2. Describe the social divisions of France’s old order. List reasons for France’s economic troubles in 1789. Explain why Louis XVI called the Estates-General and summarize what resulted. Understand why Parisians stormed the Bastille.

3. In France’s ancient regime, or old order, there were 3 social classes or estates. 1 st Estate- The Church officials. 2 nd Estate- Nobility who held government and military jobs. 3 rd Estate- everyone else, including the bourgeoisie, or middle class, belonged to the Third Estate (mostly rural peasants)

4. Enjoyed enormous wealth and privilege. Owned 10% of French land Collected tithes but did not have to pay taxes. Provided some social services including: Schools Hospitals Orphanages High church leaders were wealthy land owners while parish priests were poor

5. Held top jobs in: Government Army Courts Church Owned land but had little income Did not pay taxes They feared losing privileges.

6. In 1789, the Third Estate numbered about 27 million people, or 98% of the population. Was the most socially Diverse. At the top, where the Bourgeoisies, or the middle class. The bulk of the third estate consisted of rural peasants.

7. Bourgeoisie – middle class Bankers, merchants, manufacturers Officials in government bureaucracy Lawyers, doctors, journalists, professors, artisans

8. Rural (country) peasants Landowners Tenant farmers Day laborers Urban (city) workers Apprentices, journeymen – worked in industry Servants, stable hands, porters, construction workers The poorest group

9. Members of the 3 rd Estate resented the privileges enjoyed by enjoyed by other classes: 1 st and 2 nd Estate were exempt from taxes. Wealth Nobles had cushy jobs but hardest urban workers got very low wages. Nobles had the right to hunt, but peasants could not even kill rabbits who ate their crops Enlightenment ideals caused the 3 rd Estate to question the ancient regime. Third Estate demanded that privileged classes pay their fair share in taxes

10. Financial crisis because of deficit spending – government spending more money that it takes inBurden of debt Louis XIV – left France deeply in debt because 7 Years War/French & Indian War American Revolution Lavish court expenses ½ of income from taxes went to paying interest on debt To solve financial crisis, the government had to: Increase taxes Reduce expenses. Despite all this the 1 st and 2 nd Estate refused to be taxed

11. In the late 1780s, bad harvests sent food prices soaring and brought hunger to poorer peasants and city dwellers. People rioted & demanded bread, attacked nobles’ manor houses.

12. The heirs of Louis XIV were not the right men to solve the economic crisis that afflicted France. Louis XV continued lavish court spending and ran up more debts. Louis XVI was well-meaning but weak and indecisive.

13. Initially charmed by her personality and beauty, the French people generally came to dislike her. They accused her of being promiscuous and of harboring sympathies for France's enemies, particularly Austria, since Marie Antoinette was, after all, Austrian.

14. Louis XVI hired Jacques Necker as a financial advisor. Necker urged the king to: stop over spending, reform government, reduce tariffs tax the 1 st and 2 nd Estates. The nobles and clergy forced Louis XVI to fire Necker.

15. As the crisis deepened, the pressure for reform mounted. Finally, the wealthy and powerful classes demanded that the king summon the Estates General, which had not assembled for 175 years. Estate General, a legislative body consisting of representatives of the three estates The people hoped that the Estates General would bring about the same changes which occurred in England during the Glorious Revolution.

16. Louis XVI summoned representatives from each estate and called the Estates General, or law making body made up of the three classes, to meet in Versailles – first meeting in 175 years.

17. In preparation, Louis XVI had all three estates prepare cahiers, or notebooks, listing their grievances. Fairer taxes Freedom of the press Regular meetings of Estates General

18. Since only propertied men could vote, the delegates for the Third Estate consisted of members of the bourgeoisie. Delegates to the Estates General from Third Estate were elected: Lawyers, middle class officials, & writers (men with property) Solve financial crisis & reform The Estates-General convened in May 1789.Delegates dead-locked over voting issue Traditionally each estate would be given one vote. As a result, the 1st and 2nd Estates always outvoted the Third Estate 2 to 1.

19. After weeks of stalemate, delegates of the Third Estate took a daring step. They declared themselves to be the true representatives of the French people and created the National Assembly. A few days later, the National Assembly found its meeting hall locked and guarded. They moved the meeting to a nearby tennis court, and took the famous Tennis Court Oath: They swore “to never separate and to meet wherever the circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution.”

20. On July 14, 1789 Parisians heard rumors that royal troops were going to occupy the capital. More than 800 Parisians assembled outside the Bastille, a grim medieval fortress used as a prison for political and other prisoners. The crowd demanded weapons and gunpowder believed to be stored there. The commander of the Bastille refused to open the gates and opened fire on the crowd. In the battle that followed, many people were killed.

21. The enraged mob broke through the defenses. They killed the commander and five guards and released the handful of prisoners who were being held there, but found no weapons. The Bastille was a symbol to the people of France representing years of abuse by the monarchy. Since 1880, the French have celebrated Bastille Day annually as their national independence day.