Overview of the French Revolution

It was the best of times, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of it was the age of foolishness, foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of it was the epoch of incredulity…incredulity…

-- Charles Dickens-- Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities A Tale of Two Cities

The French Monarchy:The French Monarchy:1775 - 17931775 - 1793

Louis XVILouis XVI

•“Dull and Slow Witted”

•“Well intentioned”

•“Dull and Slow Witted”

•“Well intentioned”

•“Let them Eat Cake”

•Austrian

•Married at 15

•Guillotined

•“Let them Eat Cake”

•Austrian

•Married at 15

•Guillotined

Marie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette

Marie Marie AntoinetteAntoinette and the and the Royal Royal

ChildrenChildren

““Palace of VersaillesPalace of Versailles””

Since medieval times, each person belonged by law to

one of the three estates

3 Estates (Social Classes)1st Estate- Clergy 1%1st Estate- Clergy 1%

2nd Estate- Nobility

2%

2nd Estate- Nobility

2%3rd

Estate- “Everyone

Else”

97%

3rd Estate-

“Everyone Else”

97%

1st Estate- The ClergyThe Privileged Estate

• Owned 10% of the land

• Provided education and relief services to the poor

• Contributed 2% of its income to the government

• Less than 2% of the population

• Received tithes and excluded from taxes

2nd Estate- Nobility• Rich Nobles– Govt,

military, law courts, and church

• Owned 25 to 30% of the land

• Paid almost no taxes

• Received land and taxes

• Enlightenment ideas threatened their status

3rd Estate-97% of population: “Everyone Else”

Bourgeoisie

Bourgeoisie

Petite Bourgeoisi

e

Petite Bourgeoisi

e

Peasants

Peasants

Bourgeoisie: The middle class

• Merchants, artisans, well educated, doctors, lawyers and believed in ideas of the Enlightenment

• Some were as rich as nobles, but lacked privileges & power

• Opposed the absolute monarchy of Louis XVI

The Petite BourgeoisieSans Culottes

• Cooks, tanners, butchers, servants, and other workers/merchants

• Paid low wages and considered poor

• Directly influenced by economy

• Maybe 5 years of education

Peasants

• “Life on the knife’s edge”• Formed 80% of the 26 million population• Peasants paid half of their income to nobles, tithes to

the church, and taxes• Even had to pay taxes on staple items such as salt.• Little to no possessions• Most children did not survive infancy

Financial Financial ProblemsProblems• Huge sums of money spent to help the American

Revolution triumph over Britain

• Bad harvests cause rising food prices to soar

• Bread prices doubled and people were starving and began to grow restless

• Peasants spent 30-50% of their income on bread

• Population was increasing- in 1780’s 40,000 babies were abandoned

• Louis XVI as a weak leader

• Marie Antoinette: Madame Deficit spent money on jewelry, hair, clothing, etc.

The French Urban PoorThe French Urban Poor

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

% of Income Spent on Bread

1787

1788

a Urban Urban CommonerCommoner’’ssBudget:Budget:

– Food 80%Food 80%– Rent 25%Rent 25%– Tithe 10%Tithe 10%– Taxes 35%Taxes 35%– Clothing 20%Clothing 20%– TOTAL 170%TOTAL 170%

a KingKing’’s Budget:s Budget:– Interest 50%Interest 50%– Army 25%Army 25%– Versailles 25%Versailles 25%– Coronation 10%Coronation 10%– Loans 25%Loans 25%– Admin. 25%Admin. 25%– TOTAL 160%TOTAL 160%

Financial ProblemsFinancial Problemsin France, 1789in France, 1789

French Budget, 1774French Budget, 1774

Causes of the French Revolution