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Privileged Estates
Two of the estates had privileges, including access to higher offices and exemptions from paying taxes that we're not granted to the members of the third estate. The first estate contributed only about 2 percent of its income to the government and the second estate did the same. -
Economic Troubles
Frances economy is in decline. This caused alarm among those who had money such as merchants, factory owners, and bankers of the Third Estate. On the surface the heavy burden of taxes made it almost impossible to conduct business profitably within France. Crop failures began to sky rocket as bad weather came across France as well. Many people faced starvation. (bread prices rise greatly) -
Great fear
Rebellion spread across France. From one village to the next rumors circulated that nobles were hiring outlaws to terrorize peasants. The great fear rolled thru France. Women rioted over the bread prices and marched on versailles with weapons. They broke into the castle killing some guards and demanding the return of the king and queen and they eventually did. -
A Weak Leader
Louis XVI was indecisive and allowed matters to drift. He paid no attention to his government advisors and had little patience for the details of governing. The ween only added to his problems. She was a member of the royal family of Austria and never gave the king any good ideas. He almost went broke until he called upon estates to raise taxes. -
Limited Monarchy
The national assembly completed the new constitution which Lousi reluctantly approved. It created a limited monarchy and stripped the kid of much of his authority. It also created a legislative body that had the power to create the laws and approve or reject declarations of war. -
Jacobins takes Control
Most people involved in the government changed in 1792 were members of the Jacobin club. aOne of the most prominent Jacobins was Jean-paul Marat. During the revolution he edited a newspaper and Marat called for the death of all of those who still supported the king. They were the most radical political party at the time. -
France at War
The war began bad for France, Prussian fires were advancing on Paris in 1792. Prussian mobs captured the king and queen and their children, so S the French troops defending Paris were sent to reinforce the French army. For several days they raided the prisons and murdered over 1,000 prisoners and many nobles, priests and sympathizers fell victim to the angry mobs in the "September Massacres." -
Hero of the Hour
When royalist rebels marched on the national convention, a government official Told Napoleon to defend the delegates. Napoleon and his gunners greeted the thousand of royalists with a cannonade. Within minutes the attackers fled and Napoleon Bonaparte become the hero of the hour and was hailed throughout Paris as the savior of th eFrench republic. -
Napoleon Crowned
Napoleon decided to make himself emperor and the French voters supported him. On December 2, 1804, dressed in a splendid robe Napoleon waled down the long isle on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and the pope waited for him with a nice crown. With this gesture Napoleon signaled he was more powerful than the church which had traditionally crowned the rulers of France. -
The Continental System
Napoleon setup a blockade to prevent all trade and communication between Britain and other European empires. it was supposed to make continental Europe more self sufficient and he intended to destroy great Britains commercial and industrial industry. Britain answered back by taxing neutral ships and making a blockade of their own because their navy was a lot stronger than France.
