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The Old Regime was where the people of France 

were divided into 3 social classes known as the 

3 estates. The first estate was less than 1% 

Catholic Clergy. The second estate was less than 

2% Rich Nobles.

The first couple of ideas were by Rousseau and 

Voltaire and it was about equality, liberty and 

democracy. The Enlightenment thinkers wanted 

France to become a republic.

King Louis XVI is an ineffective leader. He was 

indecisive, unconcerned with problems and he 

made bad decisions. Queen Marie Antoinette 

spent lots of money on expensive stuff, people 

hated her and she gave Louis bad advice. 

The government was in debt from the previous 

kings. Frances economy was failing by the 

1780s. Factory owners, merchants and bankers of 

the third estate were suffering too. people in 

France were starving, but could not afford to 

buy bread, a staple food in France.

Louis XVI decides to tax nobles to pay his debt. 

Second estate force him to hold a meeting to 

approve this new tax. Estates General is an 

assembly of representatives form all three 

estates and is held at the Versailles Royal 

Palace.

National assembly is the first act of the 

revolution. Three days later the third estate 

delegates get locked out of a meeting. They 

break down the door of the kings indoor tennis 

court and pledge to stay until they draw up a 

new constitution.

Some thought foreign troops were coming to 

massacre the French people. People gathered 

weapons to defend the city against attack. An 

angry mob searches for gunpowder and stormed a 

Paris prison, the Bastille. They brutally 

attacked the prison guards and commander to 

death and carried their heads on pikes. 

"Men are born and remain free and equal in 

rights." Rights: liberty, property, security, 

freedom from oppression. Freedoms: speech, 

religion, equal justice. Their slogan was " 

Liberty, equality and fraternity."

King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, 

fled Paris dressed as peasants. They were 

arrested in Varennes and paraded back to Paris 

in Disgrace.

King Louis is tried for treason and executed by 

the guillotine. Queen Marie Antoinette faces 

the guillotine months later.

The guillotine was a mechanism that chopped 

peoples heads off. many people were killed 

with the guillotine.

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