1. PEOPLE OF THE FRENCH
REVOLUTION

2. PEASANTS
(Third Estate)
24 million peasants
Upset with taxes, fees to nobles, hunting
rights, free labour, and military service.
Poor harvests and disease forced many
to move to cities.

3. BOURGEOISIE
(Third Estate)
The new Middle Class - 2 million strong.
Believed in power of the people and
want to take part in government.
Also pay very high taxes.
Estates General always outvotes
you 2 to 1 (0ne vote per Estate).

4. NOBLES
(Second Estate)
 200, 000 people or 2% of population.
 Good jobs and live well.
 Although privileged they have little power.
 Pushed for the Estates General to reopen -
closed for 175 yrs.
 Also want to be included in government.

5. CLERGY
(First Estate)
The higher clergy are priviledged.
Free of taxes and protected by feudal
law.
Collect tithes/taxes (10% of income)
Most country priest are poor and do not
enjoy the privileges set aside for the
upper clergy.

6. MARIE ANTOINETTE
Queen of France
18 yrs. Old
Spends a great deal of money.
Responsible for much of France’s great
debt.

7. LOUIS XVI
 Absolute ruler of France.
 Inherited a huge debt.
 Pays debt by raising taxes.
 Finance minister wants to tax nobles.
 Lettres de Cachet allows you to imprison
without trial.
 Cannot get a loan without calling the Estates
General.

8. THE REVOLUTION BEGINS
Reasons for the Revolution
 - French compared themselves to
the U.S.A.(republic) and
Britain(const. monarch)
- Middle Class and poor paying all
the taxes.
- Famine & Starvation - 40 000
abandoned kids.
- Britain's Industrial Revolution left
the French unemployed.
“THE CRISIS”
The philosophes would lead riots
against the government.

9. THE ESTATES GENERAL
‘French Parliament’
 To try and solve problems king
calls Estates General.
 1st Estate = clergy / 2nd Estate = nobles /
3rd estate = middle class.
 - PROBLEM - even though 3rd Estate is the largest
=> BLOC VOTE (outvoted 2 to 1).
 - 3rd Estate is frustrated and forms National
Assembly => TENNIS COURT OATH.
 Remain until new form of government is created.
 King is forced to send the two other Estates
Tennis Court Oath

10. THE FALL OF THE BASTILLE
July 14, 1789, a great
mob attacked the royal
prison, “The Bastille”, to
free political prisoners.
The King sent troops
to defend it, but the
soldiers joined the rioters.
Fr. Citizens formed
a new National
Guard led by
Lafayette
Seven political prisoners
were released and the warden’s
head was paraded through
the streets.

11. BASTILLE DAY
JULY 14
‘The Celebration of
Democracy’

12. THE GREAT FEAR
Rural peasants feared the
Aristocrats would stop the
revolution. To ensure
success they:
- killed hundreds of nobles.
- burned their homes.
-burned feudal certificates
and papers.

13. THE NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY
AUGUST, 1789, @ VERSAILLES
 Abolished feudalism and ended
serfdom.
 Declared all people equal before
the law.
 Created the Declaration of the
Rights of Man => people’s freedoms
(thought, speech religion, security and
property,limited power of gov’t).
 - abolish nobility titles and called
all people citizens.
 - seize church assets.
Declaration of the
Versailles

14. KING LOUIS
1791
King Louis, family, and many
other emigres tried to leave
France for other countries.
It was hoped they could gain
support to restore his monarchy.
NOTE – Other nations felt they
could be next. (ie. Austria)
They were caught in disguise, proving
he was untrustworthy and was arrested
and forced to sign the new constitution.

15. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
- 1791
Tried to establish a workable government but
was doomed to failure.
 Radicals wanted a Republic.
 Moderates wanted a Constitutional Monarchy.
 Monarchists wanted to bring back the King.
The National Assembly would give way to the
Legislative Assembly.

16. THE POLITICAL
CLUBS
THE JACOBINS
-The radicals.
-Responsible for the
‘Reign of Terror’.
-Would win the power struggle.
THE GIRONDISTS
-Viewed as too conservative.
-Lost power struggle.
-Most were sent to the guillotine.
THE SANS-CULOTTES
Mostly poor city folk.
Against bourgeoisie & reforms to help the rich.
Very violent – attacked anyone against the revolution.
Supported the radicals.
Wanted the gov’t to lower prices &give bread to the poor.

17. LEADERS OF THE
REVOLUTION
MARAT DANTON ROBESPIERRE
- Opposed any deals with the monarchy.
- Prepared to execute the King.
-Destroy anyone who has sympathy for the ‘old system’.
- Marat would be killed but Danton & Robespierre would take
control of the National Assembly.

18. THE END OF A
MONARCHY
The newly elected
National Convention
tried and executed
“Citizen Louis Capet”.
Jan. 21, 1793.
Marie Antoinette was
executed in October.

19. THE REIGN OF TERROR
1793-1794
The Jacobins & the sans-coulottes took control.
- Girondists were arrested and imprisoned.
- Law of Suspects - allowed the arrest of
anyone of nobility or office.
- no citizenship = guillotine
- food speculators were guillotined
- grainaries & bakeries = state controlled.
- anyone who questioned Robespierre was
guilotined => even Danton and sans-
coulottes leaders.
- 37 000 people guillotined.

20. THE FALL OF
ROBESPIERRE
Robespierre destroyed all opposition.
The positives - metric system.
- more efficient army.
- new schools & universities.
- took the emigres’ property.
Robespierre continued to condemn others
but the people turned on him. “The Revolution
devoured its own children.” He tried to shoot
himself but was arrested and guillotined.

21. THE DIRECTORY
People grew tired of Robespierre and his
dictatorship.
IRONY - The new gov’t was replaced
by people with $$$. The days of
equality were over but soon
Napoleon would rule France.

22. FRENCH REVOLUTION
SUMMARY
FOUR STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION:
1. The Old Regime
2. A Moderate Start
3. The Extremists
4. The Reign Of Terror