1. Conditions- Pre French Revolution Mrs. Craig

2. Conditions Traces of serfdom Business small scale-guilds still powerful Rank/wealth represent extreme privilege and exempt from taxes Clergy- came from nobility exempt from taxes church accumulated much wealth Censorship- death to dissenting views but not always enforced (lettre du cachet)

3. Taxes- prior to Revolution Tithe- 10% to church Taille- land tax Capitation- head tax Corvee- highway tax Gabelle- salt tax Feudal dues from ancient contracts Peasants bore most taxes- sometimes 80% of earnings

4. Estates General 1 st estate- clergy 2% tax exempt 2 nd estate- nobility 3% tax exempt 3 rd estate – rest of pop peasants tilled land and small middle class but most poor Each estate had one vote– not summoned since 1614

5. Peasants grievance process Parlements Cahiers Remonstrances Pamphlets –written and unsigned

6. Louis XV Poor leader Continued oppressive rule Personal life scandals Madame de Pompadour Died of small pox- people hoped for better with Louis XVI- NO DICE!

7. Louis XVI 1174-1793 Heavy, poorly educated kind of heart but indolent Simple lifestyle- family man Not up to challenges of governing Marie Antoinette/ 3 children (daulphin) Not up to dealing with financial crisis

8. Financial ministers Turgot- wants to cut expenses (court alone costs $12 mill annually) resistance from notables – urge firing of Turgot Necker- a banker borrowed money to meet expenses- including AM Rev.- presented a financial report to Louis- was published- common people see taxes and expenses- increases 3 rd est. dissatisfaction -treasury in debt 25 mill more annually Calonne- want to tax ALL- notables refused Calonne fired and Louis called Estate General…. And the rest is history!!!