1. French Revolution

2. The French Revolution Begins
The Three Estates
Who was a part of each estate/what jobs did they have?
What percentage of the population was in each estate?
How much land did they own?
Did they pay taille (taxes)?

3. First Estate Clergy, aristocratic families, and priests
130,000 people and .5% of population
Owned 10% of land
Exempt from taille

4. Second Estate Nobility 350,000 and 1.5% of the population
Military, law courts and high church officials
350,000 and 1.5% of the population
Owned 25-30% of the land
Exempt from the taille

5. Third Estate Commoners 98% of the population 75-80% were peasants
Craftspeople, shopkeepers and wage earners
Bourgeoisie(middle class) 8%
Merchants, bankers, industrialists, professionals
65% of land
Had to pay taille

6. Financial problems
Bad harvests in 1787 and 1788 led to Food shortage, high prices and unemployment
1/3 of population was estimated to be poor
Government still spent money on wars (helping Americans against British) and court luxuries
Louis XVI called for a meeting of the Estates- General
Not met since 1614_

7. Solution to problems? Estates-General ( met in Versailles)
Who was a part of the Estates-General?
How man votes did each Estate have?
What was the problem with this?
What did the Third Estate want?
What did the King say to this?

8. Solution continued
Tennis Court Oath- swore they would meet until they made a French Constitution
Stormed the Bastille
In response Louis XVI wanting to use force against the Third Estate
Dismantled it brick by brick
Saved the National Assembly

9. Solution continued
Peasant rebellions took place in cities and countryside (summer 1789)
Militias were formed in fear foreign troops would support the French Monarchy
Aug 4, National assembly voted to abolish the rights of landlords and financial privileges of nobles and clergy

10. Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
Inspired by US Declaration of Independence, Constitution and English Bill of Rights
“Liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression”
Enlightenment ideas
Freedom and equal rights for all men
Right to take part of law making
Access to public office based on talent
End exemptions from taxation
Freedom of speech and press

11. Declaration continued
Olympe de Gouges- wrote Declaration of Rights of Women and the Female Citizen
Did not believe that rights would be spread to women
Louis XVI would not accept the Declaration
Women marched to Versailles and demanded that the king accept the declaration because their children were starving (Oct. 5)

12. Church Reforms Church would reform as well because part of old order
Land was seized and sold by the national assembly
Bishops and priests were to be elected and paid by the state
Many Catholics opposed the revolution

13. New constitution 1791 Set up limited monarchy
King with legislative assembly to make laws
745 representatives
Men over 25 who paid a specific amount could vote
New order was opposed
Catholic priests, nobles, lower class hurt by rise of cost of living, radicals that wanted a more drastic solution.
King Louis XVI tried to flee France but was caught
Other countries feared that revolution would spread to their countries
Austria and Prussia wanted to force power back to Louis XVI
Legislative assembly declared war on Austria

14. Paris Commune
Shortages at home and defeats of war lead to new political demonstrations
Paris Commune- radical political groups
Organized a mob attack on the royal palace and legislative assembly
Took the king captive
Forced assembly to hold a national convention to decide future form of government
Power was now with the Paris Commune
Many called themselves sans-culottes