InNo+andylin1212+8.31.10

The Estates General
Estates general doesn't meet really often, last time was 1614 Around 750 members, 250 per estate Met in separate room, each estate has one vote King agreed to double their numbers reluctantly in 1788 People who made those stuff lost their jobs Unemployment and hunger led to riots in many part of country Election of estates general were held in spring 1789 Nobles and clergy refused this was act of defiance against king It was raining, so they ran to the closest empty building, a tennis court In there, they took an oath to carry on meeting until they changed the way French was governed It seemed like revolution for people at that time, but it is only the beginning
 * Nobles and clergy welcomes king's decision to call an estates general **
 * intend to use it to block his plans to tax them
 * able to do so because of voting system of Estates General
 * The voting system **
 * 3rd estate thought it was unfair, noble and clergy would out vote them 2-1 in 1789 **
 * they asked the king to double their numbers
 * and give everyone a vote
 * New Finance minister, Jacques Necker **
 * advised king to double 3rd estate
 * hope that estates general itself would give everyone one vote
 * The food crisis **
 * Finance wasn't only problem in France **
 * in countryside other problem: mass hunger
 * Crisis caused by wicked weather **
 * July 13,1788 massive hailstorm destroyed cornfields, vegetable plots etc. all over central France
 * hailstorm followed by drought
 * harvest in 1788 was very poor
 * drought followed by freezing winter
 * when it reached spring, snow all melted, but here comes the flood
 * Crazily bad weather lead to increase prize of bread **
 * prize of loaf led to 15 sous
 * Family has to spend all their earnings on bread
 * stopped buying clothes, shoes, candles and fuel
 * The Complaints List **
 * Voters were asked to draw up list of changes that they wanted the estates general to discuss with king **
 * over 60,000 of these lists of complaint were drawn
 * Drawing up this list created great excitement all over France **
 * When estates general met in 1789, people had great expectations
 * they thought king wants to solve their problems
 * The estates meet **
 * First meeting was on May 5th 1789 **
 * 1000 deputies
 * after speeches from king and chief ministers, separated to different halls
 * 3rd estates generals were unhappy **
 * separating to different halls would lead to nobles and clergy outvoting them
 * refuses to discuss anything
 * only will if all deputies join for a "National Assembly"
 * After weeks of argument, 3rd estate generals gave ultimatum **
 * if at end of week, nobles and clergy refuses to join, they would work out the Estates General themselves
 * Louis angry that deputies did not follow his rules of Estates general **
 * Louis ordered a Royal Session for the estate general
 * intend to warn 3rd estate
 * On 19 June, clergy joined 3rd estate **
 * follow morning, 3rd estate deputies arrived at palace to welcome clergy
 * arrived and found soldiers guarding the door
 * inside, workmen preparing for Royal session
 * The Tennis Court Oath **
 * This angered and excited 3rd estate **
 * scared that Louis might ending meeting by force
 * On 23 June, in the Royal Session **
 * Louis told deputies they should have separate meetings
 * 3rd estate deputies refused to move
 * Louis could make them leave by using force, but he gave in **
 * On 27 June, he ordered nobles and clergy to join 3rd estate in a single assembly
 * the National Assembly became France's legal parliament

Summary
1. Nobles and clergy actually wanted the estates general voting since they can over vote 3rd estate easily. 3rd estate thought the voting system was unfair and wanted double amount of their original deputies. New finance Minister, Jacques Necker advised king to double the amount of deputies in third estate. 2. Bad weather in 1788 led to food crisis, no bread is really expensive. Every family only bought bread, doesn't buy other stuff, so workers are losing jobs. Unemployment and hunger led to riots in country. 3. Voters were made to draw up a complaint list. This made them have high expectations about the meeting that is coming up. 4. The estates met, but the 3rd estate wasn't happy since all three estates had separate meetings. They refuse to discuss except if they had a National Assembly. Nobles and clergy refused, and they had a huge argument. Louis decides to settle this by having a Royal Session. On June 19, clergy joined the 3rd estate. The 3rd estate had an oath that stated they would not end this meeting until the way that France was governed is changed. In the royal session, Louis wanted separate meetings, but 3rd estate refuses. Louis gave in because of the huge determination. The National Assembly became France's legal parliament.

Questions
1. Why were the voters asked to draw up a complaint list? 2. Why didn't Louis want a National Assembly, this would benefit the 3rd estate and also Louis himself (increase the tax income by registering the new tax of land)?

Question 1: Question 2: French wanted to change the way the government was ran because of the unequal taxation.

Question 3: Sequence: E,B,G,A,C,I,D,H,F

Causes: E,B,G,A,C Consequence: I,D,H,F

Question 4: a) Political: People thought the king and minister had too much power b) Social: People dislike the fact that Marie Antoinette is Austrian c) Economic: Nobles disliked the government's plans for a new tax land 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.

Question 5: The people thought that the king and his ministers had too much power Reason: I think everyone in France at that time hated the fact that King has absolute power. One example of the absolute power was the sealed letters, and everyone hated it. People in France wanted a say in how the France was governed, and that is to take some power away from Louis. Louis had way to much power, he could exiled or execute anyone he disliked. People in France hated that and they didn't want Louis with supreme power.

Question 6: I think the government would still be unpopular even if Louis XVI did not marry Antoinette. People disliked that the King has abusive power, all the unequal laws and basically the government itself. So even if Louis didn't marry Marie Antoinette, the government and the king would still be unpopular.