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growing discontent
During the mid 1700's many more people began to be unhappy. One of the reason for this being the population growth. This meant families had to support more children with food and money. Another reason was the changing economic conditions. the 2nd and 1st classes wanted to charge the peasants higher rents and in cities the food prices were rising. The food and the rents were going up in price but the wages the peasants were making were not. They couldn't keep up with the economy changing. -
Financial Crisis
Louis XVI took over to rule the country in 1774. He married the daughter of the Austrian empress Marie-Antoinette. Louis XVI wanted to strengthen the relationship with Austria. Marie ended up spending huge amounts of money to a point where the country was spending more than it was earning. by 1787, bankers wouldn't lend the government any more money. Louis XVI didn't know what to do due to him being inexperienced at running a country. France faced a financial disaster. -
The Spread of the Revolution
during the meeting of the estates general, the King moved troops into Paris and Versailles. The National Assembly feared that Louis was going to drive out them by force. The people of Paris heard of this and on July 1789, took action. They captured the Bastille prison, a symbol of royal oppression. the crowd looted the Bastille for weapons and destroyed it. This lead to a new government, new flag, a new army, a New France. -
Meeting of the estate general.
King Louis called for a meeting of the Estate general to be held at Versailles in 1788. He hoped he could be able to get approval for new taxes.Finally in 1789, the estates general met. In the past, each of the estates had one vote. this made it possible for the second estate and the first estate to outvote the third. This time, the third estate refused to obey. the third estate then declared itself to be the National Assembly. This act began the French revolution. -
The end of the old regime
The members of the national assembly tried to stop the violence happening in France with new laws and reforms made. they first outlawed the tithe, canceled all feudal dues and services owned by peasants., and removed the privileges that the first and second estates had. The assembly also had adopted The Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This document was needed for the basic human rights and political power of the people. -
The legislative assembly
The new government outlined a constitution but that constitution didn't last for more than a year.They didn't create a stable government. The revolutionaries set up a weak executive branch and a powerful, inexperienced, legislature. The Legislative Assembly became divided into three groups with different attitudes. -
The Constitution
In 1791, the national assembly finished writing a constitution for France. This Constitution split the government into 3 branches; the Executive, legislative, and judicial branches.This Constitution also limited the power of the king. The king could no longer make or block laws. Wealthy men still held most of the political power after the Constitution. -
The end of the monarchy
on august 10, 1792, The Legislative Assembly suspended the office of king. Armed Parisians marched on the Tuileries Palace, The Paris home of the royal family. They killed many of the king's guards and imprisoned Louis and his family in the temple. the Delegates of the National Convention wrote a new constitution for France.
