1. On the Eve of Revolution
3.1 Notes

2. I. French Society Divided
ancien regime or “old order”
French divided into estates
Estate-social classes
1st Estate
Clergy, closest to God
2nd Estate
Nobles
3rd Estate
Everyone else
98% of the population

3. I. French Society Divided cont.
Bourgeoisie- middle class that included bankers, merchants, lawyers, doctors
Poorest members of 3rd estate were urban or city workers
1st and 2nd Estates paid almost no taxes

4. Questions Describe the social structure in France?
Why would the 3rd Estate be upset?
The 3rd Estate was upset because…

5. II. Financial Trouble France had economic problems
Deficit spending-spending more money than you take in
High national debt
Nobles and clergy refuse to pay more taxes
Louis XVI (16th) chose Jacques Necker to as a financial expert
Nobles and Clergy had him fired however to prevent him from raising their taxes

6. Questions What were two economic problems France had?
Two economic problems France had were…

7. III. Louis Calls the Estates-General
Estates-General- a legislature where each estate gets one vote
Clergy and Nobles always gang up on 3rd Estate
Each estate prepared a list of complaints in notebooks called cahiers
“bloodsuckers of the nation who drink the tears of the unfortunate from goblets of gold” –3rd Estates cahier, describing the nobles and clergy

8. Questions How was the Estates-General unfair?
The Estates-General was unfair because…

9. IV. Tennis Court Oath
Representatives of the 3rd Estate declared themselves the National Assembly that truly represented France
Locked out of their meeting place they went to a nearby tennis court
Tennis Court Oath-a pledge to never separate till France had a just constitution

10. V. Parisians Storm the Bastille
Bastille- old medieval prison
Rumors that the King would occupy the city with troops led to an angry mob of French people stormed the Bastille looking for weapons
Fall of the Bastille is a symbol of triumph over medieval times
French celebrate Bastille Day every July 14th