Causes of the French Revolution Do Now: What may cause you to revolt against a higher power?

The French Revolution The cartoon displays French society and the 3 estates before the French Revolution. Who does the man on the left represent? How can you tell? (Hint: look at his chest) Who does the man on the right represent? How can you tell? (Hint: look at his hat and sword) Who does the man hunched over represent? Why is he hunched over? What does this cartoonist say about French society? Does he/she think it is fair or unfair? Why?  

Three Estates Estates were classes that made up the French society under absolute rule. The First Estate, the clergy, made up 1% of the French population and owned 10% of the land. The Second Estate, the nobles, made up 2% of the French population and owned 20% of the land. The Third Estate, middle class, peasants and city dwellers, made up 97% of the French population and owned 70% of the land

Population 1% 2% 97% Commoners 3rd Estate . Clergy 1st Estate Nobles 2nd Estate 2% 97% Commoners 3rd Estate .

Third Estate Third Estate was made up of three groups: Middle Class or bourgeoisie- bankers, merchants and manufactures. Peasants- Made up the bulk of the Third Estate, tenant farmers and day laborers. City Workers- Apprentices, journeymen and cloths makers. The Third Estate had to pay taxes while the First and Second Estates did not.

Financial Crisis The French government had spent a lot of money in wars, such as the American Revolution. A bad harvest caused food prices to soar and many peasants could not buy food. A solution to the problem was to tax the First and Second Estate The First and Second Estate pressured King Louis XVI to call a meeting of the Estates General, the French government body made up of representatives from the Three Estates to decide if the first and Second Estate would pay taxes.

Estates General

Estates General National Assembly represented all of the French citizens. National Assembly found themselves locked out of the Estates General. Believing the king locked them out, the National Assembly decided to form a constitution for France. Vowing not to disband until they had drawn up a constitution for France this was called the Tennis Court Oath.

Tennis Court Oath

Rumors Reform minded clergy and nobles joined the National Assembly. King Louis accepted the National Assembly but was not happy. Royal troops gathered around Versailles and Paris with rumors that the King would dissolve the National Assembly. Financial crisis got worst and another poor harvest caused a major food shortage.

Palace of Versailles

Storming the Bastille 800 Parisians surrounded the Bastille, a fortress used as a political prison and believed storage for weapons and gun powder. The crowd demanded the weapons and gun powder but the commander refused and opened fire on the crowd. The enraged crowd broke through the defenses, killing the commander and guards. The crowd took over the Bastille on July 14, which is known as Bastille day. The Revolution was on!

Bastille Storming the Bastille