2. 1. What were some ideas of the
Enlightenment that contributed to
the revolution?
Social Contract
◦ the lower classes (Third Estate) could not
understand why the upper classes were
benefiting from the labor of the peasants.
The peasants questioned whether the
government was working to protect them.
3. The First Estate
2. Who were they?
Clergy
3. What did they want?
continue to not pay taxes
protection of their property
continued power in government
4. The Second Estate
4. Who were they?
Nobles
5. What did they want?
to keep top jobs in government, army,
courts, and Church
an end to absolutism
to keep their privileges
continue to not pay taxes
5. The Third Estate
6. Who were they?
Bourgeoisie (10%)
Peasants (90%)
7. What did they want?
employment
food
lower taxes
end to the corvée
the right to hunt
the 1st and 2nd Estates to share the
burden
6. 8. What changes did the Estates-
General attempt to make when
called by Louis XVI?
voting by population, that is, one
representative = one vote
the Third Estate called for a
constitution
7. 9. Describe the change in
government the Tennis Court
Oath created.
the National Assembly swore to create
a written constitution that laid out
rights of the people and limited the
power of the monarch
8. 10. Why were urban workers
discontented?
many were unemployed
those who had work, made a meager
living, barely able to makes ends meet
some turned to crime in order to
survive
9. 10. Why were urban workers
discontented?
many were unemployed
those who had work, made a meager
living, barely able to makes ends meet
some turned to crime in order to
survive
10. 11. Name five reasons France
suffered a financial crisis in the
late 1700s.
deficit spending
debt from the Seven Years’ War and
the American Revolution
bad harvests
increased taxes
economic decline
11. 12. Why did Louis XVI finally
agree to summon the Estates-
General?
the wealthy classes demanded Louis
XVI call the Estates-General before
making any changes
the financial problems were so great
that in order to raise taxes, the
Estates-General had to be called
12. 13. Who participated in the
storming of the Bastille? How
did supporters of the event view
this?
many Paris citizens (800 or so) who
feared a takeover of Paris by the royal
troops