French%20Revolution

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French Revolution

• 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

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French Revolution
Marie Antoinette Louis XVI
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French Revolution
Marie Antoinette and the Royal Children
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French Revolution
Marie AntoinettesPeasant Cottage
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French Revolution
Marie AntoinettesPeasant Cottage
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French RevolutionOld Regime
3 groups 97 of population 80 are peasants 50
of income to feudal dues Tithes to church Paid
taxes to King
1 of pop 2 to Gov 10 of land Collect tithes
1
1st Estate Clergy
Number of Votes as part of Estates-General
2nd Estate Aristocracy-Nobles
1
2 of pop No taxes 20 of land Collect feudal
dues
3rd Estate Bourgeoisie City Workers Peasants
1
Voting Pattern by Estates
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French Revolution

• 3rd Estate resents first two estates
• They have no political power hurting
  economically
• Enlightenment ideas American Revolution inspire
  them to seek changes
• Demand equality, liberty, and democracy

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French Revolution

• By 1780 economy is much worse
• Taxes hindering growth
• Inflation cost of living going up
• Crop failures cause grain shortages

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French RevolutionOld Regime
Heavy taxes on staples things people need daily

The French Urban Poor
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French RevolutionOld Regime
Where is the tax money?
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French Revolution

• Meanwhile, govt going deeper into debt
• Funded American Revolution (they hated Britain!)
• King and Queen spend on luxuries
• Bankers refuse to lend any more money
• Louis is in trouble!
• I know, lets tax the Nobles!!
• Estates-General must approve

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French Revolution

• Louis calls a meeting at Versailles
• first time in 175 years
• Under old rules
• Delegates from each estate meet in separate halls
• Each estate gets 1 vote
• Clearly unfair to the 3rd Estate constantly
  outvoted!
• Most 3rd Estate delegates are bourgeoisie
• They love Enlightenment ideas!

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French Revolution

• 3rd Estate says
• All three estates meet together
• Vote by delegates they have 2x as many as other
  estates
• When rejected they proclaim themselves
  National Assembly (legislative body)
• End of absolute monarchy
• Beginning of representative government
• 1st Act of REVOLUTION!!!

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French Revolution

• When King locks them out of their meeting hall,
  they meet in indoor tennis court
• Pledge to write a new constitution
• Tennis Court Oath
• Clergy nobles join them (1st 2nd Estates)
• Louis is getting nervous (as he should!)
• Sends Swiss troops to guard Versailles
• Rumors fly-foreign troops will massacre French
  citizens

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French Revolution

• People prepare by gathering weapons
• Storm the Bastille (prison) for more weapons
  gunpowder
• Hack the prison commander some guards to death
  parade around their severed heads on sticks
• (Things are turning ugly! Not a good sign.)

Bastille Day July 14
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French Revolution

• All hell breaks loose so to speak!
• Rebellion spreads beyond Paris
• Rumors that nobles are hiring people to kill
  peasants sparks them to attack nobles their
  property
• Great Fear spreads across France!

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French Revolution

• Meanwhile prices are rising
• Bread prices shoot up women riot for bread
• Thousands arm themselves with pitchforks, knives,
  axes (whatever it takes!)
• March to Versailles and force King and his family
  to go to Paris to try to help with the situation
• Last time the royal family saw Versailles
• This events signals a political movement from a
  somewhat moderate rebellion to a radical one