French Revolution Three ESTATES France was ruled by

French Revolution

Three ESTATES • France was ruled by a system called the OLD REGIME, made up of 3 social classes (Estates) • Two Estates: the Clergy (the 1 st) and the Rich (the 2 nd) paid no to barely any taxes yet owned 30% of the land • The Third Estate (97% of the people of France) included the bourgeoisie (middle class), the workers and the poor. All had little to no privileges and had to pay HIGH taxes • Some members of the 3 rd estate paid ½ their income in taxes and had to steal bread just to survive

Causes 1. Inequality between classes (3 rd estate had the least and paid the most) The 3 rd Estate starts the Revolution. 2. Debt in France (wars, Marie Antoinette spent a lot of money, etc. )

Causes 3. Inspired by U. S. Revolution and ideas of the Enlightenment 4. Bad Leadership (Louis XVI) 5. Price of bread skyrocketed, people could not afford it. (Food Shortage)

Tennis Court Oath Cause Who Effect The 3 rd estate was 3 rd Made a new locked out of their estate constitution meeting so they went to the tennis courts

• The government met to approve higher taxes on the 3 rd estate. • The 1 st and 2 nd estates could outvote the 3 rd every time (even though the majority of people in France were in the 3 rd) • Members of the 3 rd estate had their own meeting to make a new constitution for France. They were locked out of their meeting and continued it on the Tennis Courts. (Tennis Court Oath), where they drafted a new constitution

Storming the Bastille Cause Who 3 rd estate broke into the prison to get weapons and gunpowder to protect themselves Effect They got weapons and killed all the guards; the revolution begins

• People started to panic that the King was going to stop their planning and uprising. So, to get weapons, members of the 3 rd estate went to the prison (Bastille) to get weapons and gunpowder. Storming of the Bastille is the official start of the French Revolution (July 14, 1789)

Great Fear Cause Who People started 3 rd to panic that estate they would be punished for beginning the revolution Effect People stockpiled weapons and rioted-hurting many people (from the 1 st and 2 nd estates) and burning down houses

• Panic, fear of punishment, and violence spread all across France. This was the “Great Fear. ” Angry mobs torched the homes of members of the 2 nd estate and forced the King and Queen out of hiding-back to Paris.

Reign of Terror Cause Who Revolution successful. Killed King and Queen, needed new leaders for France -Jacobins Effect Robespierre started to execute ANYONE -Maximillion he viewed as a Robespierre threat…paranoid. Witch hunt. -3 rd estate 40, 000+ French citizens killed

• Robespierre ruled during the Reign of Terror. This was a period in France where ANYONE suspected of being a threat or enemy of the new government would be executed. Anyone who challenged Robespierre would be sent to the guillotine.

• Eventually, Robespierre was killed and France declared itself a republic. However, France put a military genius in charge of the military to bring stability to France. He saved France from another Revolutionary war.

• Napoleon Bonaparte was a war hero. He won many battles for France. However, he also wanted to rule over France. Eventually, Napoleon is crowned Emperor of France and builds a huge empire by invading other countries.

What did Napoleon do for France? • Tax Collection (fair) • Bank System • Fair set of laws • Public Education • Expanded the French Empire • Napoleon was a good leader to the people of France, but started wars by invading other countries (Trying to take over all of Europe).

• Napoleon wanted to conquer all of Europe, and he did get most of it, but the French Empire was not stable. Eventually Napoleon and his armies were defeated and France became a Republic. • It is the 2 nd oldest democracy in the world (next to the USA)

Effects • A group of radicals took over control of France. They were called the Jacobins and their leader was Robespierre. • They said they were creating a republic in France, but Robespierre became dictator. • The King and Queen were killed. • The Middle Class became more powerful.

Effects • 5. Napoleon becomes leader and starts wars trying to conquer Europe • 6. Eventually, France becomes a republic • 7. Tens of thousands of people were killed throughout the whole revolution.