The French Revolutions
Storyboard Text
- Slide: 1
- All the wars that we have been fighting have really been putting us in debt. I think if we start to tax the peasants more then we will be able to get some money back.
- That's not fair! You have to tax everyone equally including the monarchs and church. You'll reach your money goal faster!
- France's financial crisis in the late 1780s was caused by excessive government spending on wars, like the American Revolution, and the lavish lifestyle of the monarchy. The country was deep in debt, and to raise money, the government tried to increase taxes. However, the tax burden fell mostly on the common people, while the nobility and clergy were largely exempt. This unfair system, combined with rising food prices, pushed France into a severe economic crisis, which contributed to growing unrest and calls for reform.
- Slide: 2
- The Third Estate grows bold. They claim to speak for the nation, demanding more power as if they’ve forgotten their place beneath the Church and nobility
- If we give in, they’ll unravel everything—the privileges of the clergy, the stability of the kingdom. We must stand firm, or centuries of tradition will fall to chaos.
- The Meeting of the Estates-General in 1789 highlighted the deep divide between France’s social classes. The First Estate (clergy) and Second Estate (nobility) held most of the power, each having one vote, allowing them to outvote the Third Estate (commoners), despite the Third Estate representing the majority of the population. The Third Estate demanded fair representation and tax reform, but the clergy resisted, fearing it would threaten their privileges and disrupt the traditional social order. This conflict ultimately led the Third Estate to break away and form the National Assembly, a pivotal moment in the French Revolution.
- Slide: 3
- We’ve had enough! The Estates-General is a sham. They refuse to listen, to see us as equals. If they won’t give us a voice, we’ll take matters into our own hands.
- You’re right, Jean. We represent the people, not the privileged few. From this day forward, we are the National Assembly, and we’ll make laws for the people of France—whether the king or the nobles like it or not.
- The formation of the National Assembly occurred when frustrated members of the Third Estate decided to break away from the Estates-General, feeling their voices were ignored by the clergy and nobility. They declared themselves the National Assembly, asserting their right to represent the people of France and to create laws that would benefit all, marking a significant step toward greater equality and political reform in the country.
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