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French Revolution

The document outlines the causes and characteristics of the French Revolution, highlighting economic struggles, social inequality among the Three Estates, and the influence of Enlightenment ideas. It details the formation of the National Assembly, the Tennis Court Oath, and the storming of the Bastille as pivotal events leading to the revolution. The period culminated in the execution of the monarchy and the establishment of a Democratic Republic, followed by the Reign of Terror under Maximilien Robespierre.

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6 views

French Revolution

The document outlines the causes and characteristics of the French Revolution, highlighting economic struggles, social inequality among the Three Estates, and the influence of Enlightenment ideas. It details the formation of the National Assembly, the Tennis Court Oath, and the storming of the Bastille as pivotal events leading to the revolution. The period culminated in the execution of the monarchy and the establishment of a Democratic Republic, followed by the Reign of Terror under Maximilien Robespierre.

Uploaded by

mokshaj20111
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Characteristics and Causes

Causes ofthe French


Revo lution
Poor Economy
Poverty
Massive Spending by the royals
Hatred of Marie Antoinette
Enlightenment Ideas
The American Revolution
Needs of the French
Pe ople
Political Power
Social Equality
Food
Respect
Ability to provide for their families
Royalty to step down
CAUSES
SOCIAL CAUSES
The Three Estates
1st Estate

2nd Estate

3rd Estate
The Three Estates
First Estate: Church or Clergy
1% of population ,owned
10% of land, paid little taxes

Second Estate: Nobles / Lords

•First
2 % of the population owned
•Estate 25 % of land, paid no taxes
•Second Estate
•Third Estate

Third Estate: Bourgeoisie (or


Middle Class), Peasants,
Workers, and Serfs
97% of the population, owned

Population 40 % land, paid high taxes (half


of their income!
The members of the Third
Estate resented the special
treatment the First & Second
Estates received

Members of the Third


Estate gained inspiration
from the Enlightenment
ideas of John Locke,
Voltaire, & Rousseau
After the success of the
American Revolution,
the Third Estate began
demanding democracy,
equality, & liberty in France
Political Causes
1. People were fed up with the autocratic rule of Louis
XVI who was a weak ruler .
2. Administration had become corrupt & inefficient
3. King used his power for his own good and did not
do much for the welfare of the people.
4. Common people had no say in administration. All
bureaucratic posts were occupied by the
aristocrats.
Economic Causes
1. French Government was heavily under the debt but king used
to spend freely from the state treasury to lead a luxurious life
2. Louis XVI got himself involved in American War of
Independence and brought the country to the brink of
Bankruptcy
3. The policy of exempting the rich from taxation never allowed
the state treasury to be filled .
4. He had maintained a huge army and built a big extravagant
court at the immense palace of Versailles which drained the
wealth of France.
National Assembly

On June 17, 1789, the Third estate renames itself


the National Assembly and vows to change
France by ending absolute monarchy and
establishing a representative government.
Tennis Court Oath

On June 1789 the representatives of Third


Estate formed National Assembly and
assembled in the royal indoor tennis court at
Versailles & took an oath Vowed to create a
new French constitution. This Pledge came
to be known as Tennis Court Oath
Bastille Day
⬥ 1.July 1788 French farmers, peasants do not
have enough to eat and are paying high taxes
⬥ 2. Peasants getting a bit rowdy
⬥ 3. Louis XVI starts assembling troops at
Versailles
⬥ 4. People fear he is planning to attack the
new National Assembly and arrest
members
Storming of the Bastille
1. Inspired by the National Assembly,
commoners began riot in protest of the
rising prices.
2. Revolutionaries first raided the Paris town
hall in pursuit of arms, but then realized the
Bastille contained a large armory.
3. On July 14, 1789, angry citizens in support of
the National Assembly stormed the prison in
Paris.
Storming of the Bastille
Declaration of the Rights of
Man
1.National Assembly votes to eliminate all
classes, titles, nobility.
–
Say nobles and clergy must pay taxes too
2.Serves as a basis for French Constitution
⬥ “Liberty, Equality,
⬥ Fraternity”
The draft of the constitution was completed
by 1971.

3. The King & Queen were tried and executed


.

4. The Monarchy in France was abolished and


the country was declared a Democratic
Republic
Guillotine

New device created in 1792 to make


executions efficient.
“Reign of
– Terror”
“Reign of Terror” The period
from 1793 to 1794 is referred to
as the Reign of Terror.

Maximilien Robespierre
• Around 30,000 people
eventually sent to the
guillotine
• Nobles, peasants, workers -
anyone Robespierre saw as a
threat to the revolution
Anyone who did not agree with Robespierre’s methods
were arrested, imprisoned and were guillotined
(named after Dr Guillotin who invented it).
Maximilien Robespierre

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