Road to Revolution

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Road to revolution

Choose your role

Select one the estates from 18th century France to continue as on the Road to Revolution

1st estate

3rd estate

2nd estate

member of the 1st estate

You are living in 1789 France, at the dawn of the French Revolution. Born into a prosperous family, you’ve recently decided to pursue a career in the clergy, joining the First Estate. As a member of this privileged group, you enjoy special exemptions from taxation and wield influence over religious and community matters. However, tensions are rising. The Third Estate is demanding reforms that threaten the Church’s wealth, its role in society, and its connection to the monarchy. Your estate is deeply concerned about losing its influence, the erosion of traditional religious authority, and the financial impact of proposed changes like abolishing the tithe or imposing taxes on the clergy. Your actions will determine your role in this rapidly changing society. Will you hold onto tradition, support reform, or try to balance conflicting loyalties?nto tradition, support reform, or try to balance conflicting loyalties?

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member of the 2nd estate

You are a young noble in 1789 France, born into the Second Estate, the privileged class of aristocrats. Your family owns vast lands, enjoys exemption from taxes, and wields significant political influence. However, the Third Estate’s growing demands for equality and an end to feudal privileges threaten your way of life. Your estate is deeply concerned about losing its tax exemptions, the potential redistribution of noble land, and the erosion of its traditional authority in the monarchy and local governance. Additionally, there is fear that reforms could lead to uprisings, putting noble families at personal and financial risk. With the Revolution looming, your choices will shape not only your future but the fate of your estate and its people. Will you stand with the monarchy, embrace reform, or seek a new path entirely?

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member of the 3rd estate

You are a member of the Third Estate, the largest yet most oppressed group in pre-revolutionary France. Whether as a hardworking peasant, a skilled artisan, or a rising bourgeois professional, you face crushing taxes, limited political power, and systemic inequality. Your estate is deeply concerned about the heavy financial burden placed on you, the lack of representation in government, and the feudal dues owed to the First and Second Estates. Many in your estate are desperate for change, demanding fair taxation, equal rights, and the abolition of feudal privileges. The Revolution is brewing, and as tensions rise, your choices will shape your role in the fight for liberty, equality, and fraternity—or perhaps survival above all else.

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King Louis XVI has summoned the Estates-General to address France’s financial crisis. As a member of the First Estate, you must decide how to represent your order. The Third Estate is demanding reforms, including the abolition of feudal privileges.

Scenario 1: The Estates-General is Summoned

Support the traditional privileges of the First EstateArgue against reforms and emphasize the divine role of the clergy.

Advocate for moderate reformPropose small changes, such as a reduction in the tithe, to appease the people while maintaining the Church’s influence.

Align with the Third Estate’s demandsPublicly support a shift to a more egalitarian society, including abolishing tax exemptions for the First Estate.

The King has summoned the Estates-General to address France’s financial crisis. As a member of the Third Estate, you attend the assembly with hopes for change. However, the First and Second Estates refuse to give up their privileges, blocking reforms. The debate grows heated.

Scenario 1: The Estates-General is Summoned

Protest the inequality of the voting systemDemand that votes be counted by head rather than by estate, giving the Third Estate a true voice.

Negotiate with the nobilityUrge compromise to avoid confrontation and promote gradual reforms.

Withdraw in frustrationRefuse to participate further, feeling the system is rigged against you.

King Louis XVI has summoned the Estates-General to address France’s financial crisis. As a member of the Second Estate, you are called to represent the nobility. The Third Estate demands sweeping reforms to eliminate feudal privileges.

Scenario 1: The Estates-General is Summoned

Defend the privileges of the Second EstateArgue for maintaining noble exemptions from taxes and protecting feudal rights.

Propose moderate reformsSuggest limited taxation on the nobility to ease tensions and preserve your estate’s influence.

Support the Third Estate’s demandsAdvocate for abolishing feudal privileges and aligning with the people.

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You gain the admiration of conservative clergy members, but tensions with the Third Estate rise. Protesters begin targeting the Church as a symbol of inequality.

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You join other members of the Third Estate in declaring yourselves the National Assembly. This bold step signals the start of the Revolution, but you risk retaliation from the King’s forces.

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You gain favor with some reform-minded nobles, but radical members of the Third Estate view you as weak. The King ignores your moderate proposals.

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You avoid conflict in the short term, but you miss the chance to influence the Revolution’s early stages. As events escalate, you must decide whether to reengage or stay distant.

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You gain support from conservative nobles but deepen resentment among the common people. Protests against nobles intensify in your region.

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You are seen as a moderate by reform-minded nobles, but both radicals and traditionalists question your loyalty.

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You gain the admiration of revolutionaries but face hostility from your noble peers. Your family begins to doubt your loyalty.

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You gain support from some reform-minded nobles and clergy, but both radical reformers and staunch conservatives view you with suspicion.

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You are hailed as a progressive by the people, but other clergy ostracize you. Your position within the Church becomes precarious.

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The Third Estate breaks away and forms the National Assembly, calling for a new constitution. You are faced with another choice as the Church debates its response.

Scenario 2: The National Assembly Forms

Refuse to recognize the National AssemblyDenounce the assembly as illegitimate and support the King’s authority.

Negotiate with the National AssemblyUrge the First Estate to engage in dialogue with the Assembly to protect religious institutions

Defect to the National AssemblyJoin reformist clergy members who are taking the “Oath of the Tennis Court” and supporting the Third Estate.

The National Assembly forms and passes the August Decrees, which abolish feudal privileges. As a noble, you must decide how to respond to this radical shift.

Scenario 2: The National Assembly Forms

Resist the decreesRefuse to give up your privileges, denounce the Assembly, and support the King.

Accept the decreesPublicly announce your support for the reforms and voluntarily give up your feudal privileges.

Flee to a neighboring countryJoin the émigré movement, aligning with nobles who have left France to plan a counter-revolution.

Revolutionary fervor sweeps Paris. The Bastille, a symbol of royal tyranny, is stormed by the people. Armed with weapons seized from the armory, the crowd calls for liberty and justice. Your community looks to you for leadership.

Scenario 2: The Storming of the Bastille

Lead the chargeTake up arms and join the assault on the Bastille.

Organize peaceful protestsUrge your neighbors to focus on peaceful reform rather than violence.

Stay out of the conflictAvoid the violence and try to protect your family and livelihood.

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The Church becomes a target for revolutionaries. Riots break out in your parish, and your safety is at risk.

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You become a local hero and a symbol of resistance, but you now face the King’s ire. Your life is at constant risk, and further violence seems inevitable.

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Your efforts are admired by moderates, but the radicals see you as naïve. The Revolution continues without you, and you lose influence.

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You avoid immediate danger, but you are seen as indifferent or cowardly. Revolutionary changes may still disrupt your life.

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You are viewed as a staunch loyalist, but revolutionaries begin targeting your estate. Your tenants grow restless, and uprisings threaten your family’s safety.

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The people respect your decision, but your family’s wealth and influence diminish. Conservative nobles see you as a traitor to your class.

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You preserve your life and avoid immediate danger, but you become an outsider in the new France. Your estate is confiscated.

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You are seen as a mediator, but your efforts may fail if extremists gain control on either side.

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You are part of a historic moment, but you risk excommunication and losing your livelihood.

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Take the oath of loyaltySwear allegiance to the state, ensuring your position and safety but betraying the Vatican.

Refuse the oathStand by your faith and allegiance to the Pope.

Resign from the clergyLeave your position and live as a layperson to avoid the conflict.

The National Assembly passes the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, requiring clergy to swear loyalty to the state over the Pope. This law divides the clergy into constitutional priests (those who take the oath) and refractory priests (those who refuse).

Scenario 3: The Civil Constitution of the Clergy

Advocate for broader reformsPush for land redistribution and further changes to benefit peasants and workers.

Focus on economic stabilityWork to rebuild local trade and ensure food supplies for your community.

Seek a political positionUse the reforms to rise to a position of power in the new local government.

The August Decrees abolish feudal privileges, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen establishes new principles of equality. However, hunger and unrest persist in your community, and the people demand action.

Scenario 3: The National Assembly’s Reforms

Plot to restore the monarchySecretly work with royalist factions and émigrés to overthrow the Republic.

Pledge loyalty to the RepublicPublicly denounce the monarchy and align with revolutionary ideals.

Withdraw from public lifeRetreat to your estate or a secluded area, avoiding involvement in political conflicts.

King Louis XVI is arrested, and the monarchy is abolished. France declares itself a republic, and the Revolution grows increasingly radical. As a member of the Second Estate, your position is precarious.

Scenario 3: The King’s Execution and the Republic

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You remain in your parish but lose support from devout Catholics. The Church begins to fracture.

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You gain the support of the rural poor and urban workers, but the bourgeoisie begin to fear your influence. Radical factions like the Jacobins take notice of your leadership.

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Your community respects your practical efforts, but you are sidelined in the larger political movement. Revolutionaries seeking ideological purity may view you as a conservative.

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You become a key figure in your district but attract scrutiny from both royalists and radicals. Balancing competing interests becomes increasingly difficult.

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You risk imprisonment or execution if discovered. If successful, you could help restore the monarchy and reclaim your family’s power.

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You avoid immediate danger but lose trust from royalists and nobles. Revolutionaries may still view you with suspicion due to your aristocratic background.

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You survive the turmoil for now, but isolation makes you vulnerable to local uprisings or government confiscation of noble lands.

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You are labeled a counter-revolutionary and may be arrested. Your parishioners may either admire your resolve or abandon you in fear.

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You lose your clerical privileges and protections but avoid becoming a target for either side.

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Flee the countryEscape to a neighboring country and wait for the situation to stabilize.

Hide among the peopleDisguise yourself and live in secrecy, relying on sympathetic allies.

Publicly support the revolutionDenounce the Church’s old ways and become a revolutionary priest.

France descends into chaos as the Reign of Terror begins. Revolutionaries are hunting anyone seen as an enemy of the revolution, including refractory priests and counter-revolutionaries.

Scenario 4: The Reign of Terror

Support the JacobinsAdvocate for the King’s execution and a radical restructuring of society.

Align with the GirondinsPromote moderate reforms while opposing the King’s execution.

Stay neutralAvoid aligning with any faction and focus on survival.

King Louis XVI attempts to flee, but he is captured and placed on trial. The Jacobins rise as a powerful faction, demanding radical changes and the King’s execution. Your community is divided between moderates and radicals, and you must choose your allegiance.

Scenario 4: The King’s Flight/ Rise of the Jacobins

Go into hidingDisguise yourself and live among commoners, relying on allies for protection.

Seek refuge abroadEscape to a neighboring country and wait for the violence to subside.

Publicly renounce your noble titleAlign with the radical Jacobins and claim solidarity with the people.

The Revolution becomes increasingly violent during the Reign of Terror. Nobles are accused of being counter-revolutionaries and face imprisonment or execution. You must decide how to protect yourself.

Scenario 4: The Reign of Terror

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You survive, but your future in France becomes uncertain. You must decide whether to join the émigré movement or return home later.

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You are seen as a voice of reason, but the growing power of the Jacobins puts you in danger. Eventually, the Girondins are purged.

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You avoid immediate political risks but are vulnerable as both sides view neutrality with suspicion. Your safety is uncertain.

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You gain the Jacobins’ support and become part of their movement, but their violent methods and the looming Reign of Terror could turn you into a victim as easily as a leader.

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Your survival depends on trust and secrecy. If discovered, you face certain execution.

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You survive but must navigate life as an exile. Your chances of reclaiming your estate diminish with each passing year.

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You may avoid persecution, but your peers view you as a traitor. Your family’s legacy is permanently tarnished.

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Your survival depends on your ability to remain undetected. If caught, you face execution.

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You secure your safety for now, but your betrayal of the Church may haunt you.

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At the end of the Revolution, France is changed forever. Depending on your choices, your character’s legacy could be:

• A Loyalist who defended the First Estate to the bitter end, preserving its values but suffering the consequences.
• A Reformist who tried to balance tradition and change, leaving a mixed legacy.
• A Revolutionary who abandoned old privileges to help forge a new France, celebrated by some and reviled by others.

Epilogue: Reflection on Your Legacy

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By the time the Revolution ends, France is transformed. Depending on your choices, your character’s legacy could be:

• A Loyalist Noble who clung to tradition, risking everything for the monarchy and the old ways.
• A Moderate Reformer who sought to balance noble responsibilities with revolutionary ideals, leaving a complex but respected legacy.
• A Survivor who navigated the Revolution’s chaos through adaptability, often at the cost of integrity or family pride.
• old privileges to help forge a new France, celebrated by some and reviled by others.

Epilogue: Your Legacy

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As the Revolution concludes, France is forever changed. Depending on your choices, your character’s legacy could be:

• A Revolutionary Hero who fought for liberty and equality, remembered as a symbol of the people’s triumph.
• A Practical Reformer who focused on stabilizing your community, ensuring its survival amidst chaos.
• A Survivor who navigated the Revolution’s dangers with pragmatism, leaving a quieter but enduring legacy.

Epilogue: Your Legacy