Fuel for the Revolutionary Fire Danger!

The Estate System  Estate= orders/classes of society  First estate= Those who prayed (clergy)  Second estate= Those who fought (nobles)  Third estate= Everyone else  Which one best represents the French people?

Why the Estates Matter % of population % of land Rights and privileges Royals.525 -Absolute power! Clergy110 -Received tithes -Lived well Nobles225 -Gov’t positions Bourgeoisie / Peasants Few political rights -No voice in gov’t What might each group be upset about in the late 1700’s?

Percentage of Population

Percentage of Land

An Economic Crisis  Spending on foreign affairs and elaborate court life  No taxes were being collected from the First and Second estates  Banks refuse to lend Louis XVI $  Crop failure and bread shortages  Response (May 1789): Summon the Estates General!

Conflicts Between the Estates  Each estate gets 1 vote in the Estates General  3 rd Estate thinks this is unfair—wants to meet jointly and have each delegate vote individually  How will this alter the potential outcome?  Louis XVI opposes this idea and the 3 rd estate gets locked out.  Creation of the National Assembly and the Tennis Court Oath

The Tennis Court Oath (please refer to your handout)  Why are these people gathered?  How does the oath define “legislature?”  What are their goals? Which do you think is the most important?  How does the oath regard monarchy?

July 14, 1789  The Bastille (in Paris) was a prison where the monarchy held prisoners (both justly and unjustly)  Stormed by a mob trying to steal weapons for the National Assembly’s defense (remember—the king had been gathering Versailles)  The Great Fear begins Outcomes?

Reforms of the National Assembly (please refer to your handout)  Who benefits from these reforms?  Who does not?  Based on the shifting power, what do you think is going to happen next in this story? Power Bourgeoisie Philosophes Businessmen Commoners Workers Monarch Church/clergy Nobility