1. The Revolution that changed the world
The French Revolution
The Revolution
that changed the world

2. French Society: divided into three estates
First Estate: Clergy Second Estate: Nobility
Third Estate: Everyone else

3. Divided into three sub classes:
Third Estate
Divided into three sub classes:
1. Bourgeoisie
Rich and well educated merchants and artisans
2. Servants (Working class, lived in cities)
Poor wage earners
Price of bread was very important to them
3. Peasants (80% of people)
Heavily taxed, Farmers had to work for nobles/
clergy for free

4. France’s National Problems
Crop failures led to grain shortages
Large debt due to Wars (in the Americas)
Bankers refused to lend more money
3. Weak leader

5. King and Queen of France
Louis XVI-
Great Grandson of Louis XIV
Not very focused on his duties
Wanted to have fun (hunt, play with locks, etc)
Marie Antoinette-
Daughter of Austrian Maria Theresa
big spender

11. Louis is forced to call the Estates-General (May 1789)
meeting of all 3 estates
first time in 175 yrs.
Each estate gets 1 vote
(clergy had one, nobles had one)
3rd Estate was always
out voted by the other two estates

12. Estates-General of May 1789
Estates-General called at request of 1st & 2nd Estates
Goal: To limit the powers of the monarchy
1st and 2nd Estate
feared losing money from Louis’ big spending…wanted to control him
3rd Estate
complained about unequal voting rights.
Estates-General refused to listen to them and the 3rd Estate was locked out.

13. Tennis Court Oath (June 1789)
Third Estate met separately
New name=National Assembly
Declared that the Assembly, not the king, were the voice of the people

14. Rumors start Tennis Court Oath (National Assembly is formed)
Rumor of King’s army coming to stop the NA meetings
People storm the Bastille to get ready (get gun powder)
King fears that the people are going revolt

16. Declaration of the Rights of Man
Issued August 26, 1789
“Men are born and remain free and equal in rights”
Women were not included
Right to liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression
Sets up a Constitutional Monarchy

17. Women’s Bread Riot, October 5th 1789
Price of bread (and other necessities) rise
Thousands of women took up arms and marched 12 miles to Versailles (King’s palace)
Killed two guards
Forced the king and his family to move to Paris

18. Palace of Versailles (where King Louis is living)

19. Louis tries to escape France (June 1791)
On his way to Austria
Stopped by townsmen and guards
Many argue that the King is not to be trusted

20. Europe turns against the Revolution
Austria (Marie’s Homeland) feared that the revolution against nobility would spread to other nations.
Austria declared war on France in 1792, later joined by Prussia, Holland, Spain, and England..
Austrian and Prussian forces near Paris and threatened to destroy Paris if the Royal family was harmed
Outraged Parisian mob kills the King’s Swiss guards and imprisons the royal family in a tower.

22. King No More The revolutionaries defeat the invading armies
The Jacobins establish a Republic.
Louis is beheaded by the Guillotine (Jan. 1793)

23. Guillotine
Decapitation was punishment for nobility=now equal

24. New Leader: Maximilien Robespierre
Revolution goes past politics
Slavery is outlawed
Death penalty is outlawed (predict: why is this ironic?)
Religious Freedom for Jews and Protestants
Playing cards—no jacks, queens and kings
Calendar was changed to 12 months 30 days each, 10 day week, no Sundays
(religion seen as old fashion)
All churches were closed
Bread prices were controlled

25. Committee of Public Safety (July 1793 to July 1794)
Led by Robespierre
Ordered to root out traitors of the Revolution
No one was safe
Neighbors turned on neighbors

26. Reign of Terror Run by the Committee of Public Safety Killed:
Marie Antoinette
early leaders of the revolution
fellow Jacobins
Robespierre was killed (July 1794)
About 40,000 people had been killed, most=commoners