Chapter 5 - The Revolution May-October 1789 Flashcards
When was the last great ceremony of the Ancien Regime?
4th May 1789
What date did the Estates General open?
5 May 1789
Define Cahiers
The list of grievances that the three estates were asked to draw up and present at the Estates General.
What did each estate request in the Cahiers?
FIRST = higher stipends, access to higher offices of Church, greater Church control of education and limits on Protestantism SECOND = divided over Third estate demands for tax reforms and a modern constitution THIRD = wanted tax reforms and to limit the powers of the King
What were the problems with the first meeting of the Estates general?
(3 points)
- Louis did not put forward a ‘reform’ package
- Louis did not put forward a procedure for the Estates General (no one knew how meetings/voting would take place)
- Louis did not address the new constitution
When was the National Assembly formed?
17 June 1789
When did the clergy join the National Assembly?
19th June 1789
What was the key reason for the creation of the National Assembly?
There was delay over the opening of the Estates general because the Third Estate refused to meet until it was confirmed representatives would meet as one body and vote per head.
Explain the order of events that led to the formation of the National Assembly?
(6 points)
- all elected deputies had to have their credentials verified
- The third estate this needed to happen as one body, not separately
- they also refused to carry out verification until voting by head had been agreed (first and second estates voted against this)
- 1 month of deadlock
- 10 June = 3rd estate voted to begin verification w/o clergy and nobles
- 17 June = became the National Assembly and claimed to represent French Nation
When did the Tennis Court Oath take place?
20 June 1789
The Seancé Royale
What did Louis do?
Louis closed the meeting room of the third estate without explanation.
The seance Royale
How did the National Assembly respond?
Angry at the despotic act (that they had been barred entry) the National Assembly had intended to march to Paris but bad weather led them to go to the nearest indoor space (Royal Tennis Courts)
The Seancé Royale
What did the National Assembly pass in response?
The Tennis Court Oath
What was the Tennis Court Oath
- an oath passed by the National Assembly that stated that they would not disperse until France had a constitution.
When was the difficult Royal session?
23rd June 1789
Why was the Royal session difficult?
- Louis consented to new taxation and fairer land tax
- Deputies angered by his refusal to accept the name ‘National Assembly’ and by his demand the estates should meet separately
- Members refuse to leave as an act of defiance
How did Louis respond to the decrees of the National Assembly?
Louis declared them unacceptable and therefore void.
He offered only concessions on taxes in the next royal session
How did the King respond to the developments in Paris in June 1789?
King was very wary of developments and conscious of dire financial state. He calls 4800 extra troops to Paris.
When are the orders of the Royal session finally recinded?
27th June 1789
What does the king finally recognise in June 1789?
King finally recognises National Assembly and finally permits voting by head.
How was the kings response and rescinding of orders of Royal session June 1789 received?
- Still LOTS of distrust for King by deputies (not helped by continual arrival of troops in Paris)
What rumours spread in response to the rescinding of orders of Royal session June 1789?
Rumours spread of:
- plots to arrest deputies
- plots to destroy National Assembly
- plots to cut off grain and starve Paris