Name: ______________________
Date: ____________
Aim 11: What were the causes of the French Revolution?
Causes of the French Revolution
There was a revolution in France in 1789. The ruler of France before the Revolution
was King Louis XVI. His wife was Queen Marie Antoinette. King Louis XVI
lived in his palace at Versailles near Paris.
One of the reasons why there was a revolution in France in 1789 is that the king ran out
of France. He spent lots of money on two wars with Great Britain. One was in 1756 and
another one was in 1778. In the second war the French were helping the 13 colonists
break away from British control.
Another cause of the French Revolution was the problems faced by the third estate.
They were so poor that they did not have enough money to feed their families. This was
made worse when the crops failed to grow. The harvest failed in 1787
and 1788.
Another cause of the French Revolution was that the two social groups in France
would not give the king more money. The clergy and the nobility had lots of land
and money but would not pay more taxes. This left the king unable to find more
money.
A final reason why the French had a revolution in 1789 was ideas. A new set of ideas
called the Enlightenment attacked the power of the king and the church. These
made lots of ordinary French people think that they should have some of the power of
the upper class.
Name: ______________________
Date: ____________
Causes of the French Revolution Review
1. How do the chart and the graphs help explain the political cartoon?
The chart and graph support the political cartoon, which shows that the privileged 3 percent
were supported by the Third Estate, who were paying high taxes.
2. Why might the first and Second Estates be opposed to change?
The First and Second Estate would be opposed to change because they had privilege and
wealth. They probably had little desire to change, because they paid little to no taxes.
3. Why did the Third Estate propose a change in the Estates General's voting rules?
The third Estate proposed a change in the Estates General’s voting rules in order to gain
control of, and exercise more power in, the meeting of the Estates General.
4. How did the women's march mark a turning point in the relationship between the king and the
people?
The women’s march marked a turning point in the relationship between the king and the people
because the king had to bow to the will of the people.
Name: ______________________
Date: ____________
5. Why were members of the Third Estate dissatisfied with life under the Old Regime?
The members of the Third Estate were dissatisfied by their life under the Old Regime because
they had little political power.
6. How did Louis XIV's weak leadership contribute to the growing crisis in France?.
Louis XIV's weak leadership contributed to the growing crisis in France by letting political
problems and mounting debt get out of hand.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Exit Card:
1. Who belonged to each Estate before the French Revolution?
a. 1st Estate: Clergy (Church)
b. 2nd Estate: Nobility (aristocracy)
c. 3rd Estate: Middle Class (Bourgeoisie) and the Poor
2. Name at least 2 causes of the French Revolution
1. France was bankrupt
2. Shortage of food and high prices for bread
3. Before the French Revolution, the people of France were divided into three estates based mainly on
their
a.
b.
c.
d.
education level
geographic region
social class
religious beliefs
4. What was a major cause of the French Revolution?
a.
b.
c.
d.
inequalities in the tax structure
economic success of mercantilism
failure of the Congress of Vienna
Continental System of Europe
5. A primary cause of the French Revolution in 1789 was the
a. increasing dissatisfaction of the Third Estate
b. rise to power of Napoleon Bonaparte
c. actions of Prince Metternich
d. execution of Louis XVI
Name: ______________________
Date: ____________
6. The French bourgeoisie supported the French Revolution mainly because they
a.
b.
c.
d.
believed in the theory of divine right of kings
were not allowed to own property under the Old Regime
resented their lack of political power under the Old Regime
wanted a communist form of government