Objectives List the three estates of the Old Regime Summarize the factors that led to the French Revolution Describe the creation of the National Assembly and the storming of the Bastille Explain the importance of the Great Fear

READ “SETTING THE STAGE” – CHAPTER 7, SECTION 1 ANSWER QUESTION #1

Background to the French Revolution When Louis XVI took over, France was still the most rich and influential nation in continental Europe. French commerce and prosperity increased during course of 18th century Why was there great unrest in France? I don’t like this game… There was great unrest in France, caused by bad harvests, high prices, high taxes, and disturbing questions raised by the Enlightenment ideas of Locke, Rousseau, and Voltaire. Louis, the Clergy and the nobility ride the back of the Third Estate, enslaved

READ “THE OLD ORDER” ANSWER QUESTION #2 and fill in chart for the Three Estates

The Old Order What did the social/political order look like in France in the 1770s? In the late 1700s people of France still divided into social classes, or estates This was a system of feudalism called the Old Regime 2 of the estates had privileges, held high offices and didn’t have to pay tax This was the: - First Estate- made of clergy from the Catholic Church- was less than 1% of France’s total population - Second Estate- made up of rich nobles - 2% of France’s population

The Third Estate 98% of France’s population paid 50% of their own income to taxes Had no power to influence the government Embraced Enlightenment ideas Was broken further into groups: -1st: the bourgeoisie- merchants and artisans, some very wealthy, but paid taxes, and lacked privileges -2nd: city workers- cooks, servants -3rd: peasants, made up 80% of population- heavily taxed, wanted change, resented nobles and clergy

READ “THE OLD ORDER” ANSWER QUESTIONS #3 - #7

3.Why might the first and second estate be opposed to change? 4.What did the clergy do for society that might justify their low tax rate? 5.How was the bourgeoisie unlike the other groups within the Third Estate? 6.Did France’s system of estates violate the principle of equality? 7.Which group in the Third Estate would suffer most from the increase in the price of bread? They already had privilege and wealth Provided education and relief to the poor It was wealthier and better educated Yes, because the Third Estate had no power in government Urban workers, since peasants could raise grain and the bourgeoisie had more money

The Forces of Change: Inspirations The American Revolution inspired the Third Estate Many began questioning the structures of society and started using words like equality, liberty and democracy Listened to the enlightenment thinkers

Economic Woes Population rising High taxes made it impossible to have a business with a profit Cost of living rose for everyone Bad weather in the 1780s caused crop failures, resulting in severe shortage of grain People faced starvation Extravagant spending by King (Louis XVI) and Queen (Marie Antoinette)

Louis XVI Became king of France in 1774 Borrowed lots of money to help the American Revolutionaries gain their independence from Great Britain (France’s greatest enemy) doubling France’s debt Bankers started to refuse to lend more money Was indecisive, and would play with keys and locks rather than deal with important government issues Married Marie Antoinette when he was 15, and she was 14

Marie Antoinette Member of Austrian royal family (mother was Maria Theresa) She was unpopular with the people in France immediately She refused to wear the tight fitting styles and instead wore loose cotton dresses that many thought looked like underwear and was scandalous As Queen, she spent so much money on gowns, jewels, and gifts she became known as “Madame Deficit” aka the Queen of Debt For entertainment, she played cards losing 1.5 million dollars in a single year

READ “A WEAK LEADER” ANSWER QUESTIONS #8

His answer was to tax the 2nd Estate 8. What was Louis XVI solution to dealing with France’s debt? Louis put off dealing with France’s bankruptcy issue until it was too late His answer was to tax the 2nd Estate Upset, the nobles forced the king to call a meeting of the Estates General (an assembly of representatives from all 3 estates) to get approval for the tax reform This was the first meeting in 175 years

Dawn of the Revolution: Outnumbered The 1st and 2nd estate would always outnumber the 3rd estate in votes, because each estate had 1 vote The members of bourgeoisie in the 3rd estate argued they should have more than 1 vote- in fact they should have 3 votes: 1 for each group within the 3rd estate This would give the 3rd estate an advantage - for once

Old Way vs. New Idea 1st estate (clergy)- 1 vote 2nd estate (nobles)- 1 vote 3rd estate (everyone else) -1 vote 1st estate (clergy) -1 vote 2nd estate (nobles)- 1 vote 3rd estate- -bourgeoisie- 1 vote -working class- 1 vote -peasants- 1 vote

READ “THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY” ANSWER QUESTIONS #9 and #10

The king sided with the nobles, and rejected the new idea 9. Why did the Third Estate propose a change in the Estates-General’s voting rules? The king sided with the nobles, and rejected the new idea The Third Estate was even more determined to gain power A sympathetic clergyman, the Abbe Sieyes (AB-ay syay-YEHS) argued “What is the Third Estate? Everything…” and in a dramatic speech he suggested the 3rd Estate name themselves the National Assembly and pass laws and reforms in the name of the French people

The National Assembly On June 17, 1789 delegates of the Third Estate voted to establish the National Assembly This proclaimed an end to absolute monarchy and the beginning of representative government This vote was the first deliberate act of revolution

Tennis Court Oath 10. What is the Tennis Court Oath? 3 days later, the Third Estate met to draft a new constitution but was locked out of their meeting room So, they broke down the door to an indoor tennis court, pledging to stay until the new constitution was drafted This pledge is known as the Tennis Court Oath

Louis Tries To Win Favor Louis tries to make peace with the 3rd Estate by giving in to their demands He urged the 1st and 2nd Estates to join the National Assembly Louis also knows that nobody in France trusts him, and sensing trouble, he stationed his mercenary army (paid soldiers) of Swiss guards in Paris

Fall of the Bastille Rumors fly of the king bringing in foreign soldiers to massacre French citizens People start to gather weapons to defend Paris against a foreign army On July 14, 1789 a mob tried to get gunpowder from the Bastille, a Paris prison The mob overpowered the guards, and the Bastille fell into the control of citizens The fall of the Bastille is celebrated as an act of revolution and a national holiday in France, similar to our 4th of July

The mob released all prisoners in the Bastille, however there were only 7 prisoners that day…. Four were forgers, and 3 were lunatics

Storming the Bastille http://www.biography.com/people/louis-xvi-9386943

The Great Fear A wave of senseless panic rolled through France, known as the Great Fear When the peasants met no enemy bandits…they became the aggressors Waving pitchforks and torches, they broke into nobles’ manor houses destroying documents, and sometimes burning the houses down

In October 1789, 6,000 Parisian women rioted over the rising cost of bread Anger quickly turned towards the king and queen Seizing knives and axes, men and women marched to Versailles, breaking into the palace and killing 2 guards

READ “A GREAT FEAR SWEEPS FRANCE” ANSWER QUESTIONS #9 and #10

12. Do you think the riots were justified? 11. After years of oppression, what finally caused the French people to revolt? The threat of starvation 12. Do you think the riots were justified?   13. How did the women’s march mark a turning point in the relationship between the king and the people? The king had to bow to the will of the people

Exit Slip What were the causes of the French Revolution? Why were members of the Third Estate dissatisfied with life under the Old Regime?

http://www.youtube.com/user/historyteachers#p/u/8/wXsZbkt0yqo Teacher Gaga http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qemOK1Kcw1M wife swap