French Revolution:
Storming of Bastille
14th July 1789
CAUSES
FINANCIAL:
Louis XVI in Financial
Crisis 1786
Annotations:
-known for poor financial managerment (Louis&Marie Antoniette)
- expensive lavish lifestyle- $$$ spent on food, clothes,jewellery, gambling etc. = Spent more than they could afford
-lead to taxes being raised thus Third Estate (90% population-80% which were peasants) to pay taxes since First Estate (The Clergys) and Second Estate (Nobles) had special privellges to avoid paying tax.
-Angered Third Estate as the majority of them were already poor and were now struggling to survive due to the huge taxes they had to pay
- more $$$ L&MA spent= more tax 3rd Estate payed. = angry peasants. thought it was unfair and lead to French Revolution
SOCIAL: Ancien
Regine (Social
structure in
Pre-Revolutionary
France )
FIRST ESTATE: Clergys (1%)
CAUSES
FINANCIAL:
Louis in
financial
run-1786
Annotations:
-L&MA= spent more than they could afford= poor financial mangerment= debt=France almost bankrupt
L&MA= lavish
lifestyle=spent more
than afford=poor
financial mangerment=
debts=France almost
bankrupt
Debts by L&MA= more tax
payed by Third Estate (97%,
80% peasants) { 1st&2nd
Estate avoid tax due to
special privellges}
Angered Third Estate since 1st&2nd
Estate didn't have to pay tax and
L&MA lifestyle. Majority of them
were poor already but were now
really poor and struggling for survival
due to huge taxes they had to pay
SOCIAL: Ancien
Regine (Social
Structure in
Pre-Revolutionary
in France
People in French society
belonged to 3 social group-
Estates. Were unequal in size
and power
Annotations:
FIRST ESTATE: Clergys.
-1% population
-members of people who work in Churches
-Escaped all taxes and had more power than lords
-least likely to revol due to their power
SECOND ESTATE: Nobles
-2% population
-owned 20% of land
-avoided most tax, had right to hunt, more power and top job in goverment etc.
-very wealthy
-least likely to revol due to their wealth and power
THIRD ESTATE- Everyone else. middle class, urban worker, peanstry, landless, labourers
-97% poulation-80% were peasants
POLITICAL: Absolute
Monarchy and state of
affairs in Europe
1780s
France was an absolute
monarch- run by a
monarch who has
complete power and
does not share power
with parliament/any
other governing body
Absolute Monarchies were
very popular in Europe in
1780s. Monarches claimed to
be appointed by God
1774- Louis inherrited
French throne, not
interested in state
affairs, was very young
when made King
Basic duties: *See people have
bread, * kingdom successful in
battle *produce country with
heir
Louis failed
duties
IMMEDIATE: The
Estate
General&Tennis
Court Oath
meeting within 3
Estates to discuss the
problems in France
The Assembly of Notables (1st&2nd
Estate) called by French Minister
Colanne to plan land tax
1st and 2nd Estate
argued it can only be
decided by an Estate
General meeting with
the 3rd Estate
Louis was angry and
stopped the Assembly
of Notables meeting.
Paris Law court (nobles)
stated Estates General
meeting was needed
Poor harvests= 50%
increase in price of
bread=riot. King called
Estates General
meeting on May 1789
in hope to raise money
for France
At meeting, some
middle class members
demanded a
constitution. Louis
attempted to break up
assembly
Third Estate met at nearby tennis
court. Pledged not to go home until
France had a constitution. Called
themselves the National Assembly,
20th June 1789
CONSEQUENCES
IMMEDIATE: The Collapse
of the Ancien Regime/1791
Constitution
Estates General meeting was held to discuss problems within the 3 Estates