Scribd
Upload
21 views8 pages

Louis XVI and the Estates General 1789

The document discusses the events leading up to the French Revolution, focusing on Louis XVI's call for the Estates General in 1789 to address taxation issues. The Third Estate, feeling underrepresented, declared themselves a National Assembly after being denied a new voting pattern, leading to the Tennis Court Oath. The unrest in France culminated in the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, as food shortages and social tensions escalated.

Uploaded by

deeps.blogs
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
21 views8 pages

Louis XVI and the Estates General 1789

The document discusses the events leading up to the French Revolution, focusing on Louis XVI's call for the Estates General in 1789 to address taxation issues. The Third Estate, feeling underrepresented, declared themselves a National Assembly after being denied a new voting pattern, leading to the Tennis Court Oath. The unrest in France culminated in the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, as food shortages and social tensions escalated.

Uploaded by

deeps.blogs
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MODULE - 3

THE OUTBREAK OF THE REVOLUTION


LOUIS XVI :
HOW DO YOU THINK HE COULD HAVE GONE
ABOUT DOING THIS ?

In France of the Old Regime the monarch did not have


the power to impose taxes according to his will alone.

• He had to call a meeting of the Estates General.


• Monarch along could decide when to call a meeting
The Estates General
of the body.
was a political body
• The last time it wasthe
to which done was in 1614.
three
estates sent their
representatives.
5 May, 1789
• Louis XVI called together an assembly of the Estates General.
• To pass proposals for new taxes.
• Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly.
ESTATE GENERAL MEETING

1st estate 2nd estate 3rd estate


300R 300R 600R

Voting Patter
1 Estate : 1 Vote Represented by its
more prosperous of
educated member
• Louis XVI was determined continue the same practice.
• Members of the third estate demanded for new voting pattern.

This was one of the democratic principles put forward by philosophers like Rousseau
in his book The Social Contract.

• King rejected this proposal.


• Members of the third estate walked out of the assembly in protest.
20th June
• They assembled in the hall of an indoor tennis court
in the grounds of Versailles.
• Declared themselves a National Assembly.
• Swore not to disperse till they had drafted a constitution
for France that would limit the powers of the monarch.
• They were led by Mirabeau and Abbe Sieyes.
Mirabeau

• Mirabeau was born in a noble family.


• He was convinced of the need to do away with a
society of feudal privilege.
• He brought out a journal.
• Delivered powerful speeches to the crowds assembled
at Versailes.
Abbe Sieyes

• Abbe Sieyes originally a priest.


• Wrote an influential pamphlet called ‘What is the
Third Estate ?
FALL OF BASTILLE
• National Assembly was busy at Versailles drafting a constitution.
• Rest of France seethed with turmoil.
• Severe winter had meant a bad harvest.
• Price of bread rose.
• Bakers exploited the situation and hoarded supplies.
• Spending hours in long queues at the bakery.
• Crowds of angry women stormed into the shops.
• King ordered troops to move into Paris.
• 14 July – the agitated crowd stormed and destroyed the Bastille.
• Countryside rumors spread from village to village.
• Peasants in several
That the lords of thedistricts
manor hadseized hoes
hired and
bands
pitchforks and attacked chateaux.
• of brigands
They lootedwho were grain
hoarded on their way to destroy
Castle or stately
• Burnt down
the ripe
residence documents
crops.
belonging to containing records of manorial grain.
• Large
a kingnumber of nobles fled from their homes.
or a nobleman
• Many of them migrating to neighbouring countries.
The Tennis Court Oath
Preparatory sketch for a large painting by Jacques-Louis David.
The painting was intended to be hung in the National Assembly

You might also like