The French Revolution began in 1789 due to growing discontent with the French monarchy and the unequal system of the three estates. The Third Estate, made up of the commoners, demanded political reforms and more representation. This led to the formation of the National Assembly and the storming of the Bastille prison. The Assembly abolished the privileges of the nobility and clergy, declaring the equal rights of all citizens in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. However, economic troubles and military defeats weakened the new government and radical factions grew which ultimately overthrew the monarchy.

1. Chapter 11 Section 1
The French Revolution Begins

2. I. Background to the Revolution
a. The French Revolution and
Beginning of the U.S. both
occurred in 1789.
b. Causes of the French Revolution.
i. French society was based on
inequality.
c. France was divided into three
estates.

3. d. Three estates
i. First Estate- clergy
1. 130,000 people.
2. Exempt from France’s chief tax.
i. Second Estate- Nobility.
– 350,000 people.
1. Held many of the leading positions in
the state.
2. They wanted to increase their power.

4. iii. Third Estate- commoners.
1. 98% of the population.
2. Relics of feudalism.
3. Economically hurt by the rise of prices
of goods.
e. Bourgeoisie or middle class-
Owned about 25% of the land.
i. Upset about the privileges given to
the nobles.

5. Commoners
3rd Estate
Aristocracy
2nd Estate
Clergy
1st Estate
Division in France:Division in France:
The three EstatesThe three Estates

6. f. Aristocrats and members of the middle
class were drawn to the political ideas
of the enlightenment.
i. Opposition of these elites to the existing
order led them to drastic action against
the monarchy.
f. The immediate cause of the French
Revolution was the near collapse of
the government’s finances.
i. The French economy suffered a series of
crises for 50 years.
ii. 1/3 of the population was considered
poor.
iii. The poor lived in absolute squalor.

7. h. The French gov’t continued to spend
lavishly on wars and court luxuries.
i. Marie Antoinette, was especially known
for her extravagance.
II. From Estates-General to National
Assembly
a. Each order of French society had
representatives in the Estates-General.
i. To fix the economic situation the Third
Estate wanted to set up a constitutional
gov’t that would eliminate tax exemptions.

8. Commoners
3rd Estate
Aristocracy
2nd Estate
Clergy
1st Estate
The Number of RepresentativesThe Number of Representatives
in the Estates General: Vote byin the Estates General: Vote by
Head!Head!
300
300
600

9. Commoners
3rd Estate
Aristocracy
2nd Estate
Clergy
1st Estate
The Suggested Voting Pattern:The Suggested Voting Pattern:
Voting by EstatesVoting by Estates
1
1
1
Louis XIV insisted thatLouis XIV insisted that the ancient distinction of thethe ancient distinction of the
three orders be conserved in its entirety.three orders be conserved in its entirety.

10. b. Tennis court oath- Agreement that the
National Assembly would continue to
meet until they finished drafting a
constitution.
c. Commoners stormed and dismantled
the Bastille.
i. The royal armory and prison in Paris.
ii. The kings authority collapsed.
iii. Local revolutions broke out throughout
France.

11. ““The Tennis Court Oath”The Tennis Court Oath”
by Jacques Louis Davidby Jacques Louis David
June 20, 1789June 20, 1789

12. d. Peasant rebellions became known as
the Great Fear.
i. Panic hit France in 1789 because of a
fear of invasion from foreign troops in
support of the monarchy.
ii. People in the countryside formed militias.

13. III.Destruction of the Old Regime
a. National Assembly’s first act was to
destroy the relics of feudalism or
aristocratic privileges.
b. Declaration of the Rights of Man and
the Citizen- proclaimed freedom and
equal rights for all men.
i. Ended exemptions from taxation.
ii. Adopted freedom of speech and press.

14. The Declaration of theThe Declaration of the
Rights of Man and of theRights of Man and of the
CitizenCitizen August 26,August 26,
17891789
V Liberty!Liberty!
V Property!Property!
V Resistance toResistance to
oppression!oppression!
V Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
was in Paris at thiswas in Paris at this
time.time.

15. c. Did “all citizens” include women? Deputies
said that it did if women stayed out of
politics.
i. Olympe de Gouges didn’t accept the exclusion
of women.
1. Wrote Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the
Female Citizen.

16. d. Louis XVI stayed at Versailles and refused
to accept the laws of the National Assembly.
e. A delegation of these women met with Louis
XVI and told him how their children were
starving.
i. They forced the king to accept new decrees.
d. The Assembly adopted its Constitution in
1791.
i. It set up a limited monarch with a king and a
Legislative Assembly with the power to make
laws.
ii. Men over 25 and paid taxes could vote.

17. March of the Women,March of the Women,
October 5-6, 1789October 5-6, 1789
We want the baker, the baker’s wifeWe want the baker, the baker’s wife
and the baker’s boy!and the baker’s boy!
A spontaneous demonstration of Parisian womenA spontaneous demonstration of Parisian women
for bread.for bread.

18. g. By 1791 the old order was destroyed.
i. Lower classes were hurt by the economic
hard times.
ii. King tried to flee unsuccessfully from
France.
g. Austria offered to help Louis regain his
power.
i. Legislative Assembly declared war on
Austria.
ii. France lost battles with Austria, distrust
began to hit France.

19. i. War defeats and economic shortages
led to new political demonstrations.
i. Radicals organized mob attacks on the
royal palace.
1. They captured the king and demanded the
end of the monarchy.
i. Sans-culottes- ordinary people without
fancy clothes.