The French RevolutionBegins

Economic and social inequalities in theOld Regime help cause the French

Revolution.Ch. 7.1

The Old Order The Old Regime• Old Regime—social and political

system in France during the 1770s• Estates—three social classes of

France’s Old Regime• A VERY unequal society (people were

not treated equally)The Privileged EstatesFirst Estate — Catholic clergy—1% of the

population but own 10 percent land, pay few taxes

Second Estate — rich nobles—2 percent population, own 20 percent land

The Third Estate• 97 percent of people • middle class (bourgeoisie) lacked the

status of nobles• Peasants (urban workers & farm

workers) very poorly paid 80% of the French people

• Have few rights, pay heavy taxes, want change while the rich paid hardly any taxes

The Forces of Change Three factors led to Rev. in France.1) Enlightenment Ideas• Enlightenment ideas inspire some in Third

Estate (esp. the powerful members)2) Economic Troubles• High taxes kept profits low• rising costs (esp. food prices) damage

economy by 1780s. Crop failures resulted in severe grain shortages

• The government owed money 3) Weak leadership of the monarchy• King Louis XVI and his wife Marie

Antoinette known for extravagance• Marie Antoinette was unpopular – from

Austria, France’s long time rival• Louis doubles nation’s debt; banks refuse

to lend more money• Louis XVI is forced to call a meeting of the

Estates-General

Dawn of the RevolutionA Weak Leader• Louis’s poor decisions and lack of patience

add to France’s problems• He calls Estates-General (May 1789)—

meeting of representatives from all three estates

• Each Estate got one vote• 3rd Estate wanted each delegate to have a

vote• King and other 2 Estates said NO - why?The National Assembly (June 1789)• The Third Estate broke w/ the others and

met separately• Delegates of the Third Estate sets up

National Assembly—new legislature to make reforms (the beginning of representative govn’t in France)

• got locked out of their meeting because they spoke out

• Broke into a tennis court - Sieyès persuades them to make major changes in French government

• Tennis Court Oath — delegates decide to write new constitution for France

Storming the Bastille• Louis tried to make peace• Encouraged the Nobles

and Clergy to join the National Assembly

• Rumors fly in Paris that Louis wants to suppress National Assembly and attack French citizens

• Mob attacks and seizes Bastille (a Paris prison), killing guards on July 14, 1789

• The mob wanted gun powder to defend Paris & themselves

A Great Fear Sweeps France Rebellion • Rumors and panic spread

throughout France• Great Fear— attacks by

peasants taking place across France

• Peasants destroy legal papers binding them to feudal system (had to pay fees to the nobles)

• In October 1789, Parisian women revolt over rising price of bread “The March to Versailles”

• They demand action, forcing Louis to return from Versailles to Paris

• King and Queen never return to Versailles