove prices sky-high

The French Monarchy: 1775 - 1793 Marie Antoinette Louis XIV (16th)

Louis XVI Socially awkward, not handsome Weak leader, poor decision maker Couldn’t stand up to his advisors or his wife!

Marie Antoinette Austrian arch-duchess; marries Louis at age 14. Loves finery! Spends, spends, spends… “Let Them Eat Cake …..”

Marie Antoinette’s “Peasant Cottage”

Condition of the Treasury: Deficit! *** Condition of the Treasury: Deficit! France bankrupt (no cash!) Spend on Versailles & helping Americans fight British (France’s enemy) Solutions: Tax Nobles or Call the Estates General to see if they could help

Show me da tax money? Secretary Treasurer, where’s the dough? Sorry, King Louis—it’s gone to the wars! Secretary Treasurer, where’s the dough?

Convening the Estates General May, 1789 …like English parliament A law-making body Made up of deputies (representatives from each class) Last time it was called into session was 1614!

Voting by Estates *** 1 1 1 Commoners 3rd Estate Clergy 1st Estate Aristocracy 2nd Estate 1 1 Commoners 3rd Estate

“The Third Estate Awakens”

Third Estate Wants fair voting opportunity! Next day, get locked out of the Estates-General by King Louis (sees them as threat) 3rd Estate go to indoor Tennis Court-take an oath to stand together!

The Tennis Court Oath *** vow to stick together until they draw up a new constitution Call themselves the National Assembly (new gov’t body) First act of Revolution (overthrowing the gov’t) Led by Count Mirabeau

"Okay, Okay!" Louis 16th’s Tactic: Agrees to idea of a new constitution One Man-One Vote: anything to get that tax money! Secretly hates idea of being a constitutional monarch (divine right and all…)

Headline News! More Riots in Paris! The high price of bread creates another riot in Paris…commoners attack the cities prisons to free political prisoners who could help make changes in their country…

Louis Reacts Louis sends his army to Paris- and the newly formed Assembly sees a threat… …as do the commoners who begin to arm themselves…

Storming the Bastille, July 14, 1789 *** -A mob attacks the Bastille Prison fortress that symbolized the king’s power. The troops sent to squash the rebellion, joined the mob instead. All 7 prisoners released. The governor’s head was cut off and paraded around on a pike.

The Great Fear: Peasant Revolt *** July 20, 1789 Peasants get involved, not just city citizens Afraid Louis would squash the rebellion Stormed chateaux of the nobility, and burned feudal certificates Killed, killed, killed the aristocrats & their families… July 20, 1789

March of the Women, October 5-6, 1789 *** The Great Fear March of the Women, October 5-6, 1789 Women’s March-(the Bread March) on Versailles 50 km trek through mud Louis 16th and family forced to move to Paris to deal with the problems

Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizen Ideas from AmRev & Englightenment Natural rights are: life, liberty, property, freedom of speech Constitutional monarch With Legislative Assembly (law making assembly w voted representatives)