1. The Causes of the French Revolution

2. Background
Louis the XIV ruled absolutely, but by the end of his reign, the country was failing
Rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer
High taxes and high prices for food
Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, inherited the throne from his grandfather
Marie Antoinette was from Austria, a longtime enemy of France
Louis XVI was a very weak ruler—he did not pay much attention to the government

3. Cause 1: The Old Regime (France in the 1780s)
France’s society was divided into three classes or estates
1st and 2nd: privileged and did not have to pay taxes
3rd: 98% of the population, responsible for all taxes, and had no government privileges
The 3rd Estate resented the other two, and wanted government reform

4. Cause 2: The Enlightenment
France was the center of the Enlightenment in the 1700s
The ideas of Locke, Rousseau, and Montesquieu encouraged the people to think about taking power from the government

5. Cause 3: The American Revolution
Americans listened to the ideas of the Enlightenment and with the help of France, overthrew Britain and formed their own government.
Stories of the revolution spread throughout France and encouraged people (especially lower-class people) to wonder if they could overthrow the French government

7. STOP AND THINK…
Which cause do you think had the biggest effect on the French Revolution? Why?
If you were a member of the 3rd Estate, which cause would have affected you the most?

8. Experiencing the Meeting of the Estates General
Step 1: The King assembles the Estate General for advice.
Step 2: The Three Estates prepare to meet.
Step 3: Each Estate proposes a plan to save France
Step 4: The king proposes a plan to save France
Step 5: The Estates General votes on the king’s plan
Step 6: Severe famine occurs
Step 7: The Third Estate responds to the situation.

10. Effect: The Meeting of the Estates General – May 5, 1789
Louis and Marie spent France into bankruptcy. To get out of it, he wanted to tax the nobles (the 2nd Estate)
The nobles forced Louis to call the Estates together to approve the taxes
The 3rd Estate, being the largest, felt that they should have a major say in the decision
The King refused to grant the people of the 3rd Estate their own votes and so the 1st and 2nd Estates dominated the decision.
Result: Taxes remained the burden of the 3rd Estate

11. Effect: The National Assembly
Upset at the King, the 3rd Assembly left the Estates General and called themselves the National Assembly
Wanted to pass laws to reform the government for the people
June 17, 1789: the Assembly voted to end the monarchy and start a representative government
3 days later: the Assembly was kicked out of its meeting room. Instead, they met on an indoor tennis court and pledged to stay there until they had a new constitution
Known as the Tennis Court Oath

13. Effect: Storming the Bastille
Louis tried to make peace with the 3rd Estate by giving into their demands
BUT—he was nervous, and called in Swiss guards to Paris to keep order
In Paris, people thought the guards were coming to massacre them, and took to the streets in protest
July 14, 1789: the people stormed the Bastille, a French prison in Paris. This became a symbol of revolution to the French.
Like our 4th of July

15. Effect: The Great Fear
The violence and fear in Paris soon spread throughout the country
The Great Fear: wave of senseless panic that took over France
Peasants became outlaws
October 5, 1789: 6,000 Parisian women (and some men) rioted over high bread prices
Marched on Versailles, took over, and forced Louis, Marie Antoinette, and their children to go to Paris