1. Viva la Resistance! The causes of the French Revolution Ms. Stiles River Dell High School The causes of the French Revolution Ms. Stiles River Dell High School

2. 1. Social Inequalities  Old Order (ancien regime): social & political structure in France  Estates: social classes  King/Queen at the top of the social pyramid  King Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette lived at Versailles, 12 miles outside Paris  Old Order (ancien regime): social & political structure in France  Estates: social classes  King/Queen at the top of the social pyramid  King Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette lived at Versailles, 12 miles outside Paris

3. Versailles

4. Old Order

5. The Royal Family  King Louis XVI & Queen Marie Antoinette  Marie Antoinette was from Austria (traditional enemy of France)  Not popular with French people  Austrian background  Frivolous spender while people were starving  Who played her in the movie “Marie Antoinette”?  King Louis XVI & Queen Marie Antoinette  Marie Antoinette was from Austria (traditional enemy of France)  Not popular with French people  Austrian background  Frivolous spender while people were starving  Who played her in the movie “Marie Antoinette”?

6. 1st Estate  1% of French population  Clergy (Roman Catholic Church)  Had special privileges:  Only church courts could try priests/bishops, didn’t have to follow regular laws  Clergy & Church didn’t have to pay taxes  Any land owned by church was also exempt from taxes (church owned 10% of land in France)  Collected rents & fees from this land - made higher clergy very rich (didn’t have to pay taxes on this, either)  Priests who served lower classes were poor, but people still resented their privileges  1% of French population  Clergy (Roman Catholic Church)  Had special privileges:  Only church courts could try priests/bishops, didn’t have to follow regular laws  Clergy & Church didn’t have to pay taxes  Any land owned by church was also exempt from taxes (church owned 10% of land in France)  Collected rents & fees from this land - made higher clergy very rich (didn’t have to pay taxes on this, either)  Priests who served lower classes were poor, but people still resented their privileges

7. 2nd Estate  Nobility - 2% of the population  Paid little to no taxes, held key positions in government & military  Majority lived on estates were peasants did all the work  Some lived at court with the King (their jobs were ceremonial)  Nobility - 2% of the population  Paid little to no taxes, held key positions in government & military  Majority lived on estates were peasants did all the work  Some lived at court with the King (their jobs were ceremonial)

8. 3rd Estate  Largest group, 97% of population  Made up of 3 sub-divisions:  Bourgeoisie-city dwelling merchants, factory owners, lawyers, doctors; had no role in government, but had education  Artisans & City workers: shoemakers, carpenters, bricklayers, dressmakers; if they didn’t work, they didn’t eat (known as sansculottes “those without knee breeches”-proud of that nickname  Peasants: farmed nobles fields, paid rents & fees to nobles, paid 10% of income to the church (tithes), performed much of their labor for no payment, and paid taxes  Largest group, 97% of population  Made up of 3 sub-divisions:  Bourgeoisie-city dwelling merchants, factory owners, lawyers, doctors; had no role in government, but had education  Artisans & City workers: shoemakers, carpenters, bricklayers, dressmakers; if they didn’t work, they didn’t eat (known as sansculottes “those without knee breeches”-proud of that nickname  Peasants: farmed nobles fields, paid rents & fees to nobles, paid 10% of income to the church (tithes), performed much of their labor for no payment, and paid taxes

9. 2. Enlightenment Ideas  Social inequalities pushed 3rd Estate towards revolt  Ideas of the Enlightenment help fan the flames  Educated bourgeoisie read works of Rousseau, Locke, Montesquieu & knew that in England Parliament limited the power of the King  More importantly, they knew that the British colonies in America successfully revolted against what they considered unfair treatment and tyrannical rule by the British government  This made them wonder how they could use this information in France  Social inequalities pushed 3rd Estate towards revolt  Ideas of the Enlightenment help fan the flames  Educated bourgeoisie read works of Rousseau, Locke, Montesquieu & knew that in England Parliament limited the power of the King  More importantly, they knew that the British colonies in America successfully revolted against what they considered unfair treatment and tyrannical rule by the British government  This made them wonder how they could use this information in France

10. 3. Financial Crisis  Economic Problems hit most of France hard  Already existing debts & troubles compounded by aid to the Americans during their revolution  Sent soldiers, supplies, weapons, and ships that they really couldn’t afford  Economic Problems hit most of France hard  Already existing debts & troubles compounded by aid to the Americans during their revolution  Sent soldiers, supplies, weapons, and ships that they really couldn’t afford

11. First Events of the Revolution  Spring 1789: no one in France is happy with the way things are going  1st & 2nd estates unhappy about losing political power to the king  Bourgeoisie resented government restrictions that limited their business growth & the fact that they were kept out of higher ranks in government & military  3rd Estate: poorer & hungrier than ever  Spring 1789: no one in France is happy with the way things are going  1st & 2nd estates unhappy about losing political power to the king  Bourgeoisie resented government restrictions that limited their business growth & the fact that they were kept out of higher ranks in government & military  3rd Estate: poorer & hungrier than ever

12. Meeting of the Estates- General  King Louis pushed by nobility to call a meeting of the Estates to discuss new taxes for the 3rd Estate  Spring 1789: 1st meeting of the Estates-General in 175 years  No one really knew what to do  Everyone wrote their grievances in notebooks that were sent to the meeting  It was clear that everyone wanted drastic changes  BUT the voting process could destroy any chance at change  King Louis pushed by nobility to call a meeting of the Estates to discuss new taxes for the 3rd Estate  Spring 1789: 1st meeting of the Estates-General in 175 years  No one really knew what to do  Everyone wrote their grievances in notebooks that were sent to the meeting  It was clear that everyone wanted drastic changes  BUT the voting process could destroy any chance at change

13. How the Voting Works  Each estate gets 1 vote  Usually the 1st & 2nd Estates voted together  Completely shut out the 3rd Estate  After the Enlightenment, 3rd Estate thought they were more important (knew they were the largest group, wanted more votes)  Wanted to change the voting procedures  Each estate gets 1 vote  Usually the 1st & 2nd Estates voted together  Completely shut out the 3rd Estate  After the Enlightenment, 3rd Estate thought they were more important (knew they were the largest group, wanted more votes)  Wanted to change the voting procedures

14. The Tennis Court Oath  At the first meeting, Louis instructed everyone to vote as usual  The 3rd Estate refused  There was a stand-off & the 3rd Estate renamed themselves the National Assembly (a legislature)  At the next meeting, the National Assembly was locked out of the meeting place  The representatives moved to an outdoor tennis court, where they took the Tennis Court Oath  Swore they wouldn’t disband until they wrote a Constitution for France  Louis eventually caved & allowed everyone to have an individual vote in the Estates-General  At the first meeting, Louis instructed everyone to vote as usual  The 3rd Estate refused  There was a stand-off & the 3rd Estate renamed themselves the National Assembly (a legislature)  At the next meeting, the National Assembly was locked out of the meeting place  The representatives moved to an outdoor tennis court, where they took the Tennis Court Oath  Swore they wouldn’t disband until they wrote a Constitution for France  Louis eventually caved & allowed everyone to have an individual vote in the Estates-General

15. Storming the Bastille

16.  After the Oath of the Tennis Court, Louis began to worry & ordered troops to protect Paris & Versailles  Just in case he needed to defend the monarchy by force  The National Assembly began to panic (worried that Louis would use violence to end their meetings)  National Assembly had the sympathy of the Parisians, they needed weapons to arm themselves, where would they get them?  The BASTILLE!  After the Oath of the Tennis Court, Louis began to worry & ordered troops to protect Paris & Versailles  Just in case he needed to defend the monarchy by force  The National Assembly began to panic (worried that Louis would use violence to end their meetings)  National Assembly had the sympathy of the Parisians, they needed weapons to arm themselves, where would they get them?  The BASTILLE!

17. The Bastille  July 14, 1789 (now known as French Independence Day)  The Bastille was an armory & prison  People who spoke out against the monarchy were kept there, including Voltaire  Sign of government oppression  When it was stormed, only 7 prisoners were kept there.  The mob tried to negotiate with the guards for weapons  When this failed, the mob killed the commanding guard, cut off his head, & paraded it around the streets of Paris  Powerful symbol of the French Revolution  July 14, 1789 (now known as French Independence Day)  The Bastille was an armory & prison  People who spoke out against the monarchy were kept there, including Voltaire  Sign of government oppression  When it was stormed, only 7 prisoners were kept there.  The mob tried to negotiate with the guards for weapons  When this failed, the mob killed the commanding guard, cut off his head, & paraded it around the streets of Paris  Powerful symbol of the French Revolution

18. What Happened Next?  The people of France were shocked after the storming of the Bastille & afraid of retaliation from the king  The Great Fear: rumors spread that Louis hired mercenaries to punish the 3rd Estate (fact & fiction)  Many peasants took revenge after years of abuse  They burned houses, destroyed records, & crops  The people of France were shocked after the storming of the Bastille & afraid of retaliation from the king  The Great Fear: rumors spread that Louis hired mercenaries to punish the 3rd Estate (fact & fiction)  Many peasants took revenge after years of abuse  They burned houses, destroyed records, & crops

19. Creating a New Nation  After the violence of the Revolution lessened, the National Assembly began to form a new government

20. Legislating New Rights  August 1789: the National Assembly abolished all feudal dues & services owed by peasants to landowners  Eliminated all legal privileges of 1st Estate  Adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen  Basic principles of Liberty, equality, & fraternity  Inspired by American Declaration of Independence, English Bill of Rights, and work of Enlightenment writers  All men are born equal & remain equal before the law (guaranteed freedom of speech, press, & religion)  Didn’t apply to women, the National Assembly turned down Olympe de Gouges’ declaration of rights for women  August 1789: the National Assembly abolished all feudal dues & services owed by peasants to landowners  Eliminated all legal privileges of 1st Estate  Adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen  Basic principles of Liberty, equality, & fraternity  Inspired by American Declaration of Independence, English Bill of Rights, and work of Enlightenment writers  All men are born equal & remain equal before the law (guaranteed freedom of speech, press, & religion)  Didn’t apply to women, the National Assembly turned down Olympe de Gouges’ declaration of rights for women

21. Restrictions on Power  Louis made another mistake  Called troops to Versailles to protect the throne  Angered the commoners who were afraid he’d use force to crush the Revolution  October 1789: 7,000 women marched from Paris to Versailles to demand bread  Broke into the palace  To appease them, Louis took the royal family out of Versailles  November: The National Assembly took church property & sold it to pay off France’s debts  Religious orders were disbanded  Louis made another mistake  Called troops to Versailles to protect the throne  Angered the commoners who were afraid he’d use force to crush the Revolution  October 1789: 7,000 women marched from Paris to Versailles to demand bread  Broke into the palace  To appease them, Louis took the royal family out of Versailles  November: The National Assembly took church property & sold it to pay off France’s debts  Religious orders were disbanded

22. Restrictions on Power  1791: The National Assembly completed a constitution  Created the Legislative Assembly (created laws)  Expanded voting rights (though only taxpaying men over the age of 25 could vote)  Kept the monarchy, but greatly limited it  1791: The National Assembly completed a constitution  Created the Legislative Assembly (created laws)  Expanded voting rights (though only taxpaying men over the age of 25 could vote)  Kept the monarchy, but greatly limited it

23. Foreign Interference  July 1792: Austria & Prussia warned against harming the monarchs  Threatened war (sent 50,000 troops to French border)  Legislative Assembly declared war, but the army wasn’t prepared & was easily defeated  Louis was blamed for defeat & the royal family were made commoners & sent to prison  The Legislative Assembly disbanded itself & created the National Convention  National Convention ended the monarchy & declared France a Republic  July 1792: Austria & Prussia warned against harming the monarchs  Threatened war (sent 50,000 troops to French border)  Legislative Assembly declared war, but the army wasn’t prepared & was easily defeated  Louis was blamed for defeat & the royal family were made commoners & sent to prison  The Legislative Assembly disbanded itself & created the National Convention  National Convention ended the monarchy & declared France a Republic