Do Now Materials you need: Revolution Comparison Chart, writing utensil Get into your designated role positions as per your ticket: – Tickets with P are peasants. Please sit on the ground in front of the manor with the number that matches the number on your ticket (face the front of the room). – Tickets with C are clergy. Please sit at the desks marked Clergy. – Tickets with N are nobles. Please sit at the manor with the number that matches the number on your ticket. – The ticket with CG is the Controller General. Please sit at the desk marked Controller General. – Tickets with K and Q are the King and Queen. The King will sit in the chair on the table and the Queen will sit in the chair next to the table. Put on your crowns!

Simulation Norms Participate to the best of your ability Be open-minded Respect other peoples opinions and ideas Do not interrupt the speaker No profanity, insults, harassment Follow role expectations (for specific roles)

Background Look at Step 1 on your role card. Read the background information about France during the reign of King Louis XVI.

Step Two

The Three Estates 1 st ESTATE ______________________ 2 nd ESTATE _______________________________ 3 rd ESTATE 1 – Bourgeoisie: wealthy merchants and skilled workers (4%) 2 –Workers: poorly-paid servants, cooks and personal attendants (8%) 3 – Peasants (85%) EVERYONE ELSE! 97% of the population. Paid all the taxes. Nobility. 2% of the population. Paid no taxes Roman Catholic clergy. 1% of the population. Paid no taxes.

The French Revolution (1789) What was the government before the revolution? The government in France had long been an absolute monarchy. King Louis XIV ruled with divine right and passed the rule onto his grandson, King Louis XVI. King Louis XVI ruled France with his Queen, Marie Antoinette.

French Revolution What was the problem? 1.King Louis XVI ruled with divine right and absolute power 2.Enlightenment ideas were spreading and the people wanted change! 3.France was DEEP in debt: a.The cost of wars (Seven Years War, American Rev.) was expensive b.Unequal taxation of three estates (1 st and 2 nd paid NO taxes, 3 rd estate paid ALL taxes) c.King Louis XVI and his court lived in luxury and spent LOTS of money! (Just like his grandpa King Louis XIV) 4.French people were starving because of bad harvests throughout the country 5.King Louis ignored the needs of his people. He didnt want to deal with problems of the country.

French Revolution So what happened? To solve the debt problem, King Louis XVI wanted to tax the previously untaxed 2 nd Estate. The struggle to pass taxes was unsuccessful. So King Louis decided to call a meeting of the Estates-General in May 1789 to resolve the issue. (It was the first meeting of the Estates General in 175 years!)