French Revolution Flashcards
Old Regime
the social and political system of France (also Europe) in the 1770s in which people were divided into three large social classes
First Estate
estate that was formed by the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church; had access to high offices and exemptions from paying taxes
Second Estate
estate that was made up of rich nobles; owned 20 percent of the land in France and paid almost no taxes
Third Estate
estate formed by the middle class, the workers, and the peasant farmers; resented the First and Second Estates
Fourth Estate
a societal or political force or institution whose influence is not consistently or officially recognized
Bourgeoisie, Workers, Peasants
three groups that made up the Third Estate
Bourgeoisie
term for the middle class
Louis XVI
king of France whose excessive spending caused France’s government to sink deeply into debt; a very weak leader
Marie Antoinette
queen who often interfered with government matters and gave king bad advice; very unpopular among the French
Estates-General
an assembly of representatives from all three estates that met to approve a tax on the nobility
Voting Problems
these occurred during the meeting of the estates-general
National Assembly
in a speech, Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès suggested that the Third Estate name themselves this and pass laws and reforms in the name of the French people
Tennis Court Oath
after delegates of the Third Estate broke down a door, they made this pledge to stay there until they had drawn out a new constitution
Jul 14, 1789
date on which a mob stormed Bastille, a Paris prison
Bastille
Paris prison that was stormed by a mob searching for gunpowder on July 14, 1789
