French Revolution Lesson

French Revolution (1789-1799)

​Learning Goal 8 - Identify and explain the social, economic, and political factors that led to the French Revolution.

Word Cloud

What comes to mind when you think of the French Revolution?

Revolution Background

• Enlightenment Ideals brought on new ways of thinking

• Influence from American Revolution

• Economic and Social turmoil:

  • Monarchy in debt from American Revolution

  • Classist society: favoring the First Estate

  • Increase in taxes - bad harvests

The Three Estates

Multiple Choice

What were the Three Estates?

• The Three Estates were the merchants, the artisans, and the farmers.
• The Three Estates were the monarchy, the military, and the scholars.
• The Three Estates were the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial

• The Three Estates were the clergy, the nobility, and the common people.

Open Ended

How might the social structure lead to a revolution?

Open Ended

What is a monarchy?

The Monarchy - Rule by king/queen

Issues Arise

• Enlightenment Ideals bring more resentment toward monarchy in France

• Rise in food prices due to shortages

• French monarchy poorly deals with societal issues

• King of France at age 5

• French grew to hate him as time went on

• Had 10 children with former king of Poland's daughter, Marie Leszczynska

• Open relationship with Madame de Pompadour

• Could not secure land holdings after the Austrian Succession and after the Seven Years War

• Distrust and hatred of Louis XV

• Died 1774 having his last mistress by his side

• Succeeded by grandson Louis XVI

Louis XV: King of France 1715 to 1774 AD

Open Ended

What most surprised you about King Louis XV?

• King at 20

• Not equipped to deal with debt and social issues from Louis XV

• Arranged marriage with Marie Antoinette

​​Louis XVI

​​Marie Antoinette

• Born in Austria

• Archduchess of Austrian Empire

• 15 years old married Louis XVI

• Built by Louis XIV

• House 60,000 people by time of Revolution

• Included:

  • Palace

  • Gardens

  • Hunting Ground

  • Marie Antoinette's estate

​The Palace of Versailles

Poll

Would you have liked to live at the Palace of Versailles?

• YES

• NO

• Oppressive Monarchy

• Two Bad harvests

​

Leading Causes of French Revolution

• Social Inequality

• Excessive Court Spending

• Growing unemployment

​

Multiple Select

What were three causes of the French Revolution?

• Social Equality

• Excessive court spending

• Oppressive Monarchy

• Equal taxes

• Two bad harvests

• 1783: Louis XVI appoints Charles de Calonne as controller general of finance

• 1786: Calonne sought loans from European banks but was turned down.

• 1787: Charles de Calonne called a meeting called the Assembly of Notables

  • Propose new taxes

Louis XVI Response to Debt

• ​Louis XVI called for a meeting of the Estates General

• which had not met since 1614.

• The goal was to bring France together

• A new land tax to bring in revenue

  • 1st Estate: 300 votes

  • 2nd Estate: 300 Votes

  • 3rd Estate: 600 Votes

Meeting of the Estates General

• Parliament of Paris said that each estate would get one collective vote.

• Third Estate would be overruled by First and Second Estate

• Bourgeoisie angered because they felt disrespected especially because many members had more money than the nobility but did not have the same title

Open Ended

Write 1 social and 1 economic cause of the French Revolution.

• In Versailles, the Third Estate commoners and lower clergy on the Jeu de Paume.

• Stay there until there was a new French Constitution

• Louis legalized National Assembly, but surrounded Versailles with troops

The Tennis Court Oath - 1789

• A prison that symbolized years of oppression against common people of France

• Eliminate that symbol of oppression by destroying the Bastille

• Contained armory

Storming of the Bastille

Open Ended

What do you think will be included in the New Constitution?

New Constitution

• The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (1789) guaranteed due process in judicial matters and established sovereignty among the French people.

• It made ALL Frenchmen equal.

• Third Estate did not have problems with this but the monarch and the Second Estate did not like it

• The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen would remain the founding principles moving forward.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

Open Ended

Why do you think that the Second Estates would not like the New Constitution?

• Growing food shortages

• Women stepped in by taking up arms and storming the Palace of Versailles

• Over 20,000 people outside the palace by the next morning

• Demanded King and Queen Move to Paris

March on Versailles - 1789

• They killed the guards and searched for the Queen

• Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and their children forcefully lived in Paris, Tuileries Palace, until their trial

• He was then forced to approve the August Decrees and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

​

March on Versailles Cont

Poll

Are you surprised by the role women played in the March on Versailles?

• YES

• NO

• Set up a Legislative Assembly

• Kept the king in power

• Took control of the church

• Drafted the Constitution of 1791

The New Order

Headed to Austria

• June 1791 - Louis XVI and family tried escaping the palace in Paris

• Planned to unite with Austrian army to regain control of France

• Placed under house arrest after being recognized

• French people did not trust Louis XVI

Open Ended

Write one political cause of the French Revolution