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The Beginning
An unfair tax system and poor harvest caused the French peasantsto be angry with the government. -
The Estates
The Estate Generals met with King Louis XVI in Versallies, to discuss a tax plan. The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate was the nobility, and the Third Estate was the rest of France, the peasants and laborers. There was discussion of giving the Third Estate more than one vote, for their towering size compared to the other two Estates; but the Parliment of Paris reminded them of the old rule saying each Estate was to receive one vote, regaurdless of size. -
The National Assembly
The Third Estate declared themselves the "National Assembly" and took the Tennnis Court Oath. Breaking off from the Generals Estate and renaming themselves the National Assembly, was caused by their feeling of liberty and limited votes. The Tennis Court Oath was an oath taken to ensure they would stay together, no matter what happened,and got its name because they took the oath while standing on a tennis court. -
Bastille
A huge, blood thirsty mob marched to the Bastillein search of gunpowder and prisoners that had been taken by the hated King. The crowd was angry because of the rumored attacks from the government and sarvation. Over 300 people were there and willing to die if it meant the end of overtaxing and an overbearing government. The Paris citizens got through the arsenal, then the courtyard, and then got through the wooden doors and the second drawbridge. -
Fuedalism and Serfdom Over
The end of fuedalism and serfdom was announced by the National Assembly. The delegates proposed new reforms and surrendered class privledges. Peasants were tied to their landlords through obligations and fees through the manorial system, which was gone. Corvee, unpaid labor, and all tithing to the church, were also gone. The first two Estates, the clergy and the nobility, agreed to give up exemptions. Feudalism and serfdom, slavery, were removed from France, spreading joy among its streets. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
The Declaration of the Rights of Man was issued by the National Assembly. This declaration gave the people of France equality and sovereigty. Authors such as, Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau, influenced their readers into believing that everyone is equal. After reading the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the citizens of France agreed with it and embraced its ideas and teachings, but the clergy, nobility , and basically the wealthy, did not like its ideas at all. -
The Turning Point
There were 7,000 women all armed with pitch forks, pikes, and muskets, heading toward the royal palace. The women intended to kill the queen, Marie Antoinette, but as they entered her room, she had just escaped through a secret passage way, and they demanded to see her in the courtyard instead. The mob had their muskets pointed at the kneeling queen, but did not kill her; they realized their power over the palace so they demanded bread be dispenced to all of the people in the villages.
