Section I: Beginning of the French Section I: Beginning of the French RevolutionRevolution

(Pages 434-441)(Pages 434-441)

Section I: Beginning of the French Section I: Beginning of the French RevolutionRevolution

(Pages 434-441)(Pages 434-441) This section is about:This section is about: How political ideas, How political ideas,

foreign revolutions, and foreign revolutions, and economic problems led economic problems led to the French to the French Revolution.Revolution.

The makeup of French The makeup of French society before the society before the revolution, the lifestyles revolution, the lifestyles and actions of the and actions of the monarchy, the effects of monarchy, the effects of those factors on the those factors on the people, and the people, and the sweeping government sweeping government changes proposed by changes proposed by the Estates-General the Estates-General when it met in 1789.when it met in 1789.

Let’s start part way in, and then go back to the beginning:

On page 434: look at the 4 sections in this chapter.

Let’s also read about what’s coming up in a little bit: the reading on that page (and the picture that goes with it).

Beginnings of the French Beginnings of the French RevolutionRevolution

Page 436: Look at the Page 436: Look at the ““Main Ideas.Main Ideas.””

Several things led to Several things led to the French Revolution:the French Revolution:

1.1. The Enlightenment The Enlightenment

2.2. Revolutions in Great Revolutions in Great Britain and AmericaBritain and America

3.3. Government spending Government spending and corruptionand corruption

The Enlightenment…The Enlightenment… ……was based on was based on ideas of ideas of

reason and tolerance and reason and tolerance and the acceptance and the acceptance and respect of beliefs different respect of beliefs different from onefrom one’’s own.s own.

Individual freedom and Individual freedom and equality.equality.

Right of self-government.Right of self-government. Freedom of Religion.Freedom of Religion. Freedom of speech and Freedom of speech and

thought without thought without censorship.censorship.

In France, people with In France, people with these ideas were still being these ideas were still being sent to prisons.sent to prisons.

But people were still But people were still hearing about the ideas hearing about the ideas (books, coffee houses, (books, coffee houses, salons).salons).

Revolutions in Great Britain and Revolutions in Great Britain and AmericaAmerica

Great Britain had become a constitutional monarchy (with Great Britain had become a constitutional monarchy (with elected representatives in Parliament).elected representatives in Parliament).

AmericaAmerica’’s new government relied on Enlightenment ideas .s new government relied on Enlightenment ideas . The government of France was worried: these ideas were a The government of France was worried: these ideas were a

threat to their powerthreat to their power

FranceFrance’’s Economys Economy By 1789, French people By 1789, French people

(the poor mostly) were (the poor mostly) were paying A LOT in taxes paying A LOT in taxes (foreign wars).(foreign wars).

The government then The government then decided to put higher decided to put higher taxes on landowners.taxes on landowners.

France ended up France ended up borrowing money from borrowing money from other European banks.other European banks.

The people were mad The people were mad because they could see because they could see the wasteful spending the wasteful spending of the monarchy of the monarchy (Versailles).(Versailles).

At the same time, the At the same time, the French had a year of French had a year of horrible weather, horrible weather, unemployment, and unemployment, and inflation.inflation.

The people started riots The people started riots – often times just trying – often times just trying to get food.to get food.

The only solution was to The only solution was to call a government call a government meeting (the Estates meeting (the Estates General).General).

This was a group that This was a group that was supposed to give was supposed to give advice to the advice to the government (even government (even though they hadnthough they hadn’’t met t met in 150 years).in 150 years).

French SocietyFrench Society: Since the middle ages: : Since the middle ages: everyone belonged to one of three ranks (estates)everyone belonged to one of three ranks (estates)

The First EstateThe First Estate The Second The Second EstateEstate The Third EstateThe Third Estate

The clergy: priests, The clergy: priests, bishops, and high bishops, and high ranking Roman ranking Roman Catholics.Catholics.They did not have to They did not have to pay taxes (even pay taxes (even though they owned a though they owned a lot of land).lot of land).But… peasants had to But… peasants had to pay 1/10pay 1/10thth of their of their income to the church.income to the church.These people usually These people usually lived in pretty lived in pretty nice places.nice places.

Aristocracy/nobles Aristocracy/nobles who had wealth and who had wealth and titles.titles.They did not have to They did not have to pay taxes.pay taxes.They owned most of They owned most of the land the Church the land the Church didndidn’’t.t.They were the only They were the only people who could hold people who could hold high government high government offices.offices.They were required They were required to spend a certain to spend a certain amount of time each amount of time each year year

at Versailles.at Versailles.

The rest of the people The rest of the people (about 98%): (about 98%): Peasants, artisans, Peasants, artisans, business people.business people.They paid taxes.They paid taxes.

During the 1700During the 1700’’s: s: a a bourgeoisiebourgeoisie class class was developing was developing (middle class).(middle class).They were educated, They were educated, had some money, and had some money, and wanted to be involved wanted to be involved in control of the in control of the country.country.

The French MonarchyThe French Monarchy

Louis XIV: Louis XIV: believed in rule believed in rule by divine right.by divine right.

Louis XV and Louis XV and Louis XVI tried to Louis XVI tried to rule the same rule the same way, but they way, but they were weak and were weak and ineffective.ineffective.

Louis XVLouis XV

Was actually given the Was actually given the crown when he was 5.crown when he was 5.

Someone else ruled until he Someone else ruled until he was 26, and by that time, was 26, and by that time, he was used to other people he was used to other people running the country and he running the country and he didndidn’’t really want to.t really want to.

There were more costly There were more costly wars, and France was wars, and France was DEEPLY in debt.DEEPLY in debt.

He was not very intelligent - He was not very intelligent - or interested in fixing the or interested in fixing the country.country.

When he was dying, he When he was dying, he knew he had messed up the knew he had messed up the country.country.

Louis XVILouis XVI and and Marie Marie AntoinetteAntoinette

Louis XVI inherited an Louis XVI inherited an empty treasury and empty treasury and unhappy subjects.unhappy subjects.

His wife (Marie Antoinette) His wife (Marie Antoinette) liked spending money liked spending money though - dresses, parties, though - dresses, parties, life at Versailles – all life at Versailles – all while while the people were starving.the people were starving.

The people felt their tax The people felt their tax money should go back to money should go back to improving their life, not to improving their life, not to support the Queensupport the Queen ’’s s lifestyle.lifestyle.

Louis XVI was also weak Louis XVI was also weak and had to bring back the and had to bring back the Estates General – a move Estates General – a move that would eventually mean that would eventually mean an end to the French an end to the French monarchy.monarchy.

From Estates General to National From Estates General to National AssemblyAssembly

The Estates The Estates General met on General met on May 5May 5thth, 1789 (first , 1789 (first time in 175 years).time in 175 years).

This was the start This was the start of a revolution in of a revolution in France.France.

Meeting at VersaillesMeeting at Versailles

At the meeting of the E.G.: At the meeting of the E.G.: Louis was gracious to the Louis was gracious to the people of the First and people of the First and Second Estates.Second Estates.

He ignored the Third He ignored the Third Estate.Estate.

When they had votes, the When they had votes, the First and Second Estates First and Second Estates always won (2-1) over the always won (2-1) over the Third Estate.Third Estate.

They were not going to They were not going to change a system that change a system that protected all their protected all their privileges.privileges.

The National AssemblyThe National Assembly Not much was settled – Not much was settled –

deadlocked for about a deadlocked for about a month.month.

On June 17On June 17thth, the Third , the Third Estate convinced the First Estate convinced the First Estate to side with them. Estate to side with them.

The voted to set up a The voted to set up a national assembly.national assembly.

They were kicked out of They were kicked out of the conference rooms at the conference rooms at Versailles and had to Versailles and had to continue to meet at the continue to meet at the royal indoor tennis court.royal indoor tennis court.

There: the took There: the took ““the the Tennis Court OathTennis Court Oath”” – to – to continue to meet when continue to meet when circumstances required it.circumstances required it.

This was the first steps of This was the first steps of the French Revolution.the French Revolution.

“The Tennis Court Oath”