Introduction to the French Revolution
Before he was known as King Louis XVI
 Louis Capet or “Citizen Capet”
 His brother was the true heir to
the throne but died as a child
 Ill prepared for throne
 Great-grandson of Louis XIV (the
Sun King)
 Enjoyed hunting, wrestling and
locksmithing
 Grandfather: King Louis XV
 His parents died of smallpox
 Age 15 married 14 year old
Hapsburg Archduchess Marie
Antoinette (second cousin once
removed)
 Their marriage was arranged to
cement a union of the Hapsburgs
and Bourbons- bitter rivals since
the 16th century
Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs, but
may spread to other organs
Marie Antoinette
 Mother: Marie Theresa
 Father: Holy Roman Emperor Francis I
 Had many siblings including Joseph II.
 Viewed as an outsider
 High spirited tomboy
 Rather lazy, extremely frivolous
 Very social
 Loved to gamble
 Exquisite taste in fashion, furniture,
jewelry
Marie Antoinette:
 Will have four children with Louis
XVI (all but one will die as a child)
 Sought refuge at her private
domain at Versailles- the Petit
Trianon
 Very fancy “peasant cottages”
 “Had the tastes of an actress, not
an austerely regal queen”
 Necklace Affair (was innocent but
not in the eyes of the French
citizens)
King Louis XVI & the Road to
Revolution
 Louis became King of France at age of 20
 Very immature and lacked self-confidence
 Wanted to be a good king and help his subjects
 French Subjects:





Severe food shortages
Weighed down by taxes
Resentful of royal absolutism
Desired self-government (like the United States)
Estates General had not met since 1614.
 Rising resentment toward King & Queen
 Louis= too indecisive
 Marie Antoinette: blamed for country’s financial situation
The French Monarchy:
1775 - 1793
Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI
Review from last night’s homework
1. What was the social structure of the old regime in
France?
2. What economic troubles did France face in 1789,
and how did they lead to further unrest?
3. What actions did delegates of the Third Estate take
when the Estates-General met in 1789?
4. What was the significance of the storming of the
Bastille?
Ancien Regime= Old Order
First Estate= clergy
Second Estate= nobility
Third Estate= majority of population
It was the best of times,
it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom,
it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief,
it was the epoch of
incredulity…
-- Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities
Incredulity= amazement, wonder
*Epoch: period of time, beginning of a
historical era
Socio-Economic Data,
1789
The French Urban Poor
80
70
60
50
1787
1788
40
30
20
10
0
% of Income Spent on Bread
Cartoon #1
1. How does the
Cartoonist portray the
Third Estate? Explain
why.
2. What were the
differences among the
social classes in prerevolutionary France?
Cartoon #2
1. How does the
Cartoonist portray the
Third Estate? Explain
why.
2. What were the
differences among the
social classes in prerevolutionary France?
Cartoon #3
1. How does the
Cartoonist portray the
Third Estate? Explain
why.
2. What were the
differences among the
social classes in prerevolutionary France?
Ticket to Exit:
Judging from what you’ve learned about the
social divisions within France’s three estates and
what you currently know about the social classes
in our country today, give me one example how
they are alike and one way they are different.