Immediate+Causes+of+the+French+Revolution+P2


 * 1. Social injustices of the old regime **
 * The Old Regime was the time when France was ruled by an absolute monarch. People believe that The Old Regime is what led to the crushed society due to the social injustices that were imposed upon the people. King Louis created a tax system which was only good for those who were wealthy. But those who lived average life styles struggled with the tax system and it just made life harder for them. Society was broken down into three different classes Two of the groups were much better off than the people in the third class, so resentment was present between the three. People were treated very differently and unfairly.


 * ==== This photo satirically illustrates the old regime and how tax systems and laws were inefficient and unfair. ====




 * ==== [|Link to a Essay on the old regime] ====

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 * ====A Video that talks about the causes of the French Revolution, start from 53 seconds, it specifically talks about the old monarchy regime.====


 * [|2. Rise of the bourgeoisie] **
 * The Bourgeoisie was a french word that referred to the classes of socioeconomic classes. It basically talks about the wealthiest class during the French Revolution. The bourgeoisie rose during the 11th century and were on the side of the king and queen. They supported the monarchs concerning legal or financial disorder. They were forces that opposed the feudal order.


 * ==== Picture of the typical bourgeoisie and their meetings ====


 * ====Fun Bourgeoisie song that relates to the whole situation the Third Estates suffered====

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 * 3. [|Economic crisis in France] **
 * ====The link above talks about how economic crisis was caused by unfair tax system, kings spendings, resources sent for the American war of independence, and Louis XVI inability to solve crisis.====

 Cartoon 1789 - Collection Banque Nationale de Paris (Paris: Editions Hervas, 1988)
 * ====In this cartoon from the time, Louis is looking at the chests and asks "where is the tax money?" This picture sarcastically portrays Louis XVI (16)'s ignorance toward the economic crisis that happens outside the Palace of Versailles. While the King and Queen of France lived in luxury, the government of France was bankrupt which placed a burden of taxation on the third estate.====
 * ====King Louis XIV of France was known as the Sun King and lived a lavish lifestyle and built the palace of Versailles. This photo illustrates him as a greedy man.====
 * ====The Third Estates, who were 97% of the whole population, were most poor. However, they were the one's who needed to pay the most tax and this lead them to feel burdened with the financial crisis. They started to get irritated. This picture shows the Third Estate person stepped by the Clergy(first estate) and nobility(second estate). However, the next picture shows the third estate rising for rights.====


 * ====[|A 3:38 video about the causes of the French Revolution]====


 * ====[|Article to read for more detailed information (not necessary)]====


 * 4. [|Estates general summoned] **
 * The Estates-General (or States-General) of 1789 was the first meeting since 1614 of the French Estates General a general assembly representing the French estates of the realm: the clergy (First Estate), the nobles (Second Estate), and the common people (Third Estate). Summoned by King Louis XVI to propose solutions to his government's financial problems, the Estates-General sat for several weeks in May and June 1789 but came to an impasse as the three estates clashed over their respective powers. It was brought to an end when many members of the Third Estate formed themselves into a National Assembly s ignalling the outbreak of the French Revolution.
 * ====The place where estates general met====
 * ====[|Britannica Definition of Estates-General]====

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 * ====3 minute video about the Estates-General====


 * 5. [|National Assembly formed] **


 * ==== The Estates-General had been called May 5th 1789 to deal with France's financial crisis, but promptly fell to squabbling over its own structure. After some preliminary debate over the name, at the opening session, June 17, this body declared itself the National Assembly: an assembly not of the Estates but composed of "the People". They invited the other orders to join them, but made it clear that they intended to conduct the nation's affairs with or without them. ====


 * ====Picture of Louis XVI, having put on the Phrygian cap, cried 'long live the nation'. He drank to the health of the sans-culottes and affected a show of great calm. He spoke high-sounding words about how he never feared the law, that he had never feared to be in the midst of the people; finally he pretended to play a personal part in the insurrection of June 20. Well! The same Louis XVI has bravely waited until his fellow citizens return to their hearths to wage a secret war and extract his revenge. ====


 * The National Assembly's declaration reflected the goals the revolutionaries tried to achieve. These goals included many Enlightenment ideas: [|link]
 * 1) Equality before the law
 * 2) Natural rights- liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression
 * 3) sovereignty resides in the Nation
 * 4) law is an expression of the General Will
 * 5) freedom of religion
 * 6) free speech
 * 7) separation of powers


 * ====Fights between the different estates as the National Assembly forms====

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 * ====[|Interesting facts about the National Assembly] ====

A 3:37 minute video on how general estates lead to the National Assembly
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