1. The French Revolution
1789

2. The Three Estates (social classes)
First Estate
Less than 1% of population
Made up of clergy (church leaders)
Argued with Enlightenment thinkers because Enlightenment thinkers believed in reform within the church.

3. Argued with Enlightenment thinkers too. Freedom from paying taxes
Second Estate
2% of population
Made up of rich nobles
Held high offices in
Government, army, courts, church
Argued with Enlightenment thinkers too.
Freedom from paying taxes

4. Made up of bourgeoisie, urban lower class, peasant farmers
Third Estate
98% of population
Made up of bourgeoisie, urban lower class, peasant farmers
Had NO power to influence government
They were stuck paying the debt of the government
Embraced Enlightenment ideas
Rights, basic freedoms

5. What does this picture represent?
What does this picture illustrate about France in the late 1700’s?

6. Issues and Concerns France was in debt
- pay for foreign wars in American
- governmental operations (over spending)
The clergy & nobles NOT taxed the same
Jacques Necker an advisor to the King urges Louis XVI to reduce spending and to tax the
- 1st and 2nd Estates
1st and 2nd Estates are upset and refuse.
The peasants were stuck with most of the rises in taxes, but they could not pay anymore due to high price of bread and poor harvest.
Financial Crisis
King Louis XVI needs more money!  calls the Estates-General to meet (assembly of reps. from all 3 estates) to approve a tax reform…
the first time in 175 yrs.

7. What is the purpose behind the Estates-General?
Why has it taken 175 years for the Estates-General to met?

8. The Estates-General meets
Called by King LuisXVI
The two privileged estates could ALWAYS outvote the Third Estate.
The 1st and 2nd Estate stall the votes for 6 weeks.
The Third Estate argued and fought to call themselves the National Assembly and decide to break away from the Estates General. Following the idea of Sieyes. This was a vote for the French citizen.

9. Why did the National Assembly have to meet in an indoor tennis court?
What was the oath they took?

10. The Tennis Court Oath
The 3rd Estate refused to do business until all 3 estates met together.
June 20, 1789 members of the National Assembly, excluded from their hall in Versailles because of “repairs,” (locked out) moved to a large indoor tennis court.
Each member swore to the Tennis Court Oath that they would not disband until a Constitution was written:
“…never to separate and to meet whenever the circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution.”

11. Why was this event so important?
What did this event symbolize?

12. The Storming of the Bastille
¼ of the people were unemployed and people were starving.
Rumors circulated that the King’s troops were coming to Paris  citizens began seizing arms from the Bastille, a royal arsenal and prison, to defend the city of Paris.
July 14, people lost their lives & within hours the citizens took the Bastille.
The news spread across France.
The storming of the Bastille symbolized the beginning of the French Revolution.

13. Why are the women marching in this picture and where are they going?

14. March on Versailles
Following the Bastille, unemployment and hunger increased
On October 5th 7,000 women marched 12 miles from Paris to Versailles to demand bread and invade the palace
King Louis agreed to their demands and followed the women back to Paris behind the heads of 2 nobles stuck on pikes.
The King never returned to Versailles…
Off with his head

15. Why is the guard holding a head? What does this picture represent?

16. Reign of Terror
Maximilien Robespierre - leader of the Committee of Public Safety which governed France at the height of the radical phase of the revolution.
At the start C. of P. put into effect policies which stabilized the French economy.
It also directed it energies against counter-revolutionary uprisings, especially in the south and west of France.
But things went wrong when it began executing people left and right. By February 5 there were 5,434 individuals in the prisons in Paris awaiting trial.
No one was safe
Things ended when Robespierre after he threatened the National Convention, was arrested and executed.

17. Why would this picture be significant? What is it portraying?

18. Napoleon
Comes into power during a coup d’Etat – military over throw
Brings back stability to France and reforms – Napoleon code & public schools
Crowns himself Emperor
Wanted to expand France – successful and first but then major mistakes
Napoleon becomes weak – last battle of Waterloo, gets kicked out 1814
1st – tries to take Britain
2nd – put brother as king of Spain
3rd – tries to take Russia

19. The End