The Causes of the French Revolution Notes #1 The Causes of the French Revolution

Social Problems: The Three Estates The Estates were an unequal, social order created during the Middle Ages. It consisted of three different Estates into which the people of France were grouped. The Estates were NOT based on wealth but rather privileges

The First Estate Clergy Privileges and duties: Owned 10% of the land (P) Paid no taxes (P) Collected tithes (P) Ran schools, hospitals and orphanages (D) Led the Church (D) Grievance: Spoke out against Enlightenment ideas Upper Clergy: Who: Bishops, Cardinals, Abbots They were Church leaders, who came from nobility, and were rich and powerful Lower Clergy: Who: parish priests, monks, nuns. They were more like the average Frenchman and worked closely with the common man.

The Second Estate Nobility: Privileges and duties: Paid no taxes (P) Land ownership (P) Hunting rights (P) Held top jobs in the government, military, and the church (P) Grievances: Hated absolutism Resented middle class taking jobs Feared losing their privileges Upper Nobility: Who: Dukes, Princes, Marquis, Counts, and Vis-Counts They were often rich and very influential because they had access to the King. Lower Nobility: Who: Knights, Barons, Seigneurs, Chevaliers They were often poor(er) & lived in the outer regions of France and had little access to the King.

The Third Estate Privileges and Duties: Rich middle class could buy a tax exemption. (P) Pay taxes (D) Served other Estates (D) Grievances: Only Estate that paid taxes Served the First and Second Estates Unequal land distribution Not enough food/ poor harvest Rising food prices Being indebted to the Second Estates No hunting rights Labored 1-day a week for free Legal inequalities Bourgeoisies: Middle class included: lawyers, bankers, merchants, doctors, journalists, professors, and skilled artisans Rural Peasants: Land-owning peasants Land-less peasants Peasant labor Urban Dwellers: Laborers / workers Unemployed Homeless ANYONE ELSE!

The Three Estates: First Estate Second Estate Third Estate

Economic Problems Burden of Debt: Poor Harvest: Failure of Reform Deficit spending: French govt. was spending more $ than it had. Wars and upkeep at the Palace of Versailles Potential solution: reduce expenses and/or raise taxes Poor Harvest: Bad harvest increase in food prices Led to starvation & riots demanding bread Failure of Reform Poor leadership under Louis XIV, XV and XVI Refusal by First & Second Estates to be taxed

The French Urban Poor

Financial Problems in France, 1789 Urban Commoner’s Budget: Food 80% Rent 25% Tithe 10% Taxes 35% Clothing 20% TOTAL 170% King’s Budget: Interest 50% Army 25% Versailles 25% Coronation 10% Loans 25% Admin. 25% TOTAL 160%

Need for Political Reform How do we fix these problems? 1. Call a meeting of the Estates-General the legislative council made up of representatives of each estates – to meet & discuss reform 2. Decrease government spending 3. Tax ALL estates!

Convening the Estates General May, 1789 Last time it was called into session was 1614!

The Meeting of The Estates General When: May, 1789 Where: the Palace of Versailles Who: Members of each Estate Why: Each Estate was to prepare cahiers, or notebooks, listing their problems What: Discussion of each grievance & vote. ONE vote per Estate.

The Traditional Voting Pattern: Voting by Estates Clergy 1st Estate 1 Aristocracy 2nd Estate 1 1 Commoners 3rd Estate

Voting Problems In the Traditional Vote thee First & Second Estate outvoted the Third Estate. The Third Estate demands votes to be counted “by head.”

The Number of Representatives in the Estates General: Vote by Head! Clergy 1st Estate 300 Aristocracy 2nd Estate 300 648 Commoners 3rd Estate

The National Assembly With no agreement on voting, the 3rd Estates leaves. The National Assembly is formed & work to create a Constitution Members of the 1st & 2nd Estate are asked to join them & some agree. They take the Tennis Court Oath: agreeing to work together to create a Constitution.

“The Tennis Court Oath” by Jacques Louis David June 20, 1789

Storming the Bastille, July 14, 1789 The event that starts the French Revolution. The King claims to accept the National Assembly. Yet a rumor begins that the king is planning a military coup against the National Assembly. 18 died. 73 wounded. 7 guards killed. It held 7 prisoners [5 ordinary criminals & 2 madmen].