1. French Revolution

2. Background France (the good side)
Considered most sophisticated country in Europe
Large population
Tremendous foreign trade
Center of Enlightenment ideas and philosophes
French culture was thought of highly

3. Background France (the bad side) Bad harvests led to widespread hunger
High prices for goods
High taxes
French kings enforce idea of divine right
Peasants have no rights or political power
Questions about king’s authority and role of government arise from Enlightenment ideas
Great unrest inside the country

4. The Old Regime
People of France are organized into three social and political classes called estates

5. 1st Estate Clergy (church officials) of the Roman Catholic Church
1% of population
Lots of privileges
Excused from paying taxes
Access to political office in government
Owned 10% of land in France
Provided relief services (help) and education
Contributed 2% of taxes

6. 2nd Estate
Nobles (aristocracy) Held most of the political power along with the 1st Estate
Owned 20% of land
2% of population
Paid almost no taxes

7. 3rd Estate
3 main groups of people that made up 97% of the population, paid 97% of taxes, and had no political power in government
Bourgeoisie—middle class bankers, merchants, factory owners, professionals and skilled artisans
City workers—poorest group that included factory workers, trades people, apprentices, and labors
Peasants—80% of French population who paid ½ their income to government or church

8. Questions
Which of the three estates would support the ideas of the Enlightenment?
Why or why not would each do so?

9. Force of Change at work in France
Resentment among 3rd Estate—no political power
Enlightenment Ideas—especially Rousseau and Voltaire
Success of the American Revolution
Economic Troubles—weak economy, taxes, little profit, rising cost of living, government in debt while king and queen spend lavishly
Weak king and unpopular queen
King forced to call the “Estates General” to approve taxing the nobles

10. Dawn of the Revolution
Estates General called to meet for 1st time in 175 years
Third Estate creates National Assembly with intent to have it pass laws in the name of the French people—1st representative government in France
National Assembly gets locked out of Estates General and makes the “Tennis Court Oath”
Vote to declare National Assembly as Frances representative body is first act of revolution—it procliamed the end of the monarchy
King Louis XVI orders guards to surround his palace

11. Dawn of the Revolution Rumors Mob looks for gun powder and weapons
King would use soldiers to stop National Assembly
Foreign soldiers were coming to execute French
Mob looks for gun powder and weapons
Mob storms the local prison, the Bastille (Bas-tee), kill the guards, and get weapons

12. The Great Fear Rebellion spreads to the countryside
Senseless panic ensues as peasants become outlaws and destroyed manor houses and legal papers
Women riot over lack of bread (remember the poor harvests) and march to Versailles
Mob captures King and Queen, take them to Paris, and jail them

13. Put these events in Chronological Order and Know the facts about them
Bread Riots
Economic Problems
Enlightenment Ideas
Estates General
Great Fear
King and Queen Leave Versailles
National Assembly
Storming the Bastille
Tennis Court Oath
The Old Regime
Weak Leadership