THE FRENCH REVOLUTION BEGINS
Chapter 7 Section 1
MAIN IDEA
Economic and
social inequalities
in the Old Regime
helped cause the
French Revolution.
 Throughout
history, economic
and social
inequalities have at
times led peoples to
revolt against
their governments.

INTRODUCTION
 In
the 1700s, France was
considered the most
advanced country in
Europe.
 France was the center of
the Enlightenment.

French culture was widely
praised and imitated.
 France’s
appearance of
success was deceiving.

It was actually experiencing
bad harvests, high prices,
high taxes and trying deal
with Enlightenment
questions.
THE OLD ORDER
The Old Regime – the
social and political
system of France.
 Under this system the
people of France were
divided into three large
social classes called
estates.

THE PRIVILEGED ESTATES
 First
Estate – Clergy
1% of population
 Owned 10% of the land

 Second


Estate – Rich nobles
2% of population
Owned 20% of the land
 Both
estates had access to high
offices and exemptions from
paying taxes.
 Scorned Enlightenment ideas as
radical notions that threatened
their status and power as
privileged persons.
THE THIRD ESTATE

Third Estate –
everyone else


97% of the population
Three groups made up
the 3rd Estate
Bourgeoisie
 Workers
 Peasants

BOURGEOISIE
 Middle
class
 Bankers, factory owners, merchants,
professionals and skilled artisans.
 Well educated & supported Enlightenment ideas.

Liberty & equality
 Some
were richer than nobles but had to pay
high taxes.
 Lacked privileges of the First and Second
Estates.
 Did not have the same social status and
political power.
WORKERS
Poorest group
 Tradespeople, apprentices, laborers and
domestic servants.
 Low wages and high unemployment rates.


Often went hungry or resulting in stealing.
PEASANTS

Largest group

80% of population
Paid half their
income in dues to
nobles, tithes to the
church and taxes to
the king’s agents.
 Paid taxes on basic
staples (ex. salt).
 Resented nobles
and clergy.
 Greatly desired
change.

WHO IS CARRYING SOCIETY?
THE FORCES OF CHANGE

Other factors, besides resentment, that led to the
revolutionary mood in France:
New ideas about government
 Serious economic problems
 Weak and indecisive leadership

ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS
The Third Estate was inspired by the success of the
American Revolution.
 Began to question the structures of society.
 Quoted Rousseau and Voltaire and argued for equality,
liberty and democracy.

ECONOMIC TROUBLES
By the 1780s, France’s economy was in decline.
 On the surface the economy appeared fine, but it was
impossible to make a profit due to the heavy taxes.
 The cost of living was rising.
 Bad weather caused crop failures.


1789 – the price of bread doubled.
GOVERNMENT DEBT
 1770s
and 1780s – France’s
government sank deeply into
debt.
 Why?
 Extravagant spending of King
Louis XVI and Marie
Antoinette.
 Louis was left with a huge debt
when he took the throne.
 He also spent a lot of money
helping the colonists in the
American Revolution.

Doubled France’s debt.
 1786
– bankers refused to loan
the government any more
money.
A WEAK LEADER
 Louis
XVI – indecisive and
paid little attention to
government advisors.
 Marie Antoinette interfered
with the government and
offered poor advice.
 Marie was a member of the
Austrian royal family 
unpopular with the French.
 Marie spent lots of money on
gowns, jewels, gambling and
gifts  Madame Deficit.
ESTATES-GENERAL
Instead of cutting expenses, he decided to impose
taxes on the nobility.
 The Second Estate forced him to call a meeting of
the Estates-General to approve the new tax.
 Estates-General – an assembly of
representatives from all three estates.

DAWN OF THE REVOLUTION
In the past, the clergy and the nobles had
dominated the Estates-General.
 Medieval rules – each estate got one vote
 Who do you think was usually outvoted?
 What is the problem with this system?

THIRD ESTATE READY FOR CHANGE
The Third Estate delegates were eager for
government change due to their Enlightenment
beliefs.
 They urged for each delegate to have one vote,
not each estate.
 The Third Estate had as many delegates as the
other two estates combined.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
The king sided with the nobles and enforced the
medieval rules.
 Upset with this ruling, the Third Estate decided
to work under the name National Assembly
and pass laws and reforms in the name of the
French people.
 The National Assembly voted to abolish the
absolute monarchy and begin a representative
government.

TENNIS COURT OATH
 Three
days later, the Third Estate was locked
out of their meeting room.
 They moved their meeting to a Tennis Court and
vowed not to leave until they drew up a
Constitution.
 This pledge = Tennis Court Oath
 Some nobles and clergy joined the Third Estate.
 Louis got scared and stationed Swiss guards
around Versailles.
RUMORS  PREPARATION
Rumors spread in Paris.
 People said that Louis was going to use his army
to dismiss the National Assembly.
 Others said that the troops were going to
massacre French citizens.
 Citizens got scared and armed themselves.

STORMING THE BASTILLE
July 14, 1789 – citizens in search
of gunpowder and weapons
stormed a French prison, the
Bastille.
 The mob overpowered the guard
and took control of the building.
 The mob killed a few guards,
placed their heads on pikes and
proceeded to march through the
streets.
 Fall of the Bastille became a
great symbolic act of revolution.


July 14th – Bastille Day ~ our
Independence Day.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS


Were the citizens justified in storming the
Bastille? Why or why not?
Would you have participated? Why or why not?
A GREAT FEAR SWEEPS FRANCE
Rumors spread
throughout France.
 This senseless panic
became known as the
Great Fear.
 Out of fear that the
nobles were going to
terrorize the peasants,
the peasants became
outlaws themselves.
 Peasants broke into
nobles’ houses and
destroyed legal papers
that bound them to pay
feudal dues.

EXPENSIVE BREAD AND ANGRY
WOMEN
 Parisian
women were outraged
at the price of bread.

They marched to Versailles in
protest.
 First,
they demanded the
National Assembly take
action.
 Then, they turned on the king
and queen.
 Killed some royal guards.
 Demanded that Louis and
Marie return to Paris.
MADAME DEFICIT
LEAVING VERSAILLES
Louis finally agreed.
 The king, his family and servants left Versailles,
never again to return.
 Their exit signaled the change in power and
radical reforms about to overtake France.
