2- The French Revolutions Flashcards
Estates General
announced 8.8.88
effective 5 May 1789 in Versailles
1,139 rep (600 for 3rdE)
main debate on vote by order or head
National Assembly
June 17 1789
motion by Sieyès
Third Estate true rep of national sov and affirms its authority
first important reforms by LXVI
• Abolition of the tax on land and of the labor tax.
• Cancellation of internal tariffs and tolls.
• Elimination of “lettre de cachet”.
• The Estates-General will be convoked periodically.
• The Estates-General will vote by head but only on matters that do not concern “the ancient and constitutional rights of the three orders”.
= impression of yielding to pressure
National Constituent assembly
9 July 1789
gathering of the three estates
became “Legislative Assembly on oct 1791
mission = write laws w/in principles if new constitution
Storming of the Bastille
14 July 1789 (afternoon)
morning : weapons seized in the Invalides by 1000s of ppl
= destruction of a symbol of despotism, arbitrary power (lettres de cachet)
The “Great Fear”
19 July - 3 August
=period of panic and riots upon rumors of an “aristocratic conspiracy” by the king and the privileged to overthrow the third estate (starvation)
» attacked castles, destroyed feudal documents
+ emboldened by news of Storming
→ As the autho of the state is disunited, new local orders were created everywhere to restore unity and order
abolition of privileges and feudal regime
4 August 1789
to appease peasants
important soc-eco reforms enacted in the following weeks
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
26 August 1789
ne of the most significant doc of the western modern history + preamble of all successive 5 French Constitutions
Reflects some ideas of the Am DoI»_space; importance of transatlantic circu of ideas
Written by Sieyès, Mirabeau…
- Individual freedom and civic equality.
- The law is the expression of the “general will”.
- All people are equal before the law.
- All men are “equally eligible to all honors, places and employments…”.
- No one needs fear for one’s ideas, religious beliefs or opinions.
- All citizens, whatever their origins, pay taxes.
BUT ø women
departure of the king and National Assembly
6 October 1789
after popular pressure on the 5th
reforms concerning clergy
National Properties (Nov 89)
abolition of religious orders (Feb 90)
Civil Constitution of the French Clergy (July 90)
Oath of Loyalty to the Revolution (Nov 90)
“Jeu de Paume” Oath
June 20 1789
“Not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established and consolidated upon solid foundation”.
constitutional reforms
King’s Executive power: reduced but still important.
– Choice of ministers.
– Suspending veto on laws.
– Decides about foreign policy
– Command of the army but cannot declare war w/out approval of Nat Ass
Legislative power: belongs to a single Assembly (elected for 2 years by selective suffrage)
– Initiates and votes laws.
– Establishes and controls taxes.
– Decides about war and peace.
Independence of Judicial Power guaranteed, election of magistrates (≠ named)
royals’ flight
june 1789
found in Varennes on 21st
approval of constitution
3 sept 1791 by NCA
12 sept 1791 by LXVI
storming of Tuileries
10.08
