The French Revolution
Old Regime 1770s: Old Regime still in place (political & social system that existed in France before the Revolution) People divided into three classes (estates)
Privileged Estates (2%) Access to high office Exempt from paying taxes First Estate: Clergy Second Estate: rich nobles Scorn Enlightenment ideas as radical notions that threaten their status & power
The Third Estate (98%) BourgeoisieWorkersPeasants Merchants & artists Cooks, servants, etc. 80% of France’s 26 million Believe in Enlightenment ideas Low wages, frequently out of work…hungry Pay ½ income to nobles, church, and king’s taxes Feel their wealth entitles them to greater social status & political power If cost of bread rose, they would attack carts of grain and bread to steal Resent clergy & nobles for special treatment & privileges
Forces of Change: Enlightenment Ideas New views about govt. & power Question society’s structure Equality, liberty, and democracy Inspired by American Revolution Discussing radical ideas of Voltaire & Rousseau
Forces of Change: Economic Woes Population, trade, and production growing fast Taxes make it impossible to make a profit in France Increased cost of living Price of bread doubles 1789…many face starvation Govt. has lot of debt Louis XVI inherited debt but he’s an extravagant spender Borrows heavily to help US in American Rev. 1786: bankers refuse to give govt. more money
Forces of Change: A Weak Leader Louis XVI indecisive, paid little attention to advisors Tries to tax 2 nd Estate…Estates General called (first time in 175 years!) Marie spent so much on gowns, jewels, and gifts that she’s known as Madame Deficit
Clergy & nobles dominated Estates General since Middle Ages Delegates from each meet in separate hall to vote & each estate has one vote Two privileged estates can ALWAYS outvote 3 rd Estate First Estate & Second Estate vs. Third Estate
The National Assembly Third Estate eager to make changes Insists that all three estates meet together and each delegate gets one vote…gives advantage to Third Estate Louis sides with nobles & orders Estates General to follow medieval rules Abbee Sieyes suggests Third Estate delegates name themselves National Assembly & pass laws and reforms in the name of the French people
First deliberate act of revolution! June 17, 1789 Third Estate delegates vote yes to National Assembly This proclaims end of absolute monarchy & beginning of representative govt!
Tennis Court Oath Third Estate locked out of their meeting room! Breakdown door to indoor tennis court Pledge to stay until they had drawn up new constitution
Storming the Bastille Louis stations Swiss mercenary troops in Paris Rumor that foreign troops were coming to massacre French citizens July 14 th – mob tries to get gunpowder from French Prison (Bastille) Overwhelms king’s soldiers Bastille falls to citizens
Great Fear Rumors that nobles hired outlaws to terrorize peasants Wave of senseless panic rolls through France Peasants become outlaws – breaking into noble homes, tearing up legal documents ordering them to pay feudal dues
Change of Power & Radical Reforms Women demand Louis & Marie Antoinette come to Paris Their exit from Versailles signals change of power & radical reforms