Chapter 23 Section 1 Study Guide The French Revolution

1700s France…trouble was a-brewin' Despite the salons, etc. Problem: the old social structures of feudalism were still largely in place, even though the "demographics" of France had changed

L'ancien regime The First Estate The Second Estate The Third Estate Clergy Owned 10% of France Paid 2% in taxes The Second Estate The nobility 2% of population owned 20% of France Paid little or no taxes Why? The Third Estate The middle class aka the bourgeoisie Paid high taxes Resentful of nobles & church leaders Urban workers Poor, frequent unemployment Rural Peasants Poor Heavily taxed

The Third Estate 98% of population Unhappy about high taxes Resentful of nobles' & church leaders' leftover feudal privileges The Bourgeoisie: excited about Enlightenment ideas = ready for change

Other forces for change Success of American Revolution Economic problems in France Heavy taxes on middle class stifled businesses Bad harvests in the 1780s drove up prices Extravagant spending by French royalty King Louis XVI Weak leader indecisive

The beginning of the Revolution To fix France's failing economy, Louis wanted to tax the nobles, so he called for a meeting of the Estates-General Since each estate had one vote, the Third Estate lost all votes 2-1, since the nobility would vote with the Catholic Church leaders to maintain the status quo This time, things were different…

Third Estate won't play ball… The Third Estate declares itself the National Assembly 1st. What is the third estate? Everything. 2nd. What has it been heretofore in the political order? Nothing. 3rd. What does it demand? To become something therein. Abbé Sieyès, What is the Third Estate? 1789

The "Oath of the Tennis Court" King tried to lock the National Assembly out of their meeting place Delegates met on an indoor tennis court instead, vowing that wherever they met, that would be the National Assembly June 20, 1789 The Oath of the Tennis Court by Jacques-Louis David

The King backs down a little… The National Assembly demanded that each delegate, not each Estate, get one vote Louis XVI agrees Told nobles & clergy to join the N.A. BUT…King also brought Swiss bodyguards to Paris This made the Third Estate nervous…rumors started…the mob grew restless…

And storms the Bastille! July 14, 1789 Paris mob attacks the Bastille, a military prison and armory Prison commander tried to surrender, but mob wouldn't accept Commander & troops killed Paris mob now armed

Rumors abound… Rumors that the king had summoned more mercenaries to Paris led to a slaughter of nobles by peasants called the "Great Fear" Destroyed rent & debt records

The "March of the Women" Oct 1789 - Rumors that royal family was partying at Versailles during a bread shortage in Paris led to the "March of the Women" Royal family brought to Paris