La Révolution Française

1. La Révolution Française Chapter 7 Section 1

2. France in the 1700s • Considered the Most advanced country of Europe • Large population, prosperous foreign trade, was the center of the Enlightenment, highly praised and imitated culture • Truth • Great unrest caused by bad harvests, high prices, high taxes, and questions raised by the philosophes

3. The Old Order • The Old Regime • People were divided into three Estates – Social classes • First Estate- Clergy • Held 10% of the land in France • Education and relief for poor • 2% of income goes to the government • Second Estate- Nobles • 2% of the population, 20% of the land • Third Estate- Everyone else • Privileged Estates • 1st and 2nd • Had access to high offices and had exemptions from paying taxes

4. Third Estate • 97% of the people • 3 groups of the 3rd estate • Bourgeoisie ( middle Class) • Educated and believed in Enlightenment Ideals • Some were as rich as nobles, but the paid high taxes and lacked privileges • guild privileges- exclusive rights to a trade in an area- given by King • Felt like their wealth entitled them to a greater degree of social status and political power • Urban Workers • Poorest, got low wages and many times went hungry • Peasants • More than 80% of France's population • Half their income went to dues for the nobles, tithes to the church, and taxes to the king’s agents * Third estate very discontent with the heavy burden and privileges given to others

5. The Forces of Change • 3 big problems • 1. New ideas about government • The Enlightenment • Inspired by the success of American Revolution • Speeches at the Tuleries • 2. Economic Problems • Appeared sound because expansion of production and trade • Taxes made it almost impossible to make business profitable • Price of living up • Crop failures make the price of bread go up- many starving • Heavy debt b/c of aid the American Revolution

6. 3. Indecisive leadership • Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette • Alliance between Austro-Hungarian Empire and France (Hapsburgs and Bourbons) Old Enemies • Married when she was 15 and he was 16 • Queen and king when 18 and 19 • Marital problems = no children= rumors • Libelles- “let them eat cake” • Spending Habits • Silliness of Versailles • Hamlet • Petit Trianon • Privacy and Formality • Dress • Louis the Weak Leader • More interest in his hobbies like lock making • Took poor advice from ill informed people

8. Estates-General • Louis only option is to impose a tax on the 2nd Estate • Don’t allow him to so he has to call the Estates-General – an assembly made of representatives from all 3 estates. • 1st time it had met in 175 years, met in Versailles in May of 1789 • Old Rules- Each estate meets in separate halls and each estate had 1 vote= 3rd estate loses • Louis make it 2 votes for the 3rd estate • What they want-each delegate gets a vote- Louis doesn’t allow it. • 3rd Estate stonewalls • Emmanuel Joseph- Sieyes suggest they make a new legislative body

9. Sieyes • What is the Third Estate? Everything. • What has it been until now in the political order? Nothing. • What does it ask? To become something.

10. National Assembly • June 17, 1789 3rd estate after long night of debate decides to establish the National Assembly • Proclaims an end to absolute monarchy • 1st act of Revolution • Tennis Court Oath • Louis locks them out of their meeting room • 3 days later meet on an indoor tennis court • Take oath saying they won’t leave until they have written a new constitution • 1st and 2ndestaters who want reform join them. • Louis stations Swiss mercenaries around Versailles

11. Storming The Bastille • Rumor has it • Louis going to use mercenaries to dismiss the National Assembly or to kill citizens • Attack the mercenaries- July 12, 1789 • Demolish tax wall • Storm a monastery looking for grain • Create a new gov. and National guard • Decide to go to the Bastille Prison for weapons • Also seen as a symbol of Royal Power • Only 7 people in the prison- most of them loony • Hack of the guard’s head with a pocket knife than parade around with it on a pike • July 14 Bastille day- like 4th of July

12. The Great Fear • Rebellion spreads to the countryside. • Rumors make people panic • Peasants arm themselves w/ pitchforks and break into noble’s houses, burn them down, etc. • October 1789 Women riot over bread and march to Versailles. • Are followed by national guard- have cannons guns, etc. • First want answers from National Assembly • Then turn to the king and queen- break into the palace and demand that they move to Paris. • King of France to King of the French