CAUSES

OF THE

FRENCH

REVOLUTION

Essential Questionsfor the French

Revolution1. What were the political causes?2. What were the economic causes? 3. What were the social causes ?

The Enlightenment

Liberty Equality Individual rights Tolerance Freedom of

Speech Against

absolutist monarchy

Equal TaxationCould these ideas lead to revolution?

The American Revolution (1776-83)

-Fight for independence from Britain -Seen as a revolution based on equal rights

for all Revolutionaries like Benjamin Franklin were in Paris and were in contact with intellectuals

France assisted the Americans in the revolution. The French soldiers were influenced by the ideas of the revolution (Rights, Equality, Liberty)

The order of French society

before theRevolution

Seen as a system of tyranny

and oppression

Ancien Regime (Old Order)

King Louis XVI• Monarch from 1774-

1789• Was only 20 when he

gained title of King of France

• Financially mismanaged France

• He tried several reforms with no luck

Queen Marie Antoinette Wife of Louis XVI Born in Austria and

came to France as a teenager.

More concerned with the luxury and fashion than the well-being of her country.

Ancien Regime God

The King

1st Estate-clergy

2nd Estate-nobility

3rd Estate-commons(everyone else)

Together: The Estates-General

First Estate

-Clergy (priests/ministers)-Did not have to pay taxes- 0.5% of France’s population

Second Estate

-Nobility(landowners)-Did not have to pay taxes-1.5% of France’s population

Third Estate

-Mostly poor peasants-merchants and professionals called Bourgeoisie-Had to pay all the taxes-98% of the population

Population Distribution of the Three Estates

First EstateSecond EstateThird Estate

The Estates-General All laws and decisions were made

by the monarch. However, in times of crisis, the

monarch could call a meeting Estates-General to decide on the direction of the country

The Estates-General would have equal representation of each estate.

Therefore, it could be easy for the 1st and 2nd Estates to outvote the 3rd Estate 2 to 1

Does this seem fair?

Decison making powers in the Estates-General

The Estates-General

PROBLEMS FACING FRANCE AND ITS PEOPLE

IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY

Wars 1701-1714 War of Spanish

Succession War of Austrian

Succession 1740-1748 Seven Year’s War 1756-

1763 American Revolution

1776-1783International wars proved to be disastrous for France. They cost

enormous sums to fight, and resulted in the loss of valuable colonies in North America (Today: Canada)

Economic & Social Crisis

Debt and tax was arguably the largest cause of the French Revolution

Wars and extravagant building caused increased debt and taxes for the third estate

Famine (failed crops) and food shortages and had also hit France in 1788 and 1789, and the price of bread nearly doubled. As the main source of food for French citizens, this was a crushing development and led to starvation and chaos

Louis XVI’s state on the verge of bankruptcy

“Sire, the state is in peril”-Louis XVI’s brother to the king in 1788

-France is starving and almost bankrupt .

-1789 - Louis XVI allows all three estates to share their problems in books called Cahiers de Doléances

-In the hope for reform, Louis XIV calls a meeting of the Estates-General at Versailles for the first time in 175 years.

Representatives from each estate come together in May, 1789 to decide

the future of the country…