FRANCEThe road to the French Revolution.

By: Maddie

Absolutism in France

Absolutism is when a monarch has total control over everything in his country. The monarch has absolute power.

Louis XVI was the king of France at the time of the revolution.The people of France were very unhappy with Louis XVI. They demanded for change.This led to the French Revolution.

Rights to The People

The people wanted the king to lose all power, but the king was not willing.

The king knew he was in danger because of the peasant uprising, so he decided to give the people more rights, with his own safety in mind.

He made The Declaration of the Right of Man. This was a lot like the English bill of rights. It gave everybody equal rights.

He also made it so that he would rule with the Assembly.

The Assembly ruled with the king. For something to pass, both of them had to agree. They had equal power.

Click on picture to learn more.

The Assembly had representatives from each part of France, so everyone had more rights.

Causes of the Revolution

1) Unfair tax system

2) Sent France in the war with Austria and Prussia.

3) People were tired of being controlled by the king.

4) The American Revolution inspired the people of France.

Click on text for more information5) Social inequality.

Tax System

There were three types of taxes.

1) Taille 2) Capitation 3) Vingtième

Only the peasants paid taxes.This was causing France to go bankrupt, and the peasants to revolt.

Causes of the Revolution

1) Unfair tax system.

2) Sent France in the war with Austria and Prussia.

3) People were tired of being controlled by the king.

4) The American Revolution inspired the French Revolution.

Click on text in order for more information.5) Social inequality.

The War

Louis XVI sent France into the war with Austria and Prussia.Louis XVI actually didn’t want to go to war, but he thought that when they lost the war, they would blame the Assembly, and then he would get more power.

His plan backfired, and the French people blamed the war on him.

Control over the People

The king had control over the people, because he was an absolute monarch.

He had “veto” power, so he controlled all the decisions, and he kept pushing his people down, so that he could get more power.

Louis XVI was “power hungry”. He stopped at nothing to get what he wanted.

The Inspiration

The American Revolution happened before the French Revolution.The French were allies to the Americans during the war.This inspired many people to take part in the French Revolution.

Social Inequality

There were three social levels in France.

First Estate

Second Estate

Third Estate

This was made up of the men of the church.

They were very wealthy because they believed the church’s money was their money.

Second Estate

This was made up of nobles and the very wealthy.

They were exempted from paying taxes.

Third Estate

The Third Estate had three levels within it.1) Businessmen: lawyers, doctors, etc.

2) Ordinary Workers: farmers, blacksmiths, etc.

3) The peasants.

The Third Estate made up 98% of the population.

POP QUIZ: Hangman Style

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TSRQP

What two countries did France fight a war against before the Revolution?

A A

A AD

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IN P

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Hurry up! You only have 33 seconds! I hope you were paying attention!

The Right Answer Is…..

Austria and Prussia

Important Revolutionary Figures

Robespierre

Montesquieu

Rousseau

•Robespierre was one of the leaders of the Jacobins, the group of people who wanted a revolution.• He believed that the king should be taken off the throne, and did everything he could do to help his cause. He had “radical” ideas.

•He spoke at Louis XVI’s trial. A famous quote is:

“You have not to pass sentence for or against a single man, but you have to take a resolution on a question of the public safety, and to decide a question of national foresight. It is with regret that I pronounce a fatal truth: Louis ought to perish rather than a hundred thousand virtuous citizens; Louis must die so that the country may live.”

Montesquieu•Montesquieu was an esteemed historian.

•Montesquieu was a protestant. As almost all of France was catholic, and the king didn’t like protestants, he didn’t have many rights because of his religion.

•He thought everyone should have equal rights, no matter what religion they were. He fought for a revolution because he disagreed with the king, and thought the king was abusing his power.

Rousseau•Rousseau was a political writer who believed man should be able to do what he wants. He didn’t like how much control the king had over his people.

•He had democratic views rather than supporting the monarchy. He fully supported the revolution

PUZZLE! Do you recognize the picture? You have 16 seconds!

Click on the pieces to make the puzzle.

The Trial and Execution

Louis XVI’s trial took place on November 11, 1792.The French people accused him of having committed a multitude of crimes in order to establish his tyranny by destroying France’s liberty.

He was found guilty, and was sentenced to the guillotine.

Louis XVI said his last words on that platform. They were:“I die innocent of all the crimes imputed to me. I pardon the authors of my death, and pray God that the blood you are about to shed will never fall upon France.”

The End

I hope you enjoyed my presentation.

You are now enlightened on the French Revolution.

I would like to dedicate this presentation to Mary Anderson, who invented the windshield wiper. It was patented in 1905.