We pay all

the taxes!!

  Everything is

         fine!

     What' s 

   going on?

    Long ago, France had three social classes called the 3 Estates. The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate was the nobles, and the Third Estate included  peasants and the bourgeoisie. Even though the Third Estate made up almost everyone, they paid the most taxes.

    King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette spent lots of money while France was deeply in debt. Many people were inspired by the Enlightenment ideas about freedom and equality. They wanted to change the government.

Everyone's vote should count!!

NO!

    In 1789, the Estates-General met to solve France's problems. The Third Estate wanted voting to make sure everyone's vote was counted equally, but the king did not want that. He wanted voting by order, which gave the upper class more power.

    The Third Estate formed the National Assembly. When they didn't have the same rights, and got locked out of the meeting place, they gathered on a tennis court and promised each other not to leave until something had changed. This became the Tennis Court Oath. 

TO THE BASTILLE!

WE NEED BREAD!!

       People in Paris stormed the Bastille to find weapons and fight against the king. This event became a symbol of freedom.

    Soon after, women marched into Versailes during the Bread Riot because the food was too expensive. Across the countryside, the Great Fear spread as peasants attacked noble estates. The revolution's new slogan became, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity."

I'm out of here! Good luck!

*marches*

    The National Assembly created the Constitution of 1791, which made France a limited monarchy. The government also took control of the Catholic Church.

    Other countries, including Austria and Prussia, feared the Revolution and declared war on France. Many nobles fled the country.

We have to escape!!

Look! The King is betraying us!!

*captures*