Introduction: Characters to Know

I am part of the first estate. The first estate makes up the clergy like me!

I am part of the third estate. The third estate is made of peasants and the bourgeoise middle class like myself!!

I am King Louis XVI and I am the king of France. I am also part of the second estate.

I am Marie Antoinette and I am the queen of France. I love to spend lots of money, and I am also a member of the third estate!!

Chapter One: Revolution Begins

What Will Be In This Chapter:

- Estates General 

- Voting By Order vs. Voting By Head

- National Assembly

- Tennis Court Oath

FIRST ESTATE

SECOND ESTATE

THIRD ESTATE

In 1789, 3 different groups of people, called the Estates General, got together to have a meeting.

The First Estate was made up of clergy and the leaders of the Catholic Church.

The Second Estate was made up of royals, kings, and queens.

The Third Estate was made up of farmers and peasants. 

We need food!! It's not fair!!!

.

The poor french farmers and peasants were angry. 

They had no food and no money, but the first two estates had lots of food and nice things.

The third estate also had few rights and had to pay lots of taxes.

No!

No!

We need a constitution!!

At the meeting the Third Estate asked for a constitution to be made.

Estate One and Estate Two voted no, so with two votes against one there would be no constitution.

This made the Third Estate angry because they felt that their needs were being ignored. The Third estate felt that the votes should be counted by head and not by order.

We will force the king to make a new constitution!!

No more inequality!!

The third estate separated from the first and second estates.

The third estate called themselves the National Assembly. 

They took an oath on a nearby tennis court because they were locked out of the meeting hall.

They called this the Tennis Court Oath and it was to hopefully force the king to make a constitution

Chapter Two: The People Take Charge

What Will Be In This Chapter:

- The Bastille 

- Equality, Liberty, Fraternity 

- Versailles 

- Bread Riot

- Great Fear

Bastille Weapons

French protestors were tired of being ignored. 

They decided to storm the Bastille prison and steal their weapons. 

The French peasants and middle class were ready for a Revolution!!!

The French people stormed the palace of Versailles and kicked out the King and Queen.

But the French people did not know how to run a country and things started to go wrong.

We can't feed our families!!

I want bread!!

Bread became very expensive and middle class French people could not afford it. 

One day women in the Paris marketplace almost started a riot over the high prices of bread. 

This event led to more riots as people got more hungry, mad, and poor.  The people rioted for equality, liberty, and fraternity. 

Chapter Three: Taking On The World

What Will Be In This Chapter:

- Constitution of 1791

- Limited Monarchy

- State Control of the Church

- War with Austria and Prussia

- Emigres

Sign Here!!!

I still have some power, right?!

After the riots the French people were very scared. This became known as the Great Fear.

To fix France, the National Assembly made King Louis XVI sign the Constitution of 1791. 

The Constitution gave the National Assembly a voice in the government and set up a limited monarchy. 

This meant that the King could still hold his position, but his power would be limited by a constitution.

We want the church!!!

No!!!

The National Assembly took more power and even wanted control over the church.

This made the clergy mad and the nobles began to leave France because they believed France was no good without the king. 

Prussia and Austria

France

We want the king back!!

No!!

The people of Prussia asked the French people to set the King Louis XVI free, but the French said, "NO!" This led to many people becoming emigres and leaving the country.

The National Assembly declared war against Prussia after they refused to remove their army off the French border.

Austria decided to join Prussia in the fight against France.

Chapter Four: The King Must Go!

What Will Be In This Chapter: 

- The King and Queen Flee

- Captured at the Border

- The National Convention

- Off With His Head

Exit This Way <---

Halt!! Are you trying to escape?!

Um......

The King and Queen were afraid and did not like how the revolutionaries were ruling France, especially their control of the Catholic Church.

They decided to try and escape to the Queen's home country of Austria.

But at the border of France and Austria the King and Queen were caught and sent back to France.

Ouch!!

Off With His Head!!!