PART 1: What caused the French Revolution of 1789

What where the 4 main things that caused the French Revolution

1. The Estate System

2. The Age of Enlightenment

3. Poor Harvest

4. France’s Economic Crisis

When did the French Revolution start?

In 1789

What was the Estate system

The French society was divided into three social classes, called Estates.

There was the:

1. First Estate

2. Second Estate

3. Third Estate

Explain what the First Estate was

• It was made up of the clergy (members of the Catholic Church) such as bishops or priests

• They had a lot of privileges but did not have to pay taxes

• Some of them were very rich and lived a life of luxury

Explain what the Second Estate was

• It was made up of the nobility

• These people had many privileges and were extremely rich

• However, in spite of their wealth, the nobility hardly paid any taxes

• Many of them owned large areas of land

Explain what the Third Estate was

• Was made up of everyone else (not part of the clergy or nobility)

• These pipes had few rights

• The vast majority of this Estate was presents who lived in extreme poverty

• The people of the Third Estate, payed almost all the taxes in France

What was the Age of Enlightenment

A time when smart thinkers began to question old beliefs

Why was the Age of Enlightenment one of the reasons for the French Revolution

Because the ideas of liberty and freedom (i.e. for a rebellion) which were needed to overthrow Louis XVI came from the writings of the important thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment

Who was King Louis XVI

The King of France before and during the French Revolution who ruled as an absolute monarch

What did the smart thinkers of the Enlightenment question

• The traditional authority of an absolute monarch

• The unfair estate/class system in France

What did their questioning and ideas inspire

People to want a revolution/rebellion and to fight for change during the French Revolution

Why was a poor harvest one of the causes for the French Revolution

• Because in 1788, 1 year before the French Revolution started, France had a bad harvest and food became very scarce

• Because of this, the prices of food rose, and many of the poorest people, especially the peasants who lived in the countryside, faced starvation

• This made people want a revolution even more

What were the reasons for France’s economic crisis in 1798

1. The series of expensive wars France participated in, especially against its long time rival, Britain

2. The expensive lifestyles of the French absolute monarchies of the 17th and 18th century

Give an example for both of the reasons why France was facing an economic crisis in 1789

1. Expensive wars

- Example: France allied with the United States during the American War of Independence against Britain. France’s support of the war was expensive and caused the country to push itself into bankruptcy

2. French monarch’s lavish lifestyles

- Example: The construction and remodeling of the Palace of Versailles throughout these centuries incurred a huge cost to the country

What does this satirical cartoon published before the Revolution show

The Three Estates

What does this picture show

The Palace of Versailles