1. The French Revolution Begins
Section 1
The French Revolution Begins
Economic and social inequalities in the
Old Regime help cause the French Revolution.
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2. The French Revolution Begins
SECTION 1
The French Revolution Begins
The Old Order
The Old Regime
• Old Regime —social and political system in France
during the 1770s
• Estates —three social classes of France’s Old
Regime
The Privileged Estates
• First Estate—Catholic clergy—own 10 % land,
1% population, pay few taxes (about 1-2%)
• Second Estate—rich nobles—2 % population,
own 20 % land, pay almost no tax
• both dislike Enlightenment ideas, seen as threat to their power
Continued . . .
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3. SECTION 1
continued The Old Order
The Third Estate
• 97 % of people in France with different amounts of $
• Have few privileges, can’t hold gov. office, pay heavy taxes, want changes like ___________?
• 3 groups:
1. middle class (bourgeoisie) – factory owners, merchants, professionals, craftsmen, pay high tax, no power or privilege
2. urban workers – poorest, hungry (often riot over bread prices), unemployed, barely survive, laborers, servants, apprentices
3. peasants – 80% of population, pay 50% of income in tax
• want change based on _________ ideas
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4. The Forces of Change 1. Imbalanced Society (3 estates)
SECTION 1
The Forces of Change
1. Imbalanced Society (3 estates)
• dislike, jealousy, and injustice in France
2. Enlightenment Ideas
• Enlightenment ideas inspire some in 3rd Estate
3. Economic Troubles
1. rising costs damage economy by 1780s
2. King Louis XVI and wife Marie Antoinette
known for extravagance (gambling, parties, palace)
3. Debt from wars Which ones?________
4. Poor harvests ►higher food prices ► hunger
5. High spending of previous Kings (Louis XIV)
6. Interest on debt
• by 1786 banks refuse loans to France
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5. 4. A Weak Leader (King Louis XVI)
SECTION 1
continued The Forces of Change
4. A Weak Leader (King Louis XVI)
• indecisive and doesn’t act
• impatient and disinterested in gov. matters
• ignores advisors and listens to queen’s bad advice
• not well prepared for ruling, lacks intelligence
-action:
• needing new tax (from__?) ► calls Estates-General — meeting of representatives from all three estates
-1st meeting 175 years, May 5, 1789
-each estate gets 1 vote, who always loses_____?

6. Dawn of the Revolution The National Assembly
SECTION 1
Dawn of the Revolution
The National Assembly
• 3rd Estate has little power under old rules and wants one vote per delegate (educated middle class)
• Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès persuades them to make major changes in French gov. (power with people not the King)
• 3rd Estate sets up National Assembly June 17, 1789 — new legislature to pass laws and make reforms for French People
• June 20, National Assembly finds locked doors, meet at Tennis Court, pledge Tennis Court Oath —delegates decide to keep meeting and write new constitution for France
• Some 1st and 2nd estate members join
• King adds troops to Versailles and Paris
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7. Storming the Bastille • Rumors fly in Paris that Louis wants to crush
SECTION 1
continued Dawn of the Revolution
Storming the Bastille
• Rumors fly in Paris that Louis wants to crush
National Assembly
• people begin to gather weapons
• Mob attacks and seizes Bastille looking for gunpowder
-Bastille is hated/feared symbol of Kings power
-free prisoners and kill guards
-find no gunpowder and few weapons
• becomes symbol of the start of the French Revolution and is called Bastille day, July 14, 1789
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8. A Great Fear Sweeps France
SECTION 1
A Great Fear Sweeps France
• Rumors and panic spread throughout France, nobles will attack peasants?
• Great Fear —attacks by peasants against nobles taking place across France
• Peasants destroy legal papers binding them to feudal
system, burn down noble’s homes, some nobles killed
• Oct. 1789, Parisian women revolt over rising
price of bread and march to Versailles and break in
• They demand action, forcing Louis to return from
Versailles to Paris
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