Setting the stage for the French revolution looking at social and economic conditions of France in the eve of the revolution.

1. “Setting the Stage”
Beginning of the French Revolution
18.1

2. 1. What were some ideas of the
Enlightenment that contributed to
the revolution?
 Social Contract
◦ the lower classes (Third Estate) could not
understand why the upper classes were
benefiting from the labor of the peasants.
The peasants questioned whether the
government was working to protect them.

3. The First Estate
2. Who were they?
 Clergy
3. What did they want?
 continue to not pay taxes
 protection of their property
 continued power in government

4. The Second Estate
4. Who were they?
 Nobles
5. What did they want?
 to keep top jobs in government, army,
courts, and Church
 an end to absolutism
 to keep their privileges
 continue to not pay taxes

5. The Third Estate
6. Who were they?
 Bourgeoisie (10%)
 Peasants (90%)
7. What did they want?
 employment
 food
 lower taxes
 end to the corvée
 the right to hunt
 the 1st and 2nd Estates to share the
burden

6. 8. What changes did the Estates-
General attempt to make when
called by Louis XVI?
 voting by population, that is, one
representative = one vote
 the Third Estate called for a
constitution

7. 9. Describe the change in
government the Tennis Court
Oath created.
 the National Assembly swore to create
a written constitution that laid out
rights of the people and limited the
power of the monarch

8. 10. Why were urban workers
discontented?
 many were unemployed
 those who had work, made a meager
living, barely able to makes ends meet
 some turned to crime in order to
survive

9. 10. Why were urban workers
discontented?
 many were unemployed
 those who had work, made a meager
living, barely able to makes ends meet
 some turned to crime in order to
survive

10. 11. Name five reasons France
suffered a financial crisis in the
late 1700s.
 deficit spending
 debt from the Seven Years’ War and
the American Revolution
 bad harvests
 increased taxes
 economic decline

11. 12. Why did Louis XVI finally
agree to summon the Estates-
General?
 the wealthy classes demanded Louis
XVI call the Estates-General before
making any changes
 the financial problems were so great
that in order to raise taxes, the
Estates-General had to be called

12. 13. Who participated in the
storming of the Bastille? How
did supporters of the event view
this?
 many Paris citizens (800 or so) who
feared a takeover of Paris by the royal
troops