1. The French Revolution
An Era of Terror

2. The Old Regime
By the 1770s, the France that existed in the Middle Ages, the “Old Regime” was still in power
The population of France, which was over 27 million people, were divided into THREE ESTATES, or classes:
The First Estate
The Second Estate
The Third Estate

3. The First Estate Consisted of the clergy (Church Officials)
About 130,000 people who owned about 10% of the land in France
Clergy were exempt from the taille, France’s main tax
The first estate was very divided:
Higher clergy  came from aristocratic families and shared interests with the nobility
Lower clergy  Parish priests who were often poor themselves and were from the common class.

4. The Second Estate Made up of the nobility
Around 350,000 people who owned 30% of the land
The nobility would often hold the positions of power in government, the military, law courts, and church offices
Sought to extend their power at the expense of the monarchy
They were exempt from almost all taxes

5. The Third Estate Made up of the commoners of society
This was the majority of France (almost 98%)
Divided into three groups:
Bourgeoisie: well educated merchants and artisans
Workers in the city: Paid low wages, often starving. Mobs would riot in bad economic times.
Peasants: About 80% of the population. Forced to pay most of the taxes, wanted change.

7. The Effects of the Enlightenment
New political ideas of the enlightenment proved attractive to both the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie
Both elites would benefit from a society in which importance is based on wealth and economic achievement
Many of the wealthy French were frustrated with the old monarchical system based on privileges and a rigid, social order

8. Other Problems Facing the Monarchy
Bad harvests in 1787 and 1788 and the beginnings of a manufacturing depression resulted in:
Food shortages
Rising prices for food and other goods
Unemployment in the cities
The Number of poor in the cities reached a crisis proportion
Costly wars and royal extravagance drove French governmental expenses to an all time high
King Louis XVI was finally forced to do something about all of the problems in France

9. From Estates-General to National Assembly
Estates-General  consisted of representatives from the three orders of French society
In elections for the Estates-General, the government decided that the Third Estate should get double representative since it made up most of the population
First Estate  300 representatives
Second Estate  300 representatives
Third Estate  600 representatives

11. From Estates-General to National Assembly
Estates-General opened at Versailles on May 5, 1789
Dispute over how votes should be counted
First & Second Estate  each estate gets one vote
Third Estate  each person gets one vote
On June 17, 1789, the Third Estate declared itself the “National Assembly” and created a constitution
The King sided with the First Estate and threatened to dissolve the Estates-General and use force if necessary

12. Tennis Court Oath
Oath signed by 576 out of 577 members of the Third Estate who were locked out of the meeting of the Estates-General in a tennis court
Collective oath “not to separate, and to reassembly wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established”

13. The Storming of the Bastille
Peasants heard rumors of foreign troops coming to kill French citizens
July 14, 1789
A mob of Parisians stormed the Bastille, a royal armory and prison
They dismantled the Bastille
Louis XVI was informed that the royal troops were unreliable and this signified the collapse of royal authority

15. Destruction of the Old Regime
National Assembly abolished the rights of the landlords and fiscal exemptions of nobles, clergy, towns, and provinces
Adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
Proclaimed equal rights for all men and access to public office based on talent
All citizens have the right to take part in legislative process
All citizens are guaranteed the freedom of speech and the press

17. Destruction of the Old Regime
Olympe de Gouges created the Declaration of Women and the Female Citizen
The National Assembly ignored her demands
Catholic Church needed to be reformed
Lands of the church were seized
Civil Constitution of the Clergy was put into effect  Bishops and clergy elected by people and paid by state
New Legislative Assembly to make laws

18. Death of Louis XVI
Louis, and his wife, Marie Antoinette, attempted to flee from Paris
In August 1792, radical political groups took the king captive and forced the Legislative Assembly to suspend the monarchy and call for a national convention
September 21, 1792  National Convention abolished the monarchy and established a republic
January 21, 1793  Louis XVI were executed

19. Marie Antoinette
Louis XVI

20. Who was Marie Antoinette?
Austrian princess
“Let them eat cake”
Marie Antoinette NEVER said that!
“Madame Deficit”
“The Austrian Whore”
Captured by French radicals
Executed on October 16, 1793