The Privileged Estates – The Church (The First Estate) – A. Owned 10 percent of the land. B. Gave 2 percent of income to the government.

The Privileged Estates – The Rich Nobles (The Second Estate) – A. Only 2 percent of population but owned 20 percent of land. B. paid almost no taxes.

These two groups (the clergy and the nobles) got exemptions from taxes and access to high offices.

III. The Third Estate - About 98 % of people belong to this class III. The Third Estate - About 98 % of people belong to this class. Made up of three groups – A. Middle Class – a.k.a. Bourgeoisie (Bankers, factory owners, merchants, professionals, and skilled artisans) B. The workers in the cities. C. The poor peasants.

More than 80% of the 3rd Estate were peasants More than 80% of the 3rd Estate were peasants. They paid about half their income in taxes, dues to the rich, or tithes to the church. These groups were unhappy and wanted change.

Forces of Change Enlightenment Ideas – New ideas about government power were rapidly spreading. Economic Troubles – They were heavily in debt. Heavy taxes, a rising cost of living, and crop failures, and high food prices added to the problems. A Weak Leader – Louis XVI was indecisive, he did not give much attention to government matters. He put France into a huge amount of debt, giving assistance to the American colonies Marie Antoinette (the Queen) made things worse.

The Meeting of the Estates General and The Start of the Revolution I. In their lawmaking group (Estates-General), the Privileged Estates could outvote the Third Estate because each estate had a vote.

First Estate (Clergy) = 13,000 people Second Estate (Nobility) = 10,000 people Third Estate (peasants and commoners) = 25,000,000 people II. The Third Estate decided that each delegate (person in the lawmaking assembly should have a vote). III. This would allow the Third Estate to decide matters. The other estates would not agree to this.

Start of the Revolution Continued IV. The National Assembly--The Third Estate Delegates formed their own group to make laws and changes for the French People.

Start of Revolution Continued V. The Tennis Court Oath--The Third Estate delegates were locked out of their meeting room. They broke into a tennis court and promised to stay until they created a new constitution (document to create a new government).

The Spread of Revolution What would the King do? People began to gather weapons in case the king tried to force the National Assembly out. The Storming of the Bastille--The People of Paris broke into the prison called the Bastille, a symbol of the monarchy’s oppression, to get weapons. This became a symbol of the revolution. Bastille Day (July 14, 1789)This is now a French holiday similar to our Fourth of July.

The Storming of the Bastille, July 14, 1789

The Spread of Revolution IV. The Great Fear— A. Wild rumors went out saying that the nobles were going to pay outlaws to terrorize the peasants. B. Peasants became outlaws by rioting and breaking into wealthy people houses. The royal family fled.

The End of the Old Regime The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen – The National Assembly adopted a statement of revolutionary ideas, similar to the American Declaration of Independence. A. Guaranteed rights like freedom of speech and religion, equal justice, liberty, property, and security B. “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.”

The End of the Old Regime II. The “Sans-culottes” (without knee britches) A. Revolutionaries who took to the streets B. Small shopkeepers and Parisian workers who wanted drastic change. C. Wore regular trousers and not fancy knee- length pants

The End of the Old Regime III. Emigres--Nobles and others who had fled France and returned wanting to restore the old monarchy.

End of the Old Regime II. Constitution of 1791--The National Assembly finished the new constitution (Document that created a new government). A. Created a limited constitutional monarchy which took away a lot of the king’s power. B. Created a new group to pass laws called the Legislative Assembly.

The Legislative Assembly 3 Groups: A. Radicals sat on the left side of the hall and wanted sweeping changes in government. B. Moderates sat in the middle and wanted some change but not as much as the radicals. C. Conservatives sat on the right and wanted few changes and to keep some form of monarchy.

The French Republic I. WAR--France declares war on Austria and Prussia, when they insisted France restore the Monarchy. II. No More King--Monarchy is suspended and the Royal Family is imprisoned III. Goodbye National Assembly--Because of failures in war and economic problems, The National Assembly votes itself out of existence and calls for a new government, The National Convention.

The French Republic IV. National Convention-- Declared an end to the monarchy and the birth of the French Republic. V. Jacobins – Radical group led by Jean-Paul Marat takes control of the government. They try the king for treason and execute him on the guillotine.

Committee of Public Safety and Robespierre Committee of Public Safety-- set up by the National Convention to guard against foreign invaders. A. Maximilien Robespierre was the leader. B. Robespierre gains power and attempts to create a “republic of virtue” by wiping out all of France’s past.

Robespierre and the Reign of Terror Dictator--Robespierre governs France like a dictator, his reign became known as the Reign of Terror. Enemies of the State--Anyone considered an enemy of the revolution was executed A. 40,000 killed B. Georges Danton one of the leaders of the Jacobins was even executed.

End of the Terror Execution of Robespierre-- Members of the National Convention, fearing for their own safety send Robespierre to the guillotine. End of the National Convention--The public turned against the government and created a new government called the Directory. The Directory--put power in the hands of the middle class and created a two-house legislature. A. Faced financial difficulties and was unsuccessful. B. Paved the way for the military dictatorship of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Napoleon Bonaparte