1. France divided France divided into 3 classes or estates
First estate-clergy
Enjoyed wealth and privilege
Condemned enlightenment thinkers
Second estate-nobility
Competed for appointments at Versailles
Many lived far from center of power, little financial income
Third estate-rest of population
Top-Bourgeoisie (merchants, lawyers, doctors)
Poorest- urban workers (apprentices, journey men)

2. Financial troubles Louis XIV left France in massive debt
Bad harvests sent food price soaring
Solution: increase taxes, decrease spending

3. Economic reform fails Louis XV created more debt
Louis XVI week and indecisive
Jacques Neckar- financial expert and advisor
Reduce extravagant court spending, reform gov’t, abolish international trade tariffs
Proposed taxing First and Second Estates
Louis XVI decides to call the Estates-General
Representatives of all 3 estates

4. Estates prepare grievance notebooks
All 3 estates prepared cahiers
Notebooks listing their grievances
Most wanted fairer taxes, freedom of press, and regular meetings of Estates-General

5. Tennis Court Oath
Third Estates wanted estates to meet and votes counted by head
Claiming to represent people of France declared themselves National Assembly
Meeting hall locked and guarded
Fearful king would dismiss them moved to indoor tennis court
Swore “never to separate and to meet wherever the circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution”

6. Parisians storm the Bastille
July 14, 1789
Over 800 Parisians assembled outside Bastille
Symbol to people of France representing abuse by monarchy
Medieval fortress used as prison
Crowd believed weapons and gunpowder stored
Commander refused to open, opened fire on crowd
Mob broke through defenses, found no weapons
“Wake up call”

8. French Revolution 4 Separate phases Phase 1 (1789-1791)
Moderate- National assembly
France became a constitutional monarchy
Phase 2 ( )
Radical- escalating violence, end of monarchy
Reign of Terror
Phase 3 ( )
Reaction against extremism
Directory 
Phase 4 ( )
Age of Napoleon

9. Phase 1-National Assembly
Nobles and Clergy forced to “accept” ideas of revolution
Estates system is ended
1st Constitution- Declaration of Rights of Man (ideas of natural rights; liberty, fraternity, equality)
Olympe de Gouge- Dec of Rights of Women

10. Louis VXI reaction Louis XVI refuses to accept political
Moves to Versailles in protest
Bread March (Oct. 1789) 
Louis attempts to escape to Austria to raise army and return to power 
Caught and returned to Paris

11. War with Austria Austria opposed revolution and supported Louis XVI
France declares war on Austria 
Prussia joins Austria
France loses first battles; wins war

12. Phase 2-Reign of Terror National Convention takes over gov't
Controlled by radicals, abolishes monarchy
Louis XVI found guilty of treason and beheaded
Marie Antoinette beheaded later

13. National convention Two main political groups
Jacobins (radical) and Girondists (moderates)
Jacobins gain control and declare war on all monarchies in Europe
Those opposed to Jacobins are arrested

14. Reign of Terror "Reign of Terror" against all opposition to Jacobins
17,000 people executed in Paris, 40,000 total
Watch committees hunt down traitors
About 85% killed that are innocent
Maximillian Robespierre
Leader of Committee of Public Safety
Danton (leader of Jacobins) thought "Reign of Terror" should end-killed for treason
Jacobins eventually turn on Robespierre have him executed

15. Guillotine Dr. Joseph Guillotin Proposed a gentler method of execution
Created French guillotine
Heavy blade sliding vertically in grooves
Used for beheading
Used heavily during “Reign of Terror”

16. Phase 3- Directory
New constitution created with 2 house legislature and 5 person executive
Another ineffective form of gov't
Riots and food shortages common
French want stronger gov't
Politicians began to turn to Napoleon Bonaparte