The French Revolution: Underlying

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The French Revolution Underlying
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Absolute Monarchy

• The people of France were upset with the denial
  of basic rights
• Estates General had not been allowed to meet in
  175 years
• People had no say in government
• Could not curb the kings actions
• King seemed out of touch with the needs of his
  subjects
• Outlandish spending on wars and personal
  paraphernalia

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Queen Marie Antoinette
King Louis XVI
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Social Inequality

• Third Estate had the largest burden, but had no
  political influence
• Estates General Voting System ?One vote per
  estate
• Who does this favor?
• Nobility did not have to pay taxes
• Utter disregard for the welfare of the Third
  Estate
• (Tale of Two Cities Excerpt)

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Economic Injustice

• Food prices were at an all-time high (due to a
  bad harvest)
• Peasants and urban workers could not afford bread
• Average worker made 15 sous a day
• Family needed 2 loaves of bread a day
• Price of bread jumped from 9 sous a loaf to 14.5
  sous
• People resorted to crime
• Mobs stole grain and/or assaulted bakers

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The Enlightenment

• Call for democratic reforms
• Questioned traditional French society known as
  the Old Regime
• Why should the First and Second Estates have
  privileges at the expense of the Third Estate?
• Does not government derive its power from the
  people? Are not the Third Estate people?

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The American Revolution

• Inspired by the American Revolution
• If the American colonies could overthrow a
  tyrannical monarch, why couldnt the people of
  France?