THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONTHE FRENCH REVOLUTION

CHAPTER 6CHAPTER 6

SECTION 1 NOTESSECTION 1 NOTES

Section 1- On the Eve of Section 1- On the Eve of RevolutionRevolution

Social StructureSocial Structure First Estate- Clergy First Estate- Clergy

-Church owned about 10% of the land and paid no -Church owned about 10% of the land and paid no direct direct taxes to the statetaxes to the state- made up about 1% of the population- made up about 1% of the population

Second Estate-noblesSecond Estate-nobles-Held the top jobs in the government, the army, -Held the top jobs in the government, the army,

courts, and the churchcourts, and the church-Also did not have to pay direct taxes-Also did not have to pay direct taxes- Made up about 1% of the population- Made up about 1% of the population

Third Estate- 98% of the populationThird Estate- 98% of the population-At the top were the bourgeoisie (middle class) -At the top were the bourgeoisie (middle class) including including bankers, merchants, lawyers, doctorsbankers, merchants, lawyers, doctors-Most people were rural peasants -Most people were rural peasants -On the bottom were the urban workers-On the bottom were the urban workers-paid direct taxes to the state-paid direct taxes to the state

Land Ownership in FranceLand Ownership in France

Discontent of the Third Discontent of the Third EstateEstate

DiscontentDiscontent Third estate members resented the Third estate members resented the

upper estatesupper estates Best jobs were reserved for the noblesBest jobs were reserved for the nobles Their wages were smallTheir wages were small Burdened with taxesBurdened with taxes Even a small rise in food prices could Even a small rise in food prices could

mean starvationmean starvation

Economic TroublesEconomic Troubles Burden of TaxesBurden of Taxes

Louis XIV had left France in debt so the Louis XIV had left France in debt so the government had to borrow more and more money, government had to borrow more and more money, thus, they had to increase taxesthus, they had to increase taxes

Nobles and clergy resisted attempts to make Nobles and clergy resisted attempts to make them pay taxesthem pay taxes

Poor HarvestsPoor Harvests Food prices went soaring and people began to riot Food prices went soaring and people began to riot

demanding breaddemanding bread Failure of ReformFailure of Reform

Some rulers of France were more interested in Some rulers of France were more interested in themselves than the countrythemselves than the country

Some were well-meaning, but were weak and Some were well-meaning, but were weak and indecisiveindecisive

Estates GeneralEstates General

Louis XVI calls the Estates GeneralLouis XVI calls the Estates General Each estate received one vote which meant Each estate received one vote which meant

the 1st and 2nd estates could outvote the the 1st and 2nd estates could outvote the 3rd 3rd

Louis had each estate prepare a cahier- Louis had each estate prepare a cahier- notebook listing grievancesnotebook listing grievances

3rd estate declared themselves the 3rd estate declared themselves the National Assembly and took the Tennis National Assembly and took the Tennis Court Oath- they swore to keep Court Oath- they swore to keep meeting until they had established a meeting until they had established a just constitutionjust constitution

Tennis Court OathTennis Court Oath

Storming of the BastilleStorming of the Bastille

Storming the Bastille- July 14, Storming the Bastille- July 14, 17891789 Crowd demanded weapons and Crowd demanded weapons and

gunpowder they thought were gunpowder they thought were stored at the prisonstored at the prison

Some prisoners were releasedSome prisoners were released Seen as a symbol of the RevolutionSeen as a symbol of the Revolution

Storming of the BastilleStorming of the Bastille