Review Questions

• List 3 causes of the American Revolution. –Rank them according to influence

The French Revolution

Chapter 18Section 1

The French Revolution

• The age of the French Revolution and Napoleon is one of the most studied eras in European History.

• Historians want to know why millions of French people suddenly rebelled against institutions that their ancestors had accepted for centuries.

Louis XVI

• The French monarchy faced a crisis• In 1774 Louis XVI became the King of France at

19 years old (He was not a very strong leader).• Neither Louis XVI or his wife, Marie Antoinette

were not prepared to deal with the serious social and economic problems that threatened France.

• Louis XVI ruled the “Old Regime” in France, which was made up of 3 estates or classes of people.

French Estates

1st Estate- Roman Catholic Church– Owned 1/10 of all land in France.– Church paid no taxes to Government

2nd Estate- Nobles (400,000)– By law they paid no taxes – Owned 1/5 of the land

3rd Estate- Remaining 97% Population– 3 classes existed inside the 3rd Estate

• Bourgeoisie- Middle Class• Sans-culottes- Workers• Peasants- Taxes took ½ of income

Reflection Questions

• What problems occur when you have the majority of people in the lower class?

• Is this true about powerful countries today? How?

In Need of Help

• The 3rd Estate looked to King Louis XVI for help. The King however had other issues to take care of instead.– Debt, Royal court of Versailles,

Revolutionary War• The King hoped to gain wealth by taxing

the 1st and 2nd Est.

Taxes

• The 1st and 2nd Estates refused to pay the taxes unless the Estates General is allowed to meet (Estates General had not met in years)

• The 3rd Estates demanded that all Estates meet together.

• The 3rd Estate will change it’s name in defiance of the King to the National Assembly.

Tennis Court Oath

• Tennis Court Oath

• They will take “The tennis court oath” promising not to disband until they had written a Constitution (National Assembly).

• In response to the National Assembly, the King sent troops to Paris.

• The 3rd Estate will panic and storm the Bastille, (a French Prison Fortress) to steal gunpowder and weapons.

• This act marks the beginning of “The French Revolution”

• The Storming of Bastille

Tennis Court Oath

Storming of the BastilleStorming of the Bastille

• This marks an “Independence Day” for the French people.

• At the onset of the Revolution– The King was forced

from Versailles.– Thousands of armed

Parisian women descended on the palace and captured him and his family.

Changes

• Revolution brought Reform and Terror

• In meetings on August 4th and 5th, 1789 the Assembly voted to end feudalism, serfdom, and church tithes

• Ended special privileges of nobles and clergy.

• Issued “The Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen” (Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence).

• Louis XVI reluctantly approved the National Assembly.

• Set up “Separation of powers”• Under the Constitution of 1791 the Legislative

Assembly would make the Laws.• It was official, the National Assembly made up of

the common people had now gained some power and influence over their lives.