1. Chapter 7 Section 1 The French Revolution Begins
Objective: Summarize the factors that led to the French Revolution
Vocabulary: Old Regime, Estate, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Estates- General, National Assembly, Tennis Court Oath, & Great Fear

2. Setting the Stage
In the 1700s, France was considered the most advanced country in Europe
It was the center of the Enlightenment
France’s culture was widely praised & imitated the rest of the world
The appearance of success in France was deceiving because they had bad harvests, high prices, high taxes, & disturbing questions were raised by the Enlightenment
It had a large population & prosperous foreign trade
What does it mean to deceive someone?
What were some Enlightenment Philosophers & what did they believe in?

3. Check for Understanding
Voltaire was a famous French Philosopher. Voltaire believed in what Enlightenment idea?
Sentence Starter: Voltaire’s influenced the Enlightenment with his belief in ________________________________.
Remember there are a few things you can say!

4. The Old Order
Old Regime was the political & social system that existed in France before the French Revolution
Under the old regime, France was divided into 3 large social classes, or estates
The first estate was clergy from the Roman Catholic Church – they owned 10% of the land
The second estate was the rich nobles – 2% of the population that owned 20% of the land
The Church provided education & relief services to the poor
The nobles paid no taxes
They were upset with Enlightenment ideas because they threatened their status
France = Absolute Monarchy
What does that mean?

5. Check for Understanding
Louis XVI was an absolute Monarch. How much power does an absolute monarch have over a country? How do you know?
Limited
Total
None
Sentence Starter: An absolute monarch has _____ power over a country.

6. The Third Estate 97% of the people belonged to the Third Estate
Within the third estate, there was 3 groups
First group was the bourgeoisie (middle class)
Second group was the basic workers
Third group were peasants (largest group)
The Third Estate, lacked privileges but the middle class believed that their wealth entitled them to a greater degree of social status & political power
The heavily taxed & discontented Third Estate was eager for change
The middle class was educated & believed strongly in Enlightenment ideals of liberty & equality
80% of the 26 million population were peasants

7. The Forces of Change
New ideas about government, serious economic problems, & weak/indecisive leadership all helped to generate a desire for change
Members of the Third Estate were inspired by the success of the American Revolution & began to demand equality, liberty, & democracy
Why would the American Revolution inspire the French?

8. Economic Troubles
Although France’s economy appeared to be sound because production & trade were expanding
The heavy burden of taxes made it almost impossible to conduct business profitably within France
Bad weather also caused a shortage of grain, doubling the price of bread
France’s government was deep in debt due to King Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette’s extravagant spending
France’s debt nearly doubled
In 1786, bankers refused to lend the government any more money
Some of the debt was inherited
Cost of living was on the rise

9. A Weak Leader
Louis XVI paid little attention to his government advisers & had little patience for the details of governing
Marie Antoinette was unpopular because she was Austrian & gave her husband poor advice
She spent too much money on gowns, jewels, gambling, & gifts
An Estates-General was an assembly called with representatives from all 3 estates to approve the king’s new taxes
The taxes would be placed on the nobility
It was held on May 5th 1789
Why should you pay attention to details in your government?

10. Check for Understanding
Louis XVI barely taxed the church & nobility. He often taxed the middle class & peasants. Which estate was the middle class & peasants apart of?
Sentence starter: The middle class & peasants were apart of the __________ estate.

11. Dawn of the Revolution
The Third Estate insisted that all 3 estates meet together which would give the advantage to the Third Estate
Third Estate delegates named themselves the National Assembly that would pass laws & make reforms in the name of the French people
The Third Estate called for a end to the monarchy but a few days later they were locked out of their meeting room; they knocked down the doors of a tennis court
Tennis Court Oath – the national assembly pledged to draw up a constitution for France
From old rules the 3 estates were to meet separately
Each estate gets one vote, which always out voted the 3rd estate
The king said they would follow the old rules but the 3rd estate who was shaped by enlightenment ideas were eager to make changes in the government
Nobles started to join the 3rd estate delegates

12. Storming the Bastille
Louis decided to station his mercenary army of Swiss guards around Versailles
People believed that the foreign troops were coming to Paris to massacre French citizens
On July 14th 1789 a mob overwhelmed the prison guards at Bastille, a Paris prison
The fall of the Bastille became a great symbolic act of revolution & independence to the French people
Bastille Day is a French national holiday
People began gathering weapons in order to defend the city against attack
The mob killed the prison guards, cut their heads off and paraded around the streets with their heads on pikes
What is the document the colonist signed declaring themselves separate from England?
It is similar to the 4th of July in the United States

13. Check for Understanding
The Storming of the Bastille was a symbol of revolution & independence from the French monarchy. The signing of this document in the Americas was a symbol of revolution & independence from the English monarchy
Declaration of Independence
Bill of Rights
Constitution

14. A Great Fear Sweeps France
A wave of senseless panic called the Great Fear rolled through France
October 1789, thousands of Parisian women rioted over the rising price of bread
This riot lead to the breaking into the palace demanding Louis & Marie return to Paris
Eventually, they agreed & their exit signaled the change of power