The Causes of the French Revolution

1. The Causes of the French Revolution

2. Background • Louis the XIV ruled absolutely, but by the end of his reign, the country was failing • Rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer • High taxes and high prices for food • Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, inherited the throne from his grandfather • Marie Antoinette was from Austria, a longtime enemy of France • Louis XVI was a very weak ruler—he did not pay much attention to the government

3. Cause 1: The Old Regime (France in the 1780s) • France’s society was divided into three classes or estates • 1stand 2nd: privileged and did not have to pay taxes • 3rd: 98% of the population, responsible for all taxes, and had no government privileges • The 3rd Estate resented the other two, and wanted government reform

4. Cause 2: The Enlightenment • France was the center of the Enlightenment in the 1700s • The ideas of Locke, Rousseau, and Montesquieu encouraged the people to think about taking power from the government

5. Cause 3: The American Revolution • Americans listened to the ideas of the Enlightenment and with the help of France, overthrew Britain and formed their own government. • Stories of the revolution spread throughout France and encouraged people (especially lower-class people) to wonder if they could overthrow the French government

7. STOP AND THINK… • Which cause do you think had the biggest effect on the French Revolution? Why? • If you were a member of the 3rd Estate, which cause would have affected you the most?

8. Experiencing the Meeting of the Estates General • Step 1: The King assembles the Estate General for advice. • Step 2: The Three Estates prepare to meet. • Step 3: Each Estate proposes a plan to save France • Step 4: The king proposes a plan to save France • Step 5: The Estates General votes on the king’s plan • Step 6: Severe famine occurs • Step 7: The Third Estate responds to the situation.

10. Effect: The Meeting of the Estates General – May 5, 1789 • Louis and Marie spent France into bankruptcy. To get out of it, he wanted to tax the nobles (the 2nd Estate) • The nobles forced Louis to call the Estates together to approve the taxes • The 3rd Estate, being the largest, felt that they should have a major say in the decision • The King refused to grant the people of the 3rd Estate their own votes and so the 1st and 2nd Estates dominated the decision. • Result: Taxes remained the burden of the 3rd Estate

11. Effect: The National Assembly • Upset at the King, the 3rd Assembly left the Estates General and called themselves the National Assembly • Wanted to pass laws to reform the government for the people • June 17, 1789: the Assembly voted to end the monarchy and start a representative government • 3 days later: the Assembly was kicked out of its meeting room. Instead, they met on an indoor tennis court and pledged to stay there until they had a new constitution • Known as the Tennis Court Oath

13. Effect: Storming the Bastille • Louis tried to make peace with the 3rd Estate by giving into their demands • BUT—he was nervous, and called in Swiss guards to Paris to keep order • In Paris, people thought the guards were coming to massacre them, and took to the streets in protest • July 14, 1789: the people stormed the Bastille, a French prison in Paris. This became a symbol of revolution to the French. • Like our 4th of July

15. Effect: The Great Fear • The violence and fear in Paris soon spread throughout the country • The Great Fear: wave of senseless panic that took over France • Peasants became outlaws • October 5, 1789: 6,000 Parisian women (and some men) rioted over high bread prices • Marched on Versailles, took over, and forced Louis, Marie Antoinette, and their children to go to Paris