1. The French Revolution

2. The Old Regime The people in French society were not treated equally.
The system of feudalism in
France was
known as The
Old Regime. Citizens were
divided into
three classes
or estates.
Feudalism: The king gave land to his lords; the land was worked by peasants

3. Let’s Review In France, people were divided into three estates
First Estate
High-ranking members of the Church
Privileged class (paid no taxes)
Second Estate
Nobility
Third Estate
Everyone else – from peasants in the countryside to wealthy bourgeoisie merchants in the cities
Unprivileged class

4. France is Broke…
The king (Louis XVI) lavished money on himself and residences like Versailles
Queen Marie Antoinette was seen as a wasteful spender
Government found its funds depleted as a result of wars
Including the funding of the American Revolution
Privileged classes would not submit to being taxed

7.  The Enlightenment movement spread ideas everyone should be equal.
The people of the 3rd estate liked that idea.
Why revolt?
The French economy was failing.
Taxes were high, profits were low and food supplies were short.
King Louis the XVI was weak and unconcerned about the plight of the third estate.

8. Estates-General
To help solve the bankruptcy issue, King Louis XVI had no choice but to call for a meeting of the Estates-General

9. ◊ First Estate + ◊ Second Estate - vs. - ◊ Third Estate
Estates-General
Voting was conducted by estate
Each estate had one vote
First and Second Estates could operate as a bloc to stop the Third Estate from having its way
◊ First Estate + ◊ Second Estate - vs. - ◊ Third Estate
Representatives from the Third Estate demanded that voting be by population
This would give the Third Estate a great advantage
Deadlock resulted

10. The National Assembly
Frustrated with the deadlock vote in the Estates General, the Third Estate left the meeting and decided to start their own governing body called the National Assembly.
King Louis XVI was outraged by this decision and locked the Third Estate out of the Estates-General meeting.

11. Tennis Court Oath
Delegates from the new National Assembly found themselves on a tennis court near the Estates-General meeting hall. Here, the members vowed to stay together until a constitution was written for France.

12. Storming of the Bastille
Louis XVI was worried by the action of the Third Estate and threatened to dissolve the Estates General after the tumultuous events surrounding the Tennis Court Oath. Rural and urban uprisings throughout France at this time saved the Third Estate from the King's intervention. The most famous of these uprisings is the Fall of the Bastille, which occurred on July 14, 1789.

13. Brain-Pop Time!

14. “Let them eat cake”
October, 1789:  A crowd of Parisian women marched to Versailles to demand King Louis XVI give out free bread during a bread shortage.  After camping out at Versailles overnight, the mob decided to take Louis XVI back to Paris. They insisted that the royal family return to Paris where, in fact, they would find themselves under virtual house arrest.

15. Declaration of the Rights of Man
After King Louis XVI realized he lost control of his subjects, the National Assembly began to make changes.
This document guaranteed due process in judicial matters and established sovereignty among the French people.
Every person was a Frenchman and equal under this document
King Louis was found guilty of treason and sent to the guillotine because he asked other countries to attack France’s new government.
Marie Antoinette was put on trial for treason and theft shortly after. She was also found guilty and send to the guillotine.

16. Declaration of the Rights of Man
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
Guaranteed property rights
“Liberty, equality, fraternity!”
Right of the people to create laws
Right to a fair trial

17. Maximilien Robespierre
Believed that the monarchy of France should be dissolved and France should be a republic
His power grew during the time period known as the Reign of Terror, where a large number of people who were against the revolution were executed
His power turned him into a dictator and ultimately was executed in 1794

18. Emperor of France from 1804 until 1815
Napoleon Bonaparte
Emperor of France from 1804 until 1815

19. Napoleon Bonaparte Brain Pop