1. Chapter 23 Section 1 Study Guide
The French Revolution

2. 1700s France…trouble was a-brewin'
Despite the salons, etc.
Problem: the old social structures of feudalism were still largely in place, even though the "demographics" of France had changed

3. L'ancien regime The First Estate The Second Estate The Third Estate
Clergy
Owned 10% of France
Paid 2% in taxes
The Second Estate
The nobility
2% of population owned 20% of France
Paid little or no taxes
Why?
The Third Estate
The middle class
aka the bourgeoisie
Paid high taxes
Resentful of nobles & church leaders
Urban workers
Poor, frequent unemployment
Rural Peasants
Poor
Heavily taxed

4. The Third Estate 98% of population Unhappy about high taxes
Resentful of nobles' & church leaders' leftover feudal privileges
The Bourgeoisie: excited about Enlightenment ideas
= ready for change

5. Other forces for change
Success of American Revolution
Economic problems in France
Heavy taxes on middle class stifled businesses
Bad harvests in the 1780s drove up prices
Extravagant spending by French royalty
King Louis XVI
Weak leader
indecisive

6. The beginning of the Revolution
To fix France's failing economy, Louis wanted to tax the nobles, so he called for a meeting of the Estates-General
Since each estate had one vote, the Third Estate lost all votes 2-1, since the nobility would vote with the Catholic Church leaders to maintain the status quo
This time, things were different…

7. Third Estate won't play ball…
The Third Estate declares itself the National Assembly
1st. What is the third estate? Everything.
2nd. What has it been heretofore in the political order? Nothing.
3rd. What does it demand? To become something therein.
Abbé Sieyès,
What is the Third Estate?
1789

8. The "Oath of the Tennis Court"
King tried to lock the National Assembly out of their meeting place
Delegates met on an indoor tennis court instead, vowing that wherever they met, that would be the National Assembly
June 20, 1789
The Oath of the Tennis Court
by Jacques-Louis David

9. The King backs down a little…
The National Assembly demanded that each delegate, not each Estate, get one vote
Louis XVI agrees
Told nobles & clergy to join the N.A.
BUT…King also brought Swiss bodyguards to Paris
This made the Third Estate nervous…rumors started…the mob grew restless…

10. And storms the Bastille!
July 14, 1789
Paris mob attacks the Bastille, a military prison and armory
Prison commander tried to surrender, but mob wouldn't accept
Commander & troops killed
Paris mob now armed

11. Rumors abound…
Rumors that the king had summoned more mercenaries to Paris led to a slaughter of nobles by peasants called the "Great Fear"
Destroyed rent & debt records

12. The "March of the Women"
Oct Rumors that royal family was partying at Versailles during a bread shortage in Paris led to the "March of the Women"
Royal family brought to Paris