The revolution begins/ The Causes Of The French Revolution

Revolution Uprise

• Started in 1789
• Made a dramatic change all of Europe forever.
• France wanted politicial change based on ideas of freedom and equality.

Causes of the French Revolution

• France one of the most powerful countries in Europe.
• Nobles - lived in great wealth - enjoyed many privileges
• French Kings ruled with absolute power.

French People

• Were mostly poor
• Had little education
• struggled to make a living

The Estates

• 1st Estate - the Catholic clergy
• did not pay taxes
• received money from church lands

The Estates

• 2nd Estate - was the nobles
• held highest posts in the military in government
• paid no taxes
• lived in luxury at king's country houses; surrounded with large areas of land.

The Estates

• 3rd Estate - Everyone else in France were in this estate
• Bourgeoisie - the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes.

Member ranking

• Bourgeoisie (merchants,bankers, doctors, teachers)
• City Workers (artisans, day labors, servants)
• Peasants

Percentage of estates

"Walking up a long hill . . . I was joined by a poor woman who complained of the times, and that it was a sad country; . . . she said her husband had but a morsel [small piece] of land, one cow, and a poor little horse, yet they had [42 lbs.] of wheat and three chickens to pay as rent to one [lord], and [4 lbs.] of oats, one chicken, and 1s. [a coin] to pay to another, besides very heavy tallies [land taxes] and other taxes."



—from Travels, by Arthur Young, 1789