On the Eve of the Revolution Pages

End of an Age For centuries France was controlled by absolute monarchs. Living lavish lifestyles the French Monarchs were out of touch with their people. The Year is 1789, A time for Change … A Rather Bloody Change Hall of Mirrors in Versailles Starving Peasants… Monty Python Style

French Society Divided In 1789, France, like the rest of Europe, still clung to an outdated social system According to the ancien regime, or old order, everyone in France was divide into three social orders. The three social classes were called Estates.

Estate #1: The Clergy The Church still enjoyed many privileges in – Owned 10% of land – Collected Tithes (1/10 th ) – Paid no direct taxes to state So in a way they were kind of like freeloaders. They had all of the benefits and none of the responsibilities.

They did provide some social services. – Schools – Hospitals – Orphanages Came under attack by enlightened philosophers who criticized the church idleness, its intolerance of dissent, and its interference in politics.

In response to criticism many clergy condemned the Enlightenment for undermining religion and moral order.

Estate #2: The Nobles Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIV crushed noble military power but had given them other rights. They held top jobs in the: Government Military Courts Church Elitism It’s lonely at the top. But it’s comforting to look down upon everyone at the bottom.

The ambitious nobles at Versailles enjoyed endless entertainments. Many nobles also resented the royal bureaucracy that employed middle-class citizens. – They feared losing their traditional privileges. Especially their privilege to not pay taxes! Narcissus by Caravaggio

Estate #3: Everyone Else The third estate in France was the largest and most diverse social class. At the top of this social class sat the bourgeoisie. Bourgeoisie – (boor zhwah Zee), Middle Class – Included bankers, merchants, manufacturers, lawyers, doctors, journalists, and professors.

The bulk of the third estate consisted of rural peasants. The poorest people of the third estate were urban (city) workers.

The Pot Begins to Boil People from the 3 rd Estate begin to wonder why the Nobles and Clergy get such lavish privileges. Enlightenment ideas soon spread across the country. Wonder turns to action, and the Third Estate start to call for the privileged classes to pay their share.

More Problems Economic woes soon add to the class tensions in France. France had been deficit spending for years. Deficit Spending – when a government spends more than it takes in. Money was spent on expensive wars and the Nobles’ lavish lifestyle. They government started to borrow money.

Woe is France By 1789, half the government’s income from taxes went to pay the interest on the debt. To compound the problem, bad harvest had caused food prices to soar. The government had to increase taxes (nobles had to start paying taxes) and reduce expenses (no more fun). The nobles and clergy fiercely resisted this idea. No More Fun?

A Valiant Effort King Louis XVI wisely chose Jacques Necker, a financial expert, as an advisor. Necker advised reducing lavish spending, government reform, and burdensome taxes. When he proposed taxing the 1 st and 2 nd Estates the nobles and clergy forced the king to dismiss him. As the financial crisis deepened the king was urged to summon the Estates-General. Jacques Necker FAIL!!!

The Estates-General Estates-General – a legislative body consisting of representatives from the three estates. Had not met for 175 years. King feared the nobles would gain the feudal powers lost under absolute rule.

A Roiling Boil King Louis XVI calls the Estates-General to meet in 1789 to discuss the financial problem. For weeks they were hung up on the issue of voting. Traditionally each estate met and voted separately. Under this system the 1 st and 2 nd Estates always out voted the 3 rd Estate. The 3 rd Estate wanted all Estates to meet as one and vote “by head”

They were in stalemate for weeks. In a daring move the 3 rd Estate declared themselves to be the national assembly. A few days later the meeting hall was locked and guarded. So the delegates moved to the nearby tennis courts and took their famous Tennis Court Oath.

Tennis Court Oath They swore “never to separate and to meet wherever the circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution.” Soon reform minded clergy and nobles joined the assembly and King Louis XVI Grudgingly accepted.

The Pot Boils Over: People are going to get burned! The king accepted but royal troops start to surround Paris. Rumors spread that the king is planning to dissolve this new assembly. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

Parisians Storm the Bastille!!! People in Paris don’t care what a bunch of old men are doing on a tennis court in Versailles. They are scared of the troops surrounding Paris 800 Parisians assemble outside the Bastille. Bastille – grim medieval fortress used as a prison for political prisoners.

The Crowd demands the weapons they think are stored there. The commander says “no” and fires on the mob. After many deaths the fortress is taken over. The Bastille represented the abuses of the monarchy. The capture acts as a wake up call to the king.

A New Holiday! Since 1880, the French have celebrated Bastille day annually as their national independence day.

Funny Pictures Old People with Guns What the Heck?

Chuck Norris It is said that looking into Chuck Norris' eyes will reveal your future. Unfortunately, everybody's future is always the same: death by a roundhouse-kick to the face.