2. Until 1789 rule by kings
States General called 1789
Fall of the Bastille, July 1789
New Constitution, 1789-1791
Republic 1792
Extremists in Power 1793
Reign of Terror 1793-1794
The Directory 1795
Napoleon First Consul 1799
8. Second Estate
• Nobles and aristocrats
• Also exempt from taxes
• Charged rent to
peasants who farmed
their land and charged
fees for the use of their
mills, wine presses and
bakeries.
9. Third Estate
• Contained a wide variety
of citizens
– Middle
class, artisans, townsmen
and peasants
10. • The wealthy produced little of the wealth
• Those who produced the nation’s wealth were
taxed heavily
12. • King Louis XIV called for the
Estates-General
• This was the only political body
with the authority to reform the
tax system.
• It consisted of representatives
from the first and second
estates elected by the king and
from the third elected by the
people.
13.
14. 3. Political Incompetence
• King Louis XIV and Marie-Antoinette proved to
be totally unqualified to lead the nation
15. • When the Estates-General met things went
bad
– The third estate demanded one vote per
representative
– First and second estate refused and the third
estate walked out
16. National Assembly
• The third estate formed this group
• They signed the Tennis Court Oath
• They simply wanted a constitution that would
guarantee basic rights to all French citizens
17.
18. • The citizens began to panic
• The crowd charges the Bastille on July 14
• July 14 is celebrated as France’s Day of
Independence
19.
20. • National Assembly signed the Declaration of
the Rights of Man on August 26, 1789
21. • Many French nobles fled France and went to
Austria.
• France declared war on Austria
22. Reign of Terror
• Called for the removal of opposition and had a
period of mass execution
23.
24.
25. • A five-man committee known as the Directory
headed up the new government
Editor's Notes
Third estate 98.08%Second estate 1.43%First estate .49%
Numbered about 10,000Archbishops and bishopsManaged land for the Roman ChurchHad luxurious lifestyle that differed from the regular priest or monk that interacted with the people
About 350,000 people
24 million people
This system reduced many to poverty, and it limited opportunities for economic growth. At the same time, those who paid the most in taxes, rents and fees were denied basic freedoms and political representation in the governing of France.
France was in trouble…wars, lavish castles, helping the Americas all put a huge strain on France’s financesPayments on the national debt consumed nearly half of the annual income from taxes
Once this body met, things quickly spiraled out of control
Married when she was 15 and he was 16At first they were very popular with the people
King Louis humiliated the member of the third estateTraditionally each estate had one vote, the third estate wanted one vote per representative
King Louis ordered troops to assemble outside of ParisSearch for weaponsBastille is fortress prison used to house political prisonersThe mob stormed the building and killed those assigned to guard itThe mob attacked government buildings and destroyed documents that recorded debts and rents due to member of the first and second estates
Demanded the end of many of the abuses suffered by the French people and advocated ideals that included innocence until guilt is proven and liberty to do anything that does not injure another.
Marie Antoinette’s homeland (Austria)They warned them to not harm the king (King Louis XIV)Tried him and executed him
25,000 men and women were sent to the guillotine including Marie Antionette
Beheading of Marie Antoinette
Had to rely on the army for support because it lacked the support of most of the French
