By Royce Williams

Why did it start? Pg. 652  The French Revolution started because the Third Estate was being treated unfairly.  They didn’t have any privilages.  Paid more taxes than the first two estates. (which contained mostly nobles).  New views about power and authority in government were spreading around the Third Estate.  The King (Louis XVI) was a weak leader.

Who were the people involved? Pg.654 & “The Three Estates” Chart on Pg. 652  The National Assembly (the Third Estate) were the people revolting against their government, which was a monarchy.  A monarchy is a government with one single leader who has all the power, like a King.  The Third Estate was mostly made up of bourgeoisie, urban lower class, and peasant farmers.

How did they fight the revolution? Document #3  The National Assembly fought the revolution messy because of the influence of the Great Terror. That caused the French Revolution to begin bloody and violent. During this time people were executed with the guillotine without a trial.

"Liberty leading the People" by Eugène Delacroix 1830

What was the outcome? Pg. 654 & Document Worksheet #4  Some members of the first two estates who favored reform joined The National Assembly.  The country began to have a representative government.  Created the Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizen in  The Declaration of the Right of Man gave people rights like freedom of religion, press, and other basic rights

What did the French revolution influence? Pg. 655 & Document Worksheet # 5  Some other countries viewed the revolution as a bloody massacre, and had senseless killing.  But, the French Revolution influenced countries like Haiti to fight for human rights & independence.  It also gave other countries instruction for revolutionaries in the 19th and 20th centuries