1. Chapter 10: French Revolution & Napoleon (1789 – 1815)
Section 1 Identify the reasons that led to the creation of a new constitution in France
FRENCH REVOLUTION

2. Old Regime France was ruled through divine right
Monarchy System
Society was split into 3 estates
Clergy
Small population, Not taxed and owned land
Nobles
Small population (2%) and owned most of the land
Gov’t paid them and peasants paid them (rent)
Everyone else

3. 3rd Estate Top of the 3rd estate Power was divided among the:
Bourgeois
Doctors, lawyers, bankers and merchants
Controlled France’s wealth
City Workers
Artisans, servants and workers
Peasants
Made up 80% of the population
They paid taxes and rent
Power was divided among the:
Clergy and nobles
Represented in the Estates-General

4. Estates-General
Philosophers began to write about the countries political problems
Free press, free religion and equal justice
France needed money after helping the colonies fight the American Revolution
King Louis XVI, called the Estates-General to solve the financial situation
The meeting turned into disagreement over representation
3rd estate argued that they were not fairly represented
They eventually were granted more representation
However, it was not with the Estates-General
Made the new National Assembly

5. Uprisings 1789, the French economy was poor
Jobs were scarce
Mobs formed in the cities
Peasants burned nobles homes
National Assembly worked to calm the citizens of France
They created a new constitution
All men were equal
People ruled not the crown
Constitutional Monarchy
King still ruled
His power was limited by the constitution