French Revolution 1789-1815. Preview to the French Revolution.
French Revolution
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Transcript of French Revolution
French RevolutionA step towards democracy
Regions of France
Good Climate, largearea, ample rainfall and a wide variety of soils allow France to grow many crops
Question:Tell a partner what you think the
major form of transportation was during this time period? Why would this be important in France?
Who owns the land?Much of the land was
owned by Aristocrats, royal families and the Catholic Church.
4 out of 5 farmed for a living and owed most of their produce to a feudal lord
Where would you most like to be and why?Tell a partner (a new one from
last time) if you had to be a farmer, which part of France you would most like to farm in and why? This will include the crop you would like to produce.
French Society PyramidKing
• Many privileges and paid few taxes
• Could tax peasants a tithe (10%)
Aristocrats
• Middle class• Some invested in new businesses• Laws and regulations made earning a profit
hard• Poor French infrastructure limited
opportunities
Bourgeoisie
• Made up majority of French Population
• Most income went to food
• Little access to education
• Worked hard with little to show for it
Peasants
The Sun KingWas the Source of all light in the nation!
Built palace in Versailles and forced nobles to live with him
Depended solely on his own judgment and had few ministers. His word was Law!
Dragged France into many wars, depleted treasury, persecuted many religious groups, lived extravagantly
Question:What sort of problems do you see
Louis XVI running into when he becomes King?
Louis in chargeLouis was faced with various
problems:1. Not interested in governing and
left decisions to others2. Different laws in different parts
of country3. Language barriers4. Heavy taxes and duties on
merchants5. Terrible poverty
Louis and MarieMarie Antoinette came from an
Austrian family (not popular! Austria was a French enemy)
Marie offended aristocrats with her attitude towards French traditions
She was very extravagant. Why would this bother people?
Louis and MarieMarie was strong willed and
opinionated about things she had no experience in…like government!
Chose people without knowing what they would be responsible for.
Urged firing of A. R. Turgot because he wanted to tax nobles
Talk to a partner!Tell a partner one thing you find
interesting about King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette’s relationship
Revolution Begins!Louis got money to spend by
taxing lower and middle class (exploitation!). This made France almost bankrupt.
Rioting led to split in the royal court◦One side supports King and changes
to the economy◦Other side supports Marie and more
power for noblesMany demand democracy (Like
England)
Even more problemsStarvation/Famine – abandoned
childrenUnemployment – Industrial
RevolutionLed to starvation, and violent,
unpredictable mobsLouis allowed critics to be
imprisoned or killed and turned to Estates General for solutions
Making connectionsTell a partner some similarities
you have identified between the start and causes of the French Revolution and the English Civil War.
The Estates General – sort of like parliament
First Estate - Clergy
Second Estate - Aristocrats
Third Estate – Middle Class
Problems with the systemAristocrats and clergy could
combine forces to give themselves twice as much power as the 3rd estate
France was bankrupt and put faith in Necker to raise money and end rioting
Louis was ready to give some small responsibilities to the Estates (fixing tax system). But they don’t want this!
Catching the Spirit!Ordinary people had great
expectations of delegates.Third Estate broke from other
Estates after little progress made and declared a new government known as National Assembly.
Retreated to Royal Tennis Courts and took the “Tennis Court Oath”
Tennis Court OathPledge to continue to meet until France had a new form of government.
Louis responded with democratic reforms but this was rejected.
Forced to order the other two estates to join the National Assembly