1 / 10

Background Notes- of the French Revolution

Background Notes- of the French Revolution. “ It was the Best of Times it was the Worst of Times”. I. Absolute Monarchy. By the 1600s a system of government called absolute monarchy (monarch had total control of the state) had become dominant in Europe

gianna
Download Presentation

Background Notes- of the French Revolution

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Background Notes- of the French Revolution “It was the Best of Times it was the Worst of Times”

  2. I. Absolute Monarchy • By the 1600s a system of government called absolute monarchy (monarch had total control of the state) had become dominant in Europe • Following Spain’s decline (revolt in Netherlands); France under King Louis XIV emerged as the leading power. • Louis XIV (1643-1715- 72 years); I am the state! Believed in the divine right of kings- that God had ordained him and his will was law. • Palace of Versailles elaborate and burden on French economy. • Personal emblem- the Sun- whose rays symbolized the extent of his power and influence

  3. King Louis XIV

  4. Palace of Versailles

  5. I. Absolute Monarchy (Cont.) • Under Louis XIV France had a 400,000 man army- most powerful in Europe • Louis XIV had territorial ambitions- wanted to extend to Rhine River- alarmed other nations. • Four wars fought between 1667-1713- financial burden, many lives lost, French exhausted. • Louis XIV dies in 1715 and nobles win back many of the powers they had lost during his rule • Louis XV- great grandson- 59 years of debt growing…. • Louis XVI takes power young, shy, indecisive, marries Marie-Antoinette from Austria.

  6. King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

  7. II. Tradition of Taxation • France sold the right to collect the direct tax (tax collectors were called tax farmers) • Tax farmers paid the government a fixed sum after collecting what they could and keeping any extra. • Clergy and nobles did not have to pay taxes

  8. III. Social Order • First Estate- Clergy 1% • Second Estate- Nobles with right to primogeniture (2%) • Third Estate- 97% of population • Bourgeoisie (middle class: merchants, manufacturers, and professionals/lawyers & doctors) had wealth and education—wanted political power equal to economic strength • Laborers and artisans – resented “tax farmers” and fact that nobles didn’t pay • Peasants (owed feudal dues and services); paid 1/10th to church (tithe) – resented work and little pay, all their pay going to the lord and the church.. PLUS nobles didn’t pay!

  9. IV. Enlightenment Ideas • Ideas of Locke, Montesquieu, and others inspired the French Revolution. • American Revolution – followed these ideas as the colonists successfully rebelled against Britain’s king.

More Related