Brief Response: Did the framers of the US Constitution have to use “separation of powers” when designing the

government in the constitution?

• No, they could have trusted all the powers to the Congress which had many representatives from many different parts of the country.

• Yes, one person or a big group could take control of the government without the other two branches able to point out abuse or unfairness.

French Society Collapses

p. 108

France

Why France?

• The French government was collapsing under a weak monarchy, corruption, the Church and nobles not paying their taxes, huge debts from wars and luxurious living.

• France’ poor were ignored and struggling to survive in the face of famines and rising food prices.

• Enlightenment ideas were spreading• News of the American’s success in changing their

government encouraged many to take action.

Ancien Regime: 

• the old government of France before the French Revolution

Estate: C 

• French social class.  Each class had a vote in the French legislature.

• EC: ID each class and its make up. (6)– First Estate:  clergy (Church) 1% of

population– Second Estate:  Nobles 1-2% of the

population– Third Estate:  bourgeoisie and peasantry: 98-

97% of population

Bourgeoisie: C 

• The “middle class” 

• Mostly business people and professionals (doctors, lawyers, journalists, educators).– The middle class had the education,

intelligence, and ability to run a country.  – They made France wealthy and were taxed

heavily for it.  – They were angry that the nobles and the

Church were not paying taxes.

France is Broke C

Deficit spending:  • A government spends more money than it

collects in taxes.• For over a hundred years, the French monarchy had

been losing much of its treasury to:– Wars– Lavish life of the monarch– Allowing the rich and the Church to not pay taxes.

Louis XVI: 

• Weak king, • saw the need to raise taxes to deal with

French deficit spending.  • Lived at Versailles Palace)

The King’s Man 

• Jacques Necker:  – Clever financial minister chosen by Louis XVI.  He

advised the following economic policy to solve the bad economic problems:

Estates-General:  C

• The legislature of the French Ancien Regime.  • It only met when called by the king.  

– French monarchs rarely called meetings because they feared it would become powerful like the English Parliament.  

• Louis XVI had to call a meeting of the Estates General to deal with the terrible economic issues facing France, – He invited all the estates to speak freely…..

Cahier: 

• A list of grievances (complaints).  Each estate was invited by Louis XVI to bring a cahier in for discussion. 

• The goal was economic and/or social improvement.

Tennis Court Oath: 

• The Third Estate walked out of the Estates General meeting.

• They found a meeting location in a Paris tennis court. – They vowed to form a more democratic government

that included all the classes of men.

Bastille: 

• Hearing that the king was coming with an armed force, panicked Parisians stormed this prison/armory for weapons to prepare to meet the king’s troops. 

• Bastille Day is the symbolic beginning of the French Revolution, – ending talk, starting violence.  – EC: When do French celebrate Bastille Day?– July 14. 

Hwk, Notes

p. 109, analyzing political cartoons

• 1.• The Third Estates is shown as a man who is shaking off

the chains (representing taxes and restrictions imposed by the First and Second Estates

• Because the cartoonist wanted to show the third estate rising up to demand change.– The Third Estates will do it violently, if necessary -- weapons on

the ground.

• 2.• Taxes, money, land, privileges, and jobs available to

only a few.

p. 110, Thinking Critically

• 1.

• It wanted to gain political power and recognition

• 2.

• Its members were paying high taxes and dealing with unjust restrictions.

• They did not have any representation in the government.

Standards Check, p. 111

• Question:

• First Estate = clergy

• Second Estate = nobles

• Third Estate = the majority of the population (bourgeoisie and the lower class

Standards Check, p. 111

• Question:

• large national debt

• Soaring food prices

• Mass starvation among lower class which led to unrest…..

Primary Source, p. 111

• The nobles were wealthy and treated the poor badly, almost like slaves or nothing at all.

p. 112, image The Oath is Taken,

• Question:

• It showed the Third Estate’s commitment to creating a constitution

Standards Check, p. 113:

• Question:

• They declared themselves the “National Assembly, representing the people of France.

• The took the “Tennis Court Oath”

• Swore to create a constitution

Standards Check, p. 113:

• Question:

• The people’s rage demonstrated a new sense of empowerment.

Brief Response

• How did the Enlightenment lead to the American and French Revolutions?