Causes of the French Causes of the French RevolutionRevolution

or or The Enlightenment The Enlightenment

Realized?Realized?

Accelerated World HistoryAccelerated World History

Mr. BachMr. Bach

Question?Question?

•Do we Do we live in live in an an enlighteenlightened age?ned age?

The World is FlatThe World is Flat

The World is FlatThe World is Flat• The Chinese and the Indians are not racing us to the The Chinese and the Indians are not racing us to the

bottom. They are racing us to the top. Young Indian bottom. They are racing us to the top. Young Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs are not content just to and Chinese entrepreneurs are not content just to build our designs. They aspire to design the next build our designs. They aspire to design the next wave of innovations and dominate those markets. wave of innovations and dominate those markets. Good jobs are being outsourced to them not simply Good jobs are being outsourced to them not simply because they'll work for less, but because they are because they'll work for less, but because they are better educated in the math and science skills better educated in the math and science skills required for 21st-century work. required for 21st-century work.

• When was the last time you met a 12-year-old When was the last time you met a 12-year-old who told you he or she wanted to grow up to be who told you he or she wanted to grow up to be an engineer?an engineer? When Bill Gates goes to China, When Bill Gates goes to China, students hang from the rafters and scalp tickets to students hang from the rafters and scalp tickets to hear him speak. In China, Bill Gates is Britney hear him speak. In China, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America, Britney Spears is Britney Spears Spears. In America, Britney Spears is Britney Spears – and that is our problem.– and that is our problem.

Cause #1 – Inequity in Cause #1 – Inequity in SocietySociety

The Old RegimeThe Old Regime•First Estate – Roman Catholic First Estate – Roman Catholic

ChurchChurch–Owned 10% of the land.Owned 10% of the land.–Paid only 2% of its income to Paid only 2% of its income to the statethe state

–Enlightened?Enlightened?•No – threatening to them. No – threatening to them.

Cause #1 – Inequity in Cause #1 – Inequity in SocietySociety

The Old RegimeThe Old Regime•Second Estate – NobilitySecond Estate – Nobility

–Owned 20% of the landOwned 20% of the land–Paid 0% in taxesPaid 0% in taxes–Enlightened?Enlightened?

•No – threat to their No – threat to their power.power.

Cause #1 – Inequity in Cause #1 – Inequity in SocietySociety

The Old RegimeThe Old Regime•Third Estate Third Estate

–Bourgeoisie – middle-class Bourgeoisie – middle-class (capitalists)(capitalists)•Paid 50% of their income in Paid 50% of their income in taxestaxes

•Enlightened?Enlightened?–Yes – independently educatedYes – independently educated

Cause #1 – Inequity in Cause #1 – Inequity in SocietySociety

The Old RegimeThe Old Regime• Third EstateThird Estate

– Urban workers (often poorly paid)Urban workers (often poorly paid)– PeasantsPeasants

•Will be collectively known as the Will be collectively known as the ProletariatProletariat

•Enlightened?Enlightened?–Not necessarily educated, but will Not necessarily educated, but will benefit from enlightened ideals.benefit from enlightened ideals.

The Poor Third EstateThe Poor Third Estate

Cause #2 - Cause #2 - EnlightenmentEnlightenment

•France was center of France was center of Enlightenment thoughtEnlightenment thought–Equality and Liberty Equality and Liberty (Rousseau, Voltaire, (Rousseau, Voltaire, Diderot, etc.)Diderot, etc.)

–American Revolution served American Revolution served as an exampleas an example

Cause #3 – Economic Cause #3 – Economic ProblemsProblems

•King raises taxes to pay off King raises taxes to pay off tremendous debtstremendous debts–Spending of absolute Spending of absolute monarchymonarchy

–Cost of helping the American Cost of helping the American RevolutionRevolution

–Famine and inflation spreadFamine and inflation spread

Cause #4 – Terrible Cause #4 – Terrible LeadershipLeadership

•Louis XVI and Marie Louis XVI and Marie AntoinetteAntoinette–Not prepared to ruleNot prepared to rule–Antoinette = Hapsburg Antoinette = Hapsburg family (France’s enemy)family (France’s enemy)

–Ignorant to problems of Ignorant to problems of the Third Estatethe Third Estate

The Third Estate The Third Estate Awakens!!!Awakens!!!

Estates - GeneralEstates - General

•Called by Louis XIV to Called by Louis XIV to approve a new taxapprove a new tax

•Third Estate will rebel Third Estate will rebel from the meeting over from the meeting over the unfair voting the unfair voting procedure.procedure.

National AssemblyNational Assembly

•Had the nerve to declare an Had the nerve to declare an end to absolute monarchy end to absolute monarchy and would establish a and would establish a republic.republic.

•Tennis Court OathTennis Court Oath–Swear to create a new Swear to create a new constitution for France.constitution for France.

Tennis Court OathTennis Court Oath

Bastille Day – July 14, Bastille Day – July 14, 17891789

•Mob storms the Bastille Mob storms the Bastille (prison) in search of arms(prison) in search of arms–Fearful that Louis XVI was Fearful that Louis XVI was going to send out his troopsgoing to send out his troops

–This act of revolution goes This act of revolution goes unpunished!unpunished!

Lady LibertyLady Liberty

The BastilleThe Bastille

Great FearGreat Fear

•Peasants and poor seize Peasants and poor seize control of country by control of country by terrorizing the nobility terrorizing the nobility and clergy.and clergy.

Reforms of National Reforms of National AssemblyAssembly

• Declaration of Rights of Man and Declaration of Rights of Man and CitizenCitizen– Statement of principlesStatement of principles

•““Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”• Took control of the Catholic Church Took control of the Catholic Church

to pay off debtsto pay off debts– However, offended many Catholics However, offended many Catholics

in France.in France.