France+before+the+Revolution+III+(pg+21-25)

= France Before the Revolution (Part III) =

Q1:

(Source 6) || - Third estate had no privileges or rights - The clergy and nobles had so much wealth and had so many privileges, yet they did not have to pay many taxes || The third estate || (Source 12) || - The third estate were exempt from no taxes - Clergy and nobles were able to be exempted from, or avoided most of the taxes || The third estate || (Source 13) || - The commoners not only had to pay lots of taxes to the government to also to landowners - Taxation was required for almost all daily appliances the third estate needed || The third estate || (Source 16) || - Did not have a strong judicial system, were not thorough with determining if people were falsely/rightfully accused - Allowed the torturing of criminals || All people. || (Source 20, 26, & 31) || - The king and queen had power over everything - They were allowed to execute laws however, whenever they wanted - Had the right to impose “sealed letters”, could keep one imprisoned for as long as he/she liked - Tax was imposed for whatever reason they wished || All except king/queen ||
 * || Things that people disliked. || Kind of people who disliked these things. ||
 * Society
 * Taxation
 * Feudal rights and dues
 * Law
 * Government

Q2: Why French People wanted to change the way France was run:

First, the French believed that the government had too much power, and often abused it. This was evident through their imposing of laws, "sealed letters", and taxes which were often for the case of showing their authority to the townspeople. This was not always fair. Second, society was not fair, as it was divided into three estates, each estate possessing different rights and privileges. This was not fair either, as the rich people had most of the privileges and the poor people almost had none. Furthermore, the feudal rights and dues made life almost unable to endure for the third estate. Third, Marie Antoinette, the queen of France spent a lot of money on frivolous things, which weakened France's financial standings. This caused much distaste among the people. Finally, the law was unjust. It allowed people to be tortured to death under criminal accusations, and allowed the king to expel anyone that stood in his way of imposing authority over his people (ex. the Parlement). All these things contributed to the wanting of a revolution by the French.

Estates General

 * · Nobles + clergy liked King’s decision to go to Estates General (knew voting system = king can’t tax)

Voting System
o ** Asked king to double their size, then one vote for each member. **  o December 1788: King agreed to demands § Bankrupt § Hoped after agreeing to demands, the estates general will vote for new taxes
 * · Met at king’s need
 * · Last time together = 1614 --> 750 members: 250 per estate. Each estates = one vote
 * · Third estate thought system was unfair…

Food crisis
o Caused by WEATHER: § July 13, 1788 ** hailstorm ** destroyed cornfields, vegetable plots, orchards and vineyards § A ** drought ** followed § ** Harvest **= very poor § Coldest ** winter ** followed · Couldn’t grind flour · blocked roads = no transport of goods · when snow melted, floods ruined all the crops § RESULT: sharp ** rise in bread price **, increased almost 4 times --> families spent all money on bread --> other companies ** lost business, unemployment ** --> ** riots and strikes **
 * · ** MASS HUNGER **

Complaint lists
o Tax free salt o Suppression of begging o Suppression of feudal rights o Adjustment of tithe o End all taxes and tolls and town gates, replace by single tax
 * · Estates general elections --> ** spring 1789 **
 * · Voters drew up lists they wanted Estates General to approach king with
 * · ** Over 60,000 **lists were drawn up, majorly including:
 * · Millions of ppl had great expectations for estates general

Estates Meet

 * · ** Over a thousand deputies arrived **
 * · Third estate didn’t want to split up, would only participate if nobles and clergy joined them (“National Assembly”)
 * · If nobles + clergy had not joined by end of week, would start working for Estate General
 * · Louis ordered ** Royal Session ** of the Estates General as a warning… started to lose control
 * · ** 19 June: clergy joined third estate **
 * · when third estate came to welcome them in the palace, the doors were locked and guarded (preparing for Royal Session)

Tennis Court Oath

 * · third estate agreed to carry on meeting in a tennis court until they changed the way France was governed
 * · when Royal Session was held (23 June), refused to move --> king gave in
 * · ** 27 June: nobles and clergy ordered to join 3rd estate in an assembly ** – ** NATIONAL ASSEMBLY – France’s legal parliament **
 * · ** revolution begins. **

SUMMARY
The voting system of the Estates General before 1789 stated that each estate got one vote in the decision making. However, before this meeting in May 1789 the third estate believed that the system was unfair and asked the king to double their number, then give everyone a vote. The king, being bankrupt, agreed to these demands hoping that in turn they would vote for new taxes.

Apart from bankruptcy being a problem, mass hunger was taking shape as a hailstorm, drought, an unsurpassed-cold winter, and floods ruined the crops. This caused a sharp rise in the price of bread, which families started to spend all their money on, resulting in the disintegration of some businesses and rising unemployment. Riots and strikes broke out among the people.

In the spring before the Estates general elections were held, voters over France drew up over 60,0000 complaint lists they wanted to approach the king with. Expectations ran high for major changes.

Finally when the estates met, over a thousand deputies arrived. When asked to split up into their separate estates to discuss matters, the third estate refused and demanded that the clergy and nobles join them. Although King Louis ordered a Royal Session of the Estates General as a warning, it was apparent that he was starting to lose control. On 19 June, the clergy agreed to join the third estate, but when the third estate came to welcome them in the palace, doors were locked and guarded in preparation for the Royal Session.

Taking cover from the rain, the third estate went to an indoor tennis court and vowed to carry on the meeting until they had changed the way France was run. Finally, the king gave in and on 27 June, the nobles, clergy, and the third estate were joined to form a legal parliament – the National Assembly.

This marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

QUESTIONS
What happened to the 60,000 + complaint lists that towns all over France drew up? Did the king answer to any of them?

Why did the number of deputies increase from 750 to over a thousand (1614-1789)?

Pg. 26-27 3.  E. the government spent more each year than it received in taxes, so.. B. The government was deeply in debt, so.. G. The Finance Minister planned to raise money with a new tax on land. But.. A. an assembly of nobles and clergy refused to agree to the new tax, so C. Louis XVI ordered a meeting of the Estates Council, hoping it would agree to the new tax. But I. the government went bankrupt, so D. the Third Estate took over the Estates General and turned it into a National Asembly, so  H. Louis XVI decided to hold a royal session of the Estates General, and warn the third estate not to defy him, but F. the deputies gathered in a tennis court swore an oath that they would continue to meet.
 * 1) 3-6

Causes: EBGAC Consequences: IDHF

4. A. Political: · People thought the king and his ministers had too much power (eg. Letters de cachet) B. Social: · People disliked the fact that Marie Antoinette was Austrian C. Economic: · Nobles disliked the government’s plans for a new land tax because they would lose their privilege of tax exemption · People disliked Marie Antoinette’s extravagant spending · Many poor people blamed the government for high prices and unemployment

5. Which of the reasons for the government’s unpopularity do you think was the most important? Explain your answer. I think that the way people thought the king and his ministers had too much power is the most important reason for the government’s unpopularity. It is because their domination of power that they were able to abuse it, therefore leading to indirect consequences such as high prices and unemployment, and their imposing of land tax on the people, the two other major reasons why the government was so unpopular. Also, because they had so much power over the financial savings of France, Marie Antoinette was able to spend so much money on frivolous things. So in a way, the way that the kings had way to much power was the cause for many other problems.

6. If Louis XVI had not married Marie Antoinette, do you think his government would still have been unpopular by 1789? Explain your answer. I think that King Louis XVI government would still have been unpopular if he hadn’t married Marie Antoinette. While she is a major cause to much of the dislike emanating from the people, she and her frivolous spending is not the only reason why people disliked their government. They still wouldn’t like it because the way it was laid out was unfair – how the three estates each got different privileges and rights; how the king had imposed a land tax on them to clear his financial debt, how the king had too much power and often abused it; how there pay tolls at almost every towngate; how the system of feudal rights was unfair; how the laws were unfair for allowing criminals to be tortured to death. So therefore, the government would still be unpopular if Marie Antoinette did not exist.