The French Revolution
Twyla Black
Ed639
Age of Revolution Unit
First lesson
Ninth Grade Social Studies Class
Materials
• Computer
• LCD Unit
• Worksheets
Rationale
The French Revolution destroyed the entire
structure of royal absolutism and ended the
social order based on aristocratic privilege.
It set the stage for democratic movements
around the world during the next century.
Objectives
Explain how France’s class structure
contributed to the French Revolution.
List the political reforms the National
Assembly adopted for France.
Student Activities
Participate in group activity about how France’s social divisions
contributed to the French Revolution.
Fill in worksheet as we go through lesson.
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Population Divided
Causes of the
French
Revolution
First Estate
Population Divided
Causes of the
French
Revolution
The First Estate was made up of Roman Catholic clergy. There were two levels in
The First Estate, the higher clergy and lower clergy. They made up about 1% of
the population.
The higher clergy owned about 5 to 10% of the land and earned a great deal of
money from the taxes of those who worked the land.
This money helped fund schools
for the grand lifestyles of the
and a aid the poor. It also paid
higher clergy.
The lower clergy was made up of parish priest
who were poor. They had more in common
with The Third Estate. They carried on
religious duties and ran the school. They
resent the higher clergy for their lavish
lifestyles.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Population Divided
Causes of the
French
Revolution
The Second Estate consisted of the nobility. They owned about 25% of the
land in France and earned money through rent from the peasants who
worked the land.
They enjoyed many privileges and lived a lavish lifestyle. Some lived in the
palace at Versailles and some lived in extravagant homes on the land they
owned.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Population Divided
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Third
Estate
The Third Estate was comprised of peasants, artisans and the bourgeoisie. This was
the largest social group but the one with the least political power.
The professionals (doctors, lawyers and merchants) of the bourgeoisie lived in the
cities and towns. They were educated people and had read Enlightenment works.
They believed in freedom and social justice.
The remainder of The Third Estate was made up of peasants and artisans. Some of
the artisans were able to live in cities even though they had meager means. The
peasants typically lived in rural areas.
They owned some land but they also had a great deal of taxes to pay to The First
& Second Estates. They worked hard but had no voice in the government.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Population Divided
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Third
Estate
First Estate
Second
Estate
Population Divided
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Third
Estate
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
The young king, Louis the XVI married a 14y/o princess from Austria. Her
name was Marie Antoinette. She had a great deal of influence over the king.
She was not received well by the French people. It was expected that an heir
would be produced quickly but one was not. This was upsetting to the
population. She was accused by the population of being sexually immoral.
This created a great deal of discord and discomfort for the royal couple.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Population Divided
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Third
Estate
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
When Louis XVI took the throne he was very young. The country was in
terrible financial condition. His grandfather and father had poor fiscal policies
and had created a financial crisis. Young Louis was only 19 y/o and had poor
examples to follow.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Population Divided
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Third
Estate
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Due to a physical condition, Louis was unable to consummate his marriage to
Marie. This caused the young King a great deal of embarrassment. He chose to
pursue activities away from home. This opened the couple up to a great deal of
speculation.
Since he wasn’t home, he wasn’t able to address the issues of the financial crisis
and the discord of the population.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Population Divided
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Third
Estate
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
Since the reign of Louis XIV, France had been involved in many squirmishes with
its neighbors. Other European countries were afraid of the consequences should
Louis XIV dreams of expansion be realized. They banded together against France.
The War of Spanish Succession, in the early 1700’s, drained the French treasury,
increased poverty of France, and created opposition to the royalty rules.
Louis the XVI was faced will aftermath of this situation.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Need Tax
Reform
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
After much consideration Louis XVI decided the country was in such dire
financial straights that there was no choice but to tax the First and Second
Estates. The members of these groups refused to comply.
The Estates-General, with representatives of each of the Estates, met to discuss
the concerns of the land. It was the hope of the First and Second Estates that
they could strengthen their stake in the government and protect their
pampered position in the social stratification.
The Third Estate had other ideas.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Peasants
&
Bourgeoisie
Heavily Taxed
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
The peasants, artisans and bourgeois supported the First and Second Estates through
their tithes to the clergy, feudal dues, fines to the nobles and taxes to the king. The
First and Second Estates had no financial responsibilities to the country.
Even though The Third Estate provided the most financial support they had virtually
no power in the government.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Revolutionary
Ideas
Peasants
&
Bourgeoisie
Heavily Taxed
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Revolutionary
Ideas
No Taxation
w/o
Representation
Peasants
&
Bourgeoisie
Heavily Taxed
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
Louis XVI had supported the efforts of the American Colonist in their bid for
freedom from England. One of the primary demands by the Colonist was “no
taxation without representation.” The citizens of France, initially only the Third
Estates, created the National Assembly. Representatives of The First and Second
Estates join at the direction of the King. He was concerned about only
members of the Third Estate writing a new constitution
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Revolutionary
Ideas
Take up
arms against
Tyranny
Peasants
&
Bourgeoisie
Heavily Taxed
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
No Taxation
w/o
Representation
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
The First and Second Estates fought to continue with the current social order.
The Third Estate fought for social equality. The debates took to the streets.
The King was becoming increasingly ridden with anxiety about the turmoil of his
citizens. He called in the military for support.
Many of The French people became increasing agitated. They saw the prison, The
Bastille, as representative of the tyrannical government. They attacked The Bastille
on July 14, 1789. It is now know as Bastille Day. Which is equivalent to our
Independence Day.
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Republic
Superior to
Monarchy
Take up
arms against
Tyranny
Peasants
&
Bourgeoisie
Heavily Taxed
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Revolutionary
Ideas
No Taxation
w/o
Representation
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
The French citizenry were also impressed by the American Colonies
governmental style of a democratic republic. This change sealed King Louis
XVI’s fate.
First Estate
Take up
arms against
Tyranny
Peasants
&
Bourgeoisie
Heavily Taxed
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Age of
Enlightenment
Republic
Superior to
Monarchy
Second
Estate
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Revolutionary
Ideas
No Taxation
w/o
Representation
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
First Estate
Appeal to
Bourgeoisie
Grievances
Republic
Superior to
Monarchy
Take up
arms against
Tyranny
Peasants
&
Bourgeoisie
Heavily Taxed
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Age of
Enlightenment
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Revolutionary
Ideas
No Taxation
w/o
Representation
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
The Declaration of the Rights of Man took many of its ideas from the
Enlightenment writers such as Locke and Rousseau. They write that all men are
created equal and are equal before the law.
Society can
Flourish with
Free Economy
Appeal to
Bourgeoisie
Grievances
Republic
Superior to
Monarchy
Take up
arms against
Tyranny
Peasants
&
Bourgeoisie
Heavily Taxed
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Age of
Enlightenment
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Revolutionary
Ideas
No Taxation
w/o
Representation
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
The artisans and people working the land as well as, the bourgeoisie were
confident that an open free economy could only be of benefit to the country.
Society can
Flourish with
Free Economy
Appeal to
Bourgeoisie
Grievances
Republic
Superior to
Monarchy
Take up
arms against
Tyranny
Peasants
&
Bourgeoisie
Heavily Taxed
Challenge
Absolute Rule
First Estate
Second
Estate
Third
Estate
Population Divided
Age of
Enlightenment
Influenced by
Marie
Antoinette
Weak
Absolute
Monarchy
Revolutionary
Ideas
No Taxation
w/o
Representation
Need Tax
Reform
Nobles Against
Tax Changes
Causes of the
French
Revolution
Preferred
Personal
Pursuits
Govt. had
Large Debt
Extravagant spending
by Court
Incapable of
strong decisive
decisions
Overly Ambitious
Wars
An absolute monarchy had been in place for years. This system was
not working for the majority of the population. Even as the absolute
leader, Louis XVI supported the efforts of the American Colonist in
their demand for a democratic republic. His citizens wanted to follow
suit and demanded a drastic change in France’s political system.
Resources for further exploration on the French Revolution on the Internet.
www.swil.ocdsb.edu.on.ca/FreRev/mission.html
www.historywiz.com/frenchrev.htm
www.hightower.com/bastil.htm
www.woodberry.org/acad/hist/FRWEB/timeline/timeline.htm
www.freespeech.org/republicansf/1798.htm