1. The French Revolution and Napoleon,

2. Old Regime 1770’s System of feudalism left over from the Middle Ages
France still divided into 3 large social classes called estates
First & Second Estates had privileges
Access to high offices
Exemptions from paying taxes

3. First Estate Roman Catholic Church Owned 10% of land
Provided education & relief services to the poor
Gave 2% of income to government
Didn’t like Enlightenment ideas

4. Second Estate
Nobles
Owned 20% of land

5. Third Estate 98% of the population Divided into 3 groups
1) Bourgeoisie
2) Workers
3) Peasants

6. Third Estate: Bourgeoisie
Merchants & artisans
Well-educated
Supported Enlightenment ideas
Paid high taxes

7. Third Estate: Workers Cooks, servants, & others Low wages Out of work
starving

8. Third Estate: Peasants
Largest of the third estate
80% population
Paid half their income to nobles’ dues, tithes to church, & taxes to the king

9. Economic Problems Growing population Growing trade & production
Heavy taxes for third estate
High cost of living
1780’s crop failures
Shortage of grain
starvation

10. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

11. Louis XVI
Inherited the throne in 1774 & the debt from his predecessors
Borrowed money to help the Americans fight against Great Britain
(France & Great Britain were big rivals at this time period)
Indecisive & paid little attention to government
Married Marie Antoinette (Austrian princess)
She spent lots of money on gowns, jewels, & gifts
Louis waited until France was bankrupt before trying to fix the economy
Tried to call for taxes from the second estate which led to a meeting to get approval for the tax reform

12.
Marie Antoinette Music Video

13. Estates General Assembly of representatives from all 3 estates
Each estate gets one vote
At the meeting…….
National Assembly
3 days later…….
Third estate was locked out of their meeting room
Tennis Court Oath

14. Storming of the Bastille
July 14, 1789 = people stormed the Bastille to get weapons to defend Paris from the king’s foreign troops
This is now a national holiday in France known as Bastille Day.

15. A Great Fear Sweeps France
Peasants rioted everywhere
Marched into Versailles & seized the king, queen, and family
Marched them back to Paris

16. Legislative Assembly 1791, Limited Monarchy
Fear of the French “Plague”

17. Revolution Brings Reform & Terror
Nobles were afraid
Joined the National Assembly to end the Old Regime
Declaration of the Rights of Man
influenced by the Enlightenment & the Declaration of Independence
Guaranteed citizens equal justice, freedom of speech, & freedom of religion
These rights were for men only

18. National Convention 1792 New governing body
Mobs had more power than any government
Made up of the poor with leaders from the Bourgeoisie
Jacobins
radical group that wanted to remove the king & establish a republic
Sept. 21, 1792 = National Convention abolished the monarchy & declared France a republic
Adult male citizens could vote & hold office
Jan. 21, 1793 = Louis XVI was beheaded by the guillotine after being found guilty for treason

22. Maximilien Robespierre
Started & headed the Committee of Public Safety
Ruled more like a dictator during July 1793-July 1794

23. Reign of Terror Time period when Robespierre ruled France
40,000 people were executed in France
85% were peasants
Came to an end when Robespierre was beheaded in July 1794

24. Directory
1795
The National Convention drafted a new plan of government known as the Directory
The Directory placed Napoleon Bonaparte as the general of the French army

25. Napoleon Bonaparte Crowns himself Emperor Social & Economic Reforms
Napoleonic Code

26. Napoleonic Wars & Defeat

27.
French Revolution Music Video

28. Crash Course French Revolution