1. France on the Eve of Revolution
Chapter 3 Section 1

2. I. Trouble starts: Louis XIV (14th): Reigned 1643-1715
Believed he was the “sun king” (“I am the state.)
Built the Palace of Versailles in honor of himself

3. Versailles

4. Versailles

5. Versailles

6. II. France in 1789
Still used a medieval social system called The Three Estates. (feudalism).
Estate: social class
First Estate
Clergy
Second Estate
Nobility
Bourgeoisie
Peasants
Third Estate

7. The Three Estates: 1st: Clergy- very rich; paid no taxes
2nd: Nobility- included king; top gov’t jobs; paid no taxes
3rd: Very diverse
Bourgeoisie- middle class. Usually educated, fairly wealthy. Doctors, lawyers, professors, merchants…
Rural peasants- farmers
Urban workers- city workers. Poorest members of society- included criminals, beggars.

8. Financial Trouble
National debt due to deficit spending: government spends more money than it takes in.
Wars
Luxuries for royal court
Irresponsible spending
Led to an increase in the price of bread.

9. The King and Queen
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

10. The King and Queen Louis XVI: Marie Antoinette: Reigned 1774-1792
Weak, ineffective
Wanted to be a locksmith
Marie Antoinette:
Originally from Austria
Most hated woman in France

11. III. Louis XVI calls the “Estates-General”
Estates-General: a legislative body representing all 3 estates
3rd estate had most reps.
Hadn’t met in 175 years.
Each estate got one vote, so the 1st and 2nd estates always outvoted the 3rd.

12. The Estates-General
3rd estate demanded votes be counted “per head”, and were denied.
3rd estate walked out of the meeting.
At a nearby tennis court, they took the Tennis Court Oath- to stay united and work for a fair constitution.

13. IV. The Bastille
Rumors of the king plotting against the Third Estate led to tension.
July 14, 1789: Crowd of Parisians stormed the Bastille: an old prison and fortress used to store weapons.
Crowd killed the guards, tore apart the building, took the weapons, and marched toward Versailles.
France’s independence day.

14. Storming of the Bastille