French RevolutionW.4 DRAW EVIDENCE FROM THE INFORMATIONAL TEXTS TO EXPLAIN HOW THE IDEOLOGY OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION LED FRANCE TO EVOLVE FROM A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY TO DEMOCRATIC DESPOTISM TO THE NAPOLEONIC EMPIRE.

French Society – 3 social classes or “estates”

1. Clergy : the Church; very wealthy; owned 10% of land

2. Nobles : a dying class during this time; were originally knights, but also included people in other positions such as clergy or gov’t

3. Rest of population : top of class were “bourgeoisie” or middle class which included bankers, merchants, lawyers, doctors; most of this class were rural peasants and urban workers

Financial Troubles in France

For too many years, France spent more money than it took in – known as “deficit spending”

Former Kings spent money on extravagant personal items

King Louis XVI called for economic reform; called a meeting with his legislative branch known as Estates-General

Estates General had not been called in 175 years Former Kings feared they would take too much control

Estate-General They prepared “cahiers” or a list of grievances; 3

estates = 3 votes, each estate represented one vote Clergy Estate and Noble Estate always voted against

the Third Estate; Third Estate made up most of population

Third Estate decides they should take action and declare themselves the Nation Assembly to represent the people

National Assembly were locked out of own meeting hall and went nearby to tennis court

Took the famous “Tennis Court Oath” – swore to never separate and to meet wherever the circumstances might require until we have a sound and just constitution

Bastille - old fortress in Paris

Rumors that royal troops were going to occupy Paris More than 800 Parisians assembled outside Bastille

demanding access to gunpowder and firearms Commander of Bastille refused to open gates and fired

upon crowd Crowd stormed Bastille, killed the commander and 5

guards Bastille became a symbol to people of France

representing years of abuse from the monarchy “Bastille Day” became France’s national independence

day