1st & 2nd estate provided the leadership in the revolt Clergy showed support for parlements by providing not usual don gratuit but a of less than ¼ what King wanted ‘gift’ Bankruptcy in August 1788 1789 Popular Necker returns and promises Estates General will – meet What led to the outbreak of revolution in 1789? Calling of the Estates General Usually the vote was one vote per estate (disfavoured 3rd estate) Argued for voting per head and 3rd estate should get double representation Paris Parlement did not want power going to 3rd estate so supported 1 vote per estate (created outrage) 3rd estate believed Parlement was no longer a friend but an enemy Started to advertise how 3rd estate did everything and should get more respect Believed they needed a constitution to end social inequality XVI handled situation badly wanted to try and gain 3rd estate – support so agreed to doubling their representation, but did nothing on voting so this was pointless The Cahiers de Doléances Notebooks of 3rd estate produced by everyone to show their grievances The French economy in 1789 1788 Bad harvest – Mass food riots Little surplus to spend on manufactured goods 1789 textiles production cut by 50% – Popular protest marked in by Réveillon riots (first popular demonstration & last of the ancien régime) Workers took to the streets over comments on wages Lasted several days and lead to deaths Believed King & Necker would be friends of 3rd estate and would soon help them The Estates-General 4th May 1789 assembly convened – 1st & 2nd estates 561 deputies – 3rd estate 578 deputies (400 lawyers, 100 merchants, some – ‘intellects’) Maximilien Robespierre more typical representative of 3rd estate – Deputies of first two estates were not united in defense of privileges Cahiers were liberal Condemned government of ancien regime and – accepted there was clear social injustice & some privileges should go (90 of 2nd estate wanted some reform) 200 of 291 clerical deputies wanted change All cahiers emphasises regular meetings of estates general, no taxation without consent, freedom of press and abolish direct orders from King. Main demands for change from 3rd estate
1st & 2nd estate provided the leadership in the revolt Clergy showed support for parlements by providing not usual don gratuit but a ‘gift’ of less than ¼ what King wanted Bankruptcy in August 1788 1789 – Popular Necker returns and promises Estates General will meet What led to the outbreak of revolution in 1789? Calling of the Estates General Usually the vote was one vote per estate (disfavoured 3rd estate) Argued for voting per head and 3rd estate should get double representation Paris Parlement did not want power going to 3rd estate so supported 1 vote per estate (created outrage) 3rd estate believed Parlement was no longer a friend but an enemy Started to advertise how 3rd estate did everything and should get more respect Believed they needed a constitution to end social inequality XVI handled situation badly – wanted to try and gain 3rd estate support so agreed to doubling their representation, but did nothing on voting so this was pointless The Cahiers de Doléances Notebooks of 3rd estate produced by everyone to show their grievances The French economy in 1789 1788 – Bad harvest Mass food riots Little surplus to spend on manufactured goods 1789 – textiles production cut by 50% Popular protest marked in by Réveillon riots (first popular demonstration & last of the ancien régime) Workers took to the streets over comments on wages Lasted several days and lead to deaths Believed King & Necker would be friends of 3rd estate and would soon help them The Estates-General 4th May 1789 – assembly convened 1st & 2nd estates – 561 deputies 3rd estate – 578 deputies (400 lawyers, 100 merchants, some ‘intellects’) Maximilien Robespierre – more typical representative of 3rd estate Deputies of first two estates were not united in defense of privileges Cahiers were liberal – Condemned government of ancien regime and accepted there was clear social injustice & some privileges should go (90 of 2nd estate wanted some reform) 200 of 291 clerical deputies wanted change All cahiers emphasises regular meetings of estates general, no taxation without consent, freedom of press and abolish direct orders from King. Main demands for change from 3rd estate
revision_notes_fr_and_nap_2018.docx