23:1 – The French Revolution Begins
The Three Estates
In French society, people were divided into three categories called estates. Each estate
had specific roles and privileges. The First Estate consisted of the nobility/aristocracy,
the Second Estate was the Church, and the Third Estate included most of the rest of
French society – the peasants and the “common people”. The Third Estate, the poorest
group, provided most of the nation’s tax revenue. These dollars were used to pay for the
monarchy’s wars and lavish palaces, as well as support the wealthy lifestyle of the
aristocracy and many public projects.
Political Cartoon on the Three Estates
*note – the captions on this cartoon are virtually unreadable, but for the purposes of this
lesson, you only need to look at the images.
Go to http://www.historywiz.com/images/frenchrevolution/threeestates.jpg
1. Describe the scene depicted in the cartoon. Who do you think the various people
represent?
2. In a few sentences, summarize the message you think the artist is trying to get across.
3. How is the height of each group used to convey the cartoon’s message?
4. Which estate do you think the artist feels is most important? Explain your reasoning.
5. How effectively do you think the cartoon reveals the artist’s message? Explain your
reasoning.
The Storming of the Bastille
By the summer of 1789, discontent among the lower classes of Paris had started to rise to
a fever pitch. Food had been in short supply the entire year, sparking hundreds of small
riots in the city. Meanwhile, debate in the Estates General (a meeting of the Three
Estates) had also heated up, as delegates fiercely debated political reforms. King Louis
XVI feared social and political turmoil might break out into full-blown conflict. In July,
he ordered French troops into the city – ostensibly to maintain order, but in reality to
launch a preemptive strike and prevent any uprising from taking place. Ironically, this
action provided a spark that led a determined band of citizens to rise up and search for
weapons. On July 14th, they headed for the Bastille. In addition to serving as the royal
armory, it was an infamous prison. Their storming and capture of the Bastille is widely
considered to be the beginning of the French Revolution. While the storming of the
Bastille did not really accomplish a great deal militarily, it was of great symbolic
importance to the people of France. This lesson will allow you to learn more about
events which took place at the Bastille.
A Parisian Newspaper Account of the Fall of the Bastille
Go to http://thecaveonline.com/APEH/frrevdocuments.html#anchorbatille
1. Why was this event important to the common people of France?
2. Why does the article refer to the government as “treacherous”?
3. What did the author mean by saying “the citizens had become hardened to the fire”?
4. Why do you think the governor and some of his officers were killed by citizens
instead of being put on trial?
5. What is the meaning of the following sentence, found near the end of the article: “this
glorious day must amaze our enemies, and finally usher in for us the triumph of
justice and liberty.”
6. Do you fell the author of the article supported the people or the French nobility and
the king? Explain.
7. Do you consider the actions of the citizens who stormed the Bastille as heroic, or do
you think they simply gave in to a mob mentality? Explain.
Writing a Letter to King Louis XVI
Write a letter to the king giving advice on how he might avoid a revolution in his country.
Be sure to address all of the causes of the revolution and suggest specific compromise
positions Louis XVI can take.