French Revolution Flashcards
Main Idea
Economic and social inequalities in the Old Regime helped cause the French Revolution
Relevance
Throughout history, economic and social inequalities have @ times led people to revolt against the govt
Three Estates
Clergy, Nobles, Bourgeoisie/Peasants
Bourgeoisie
middle class
How could a situation like the revolution’s beginning develop in such an advanced country?
concentration of power/wealth among few @ the expense of the majority
Why does the psych of a crowd change?
Anonymity, contagion
Anonymity
lose sense of moral responsibility and fear of consequences
Contagion
Entirely irrational act occurs as part of a crowd
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
physiological, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, self-actualization
What does the hierarchy of needs say about the peasants?
They can never move up and are stagnant individually and in society bc their needs aren’t fulfilled
Why were the peasants angry?
Bc while the monarchy reigned in luxury, the peasants starved.
First Estate
Clergy loyal to pope + church. Owned 10% of land, high living standard, condemned enlightenment. 1.5% of population, 0% of taxes.
Second Estate
Hereditary or bought nobles (corruption.) Top jobs in army/govt/courts, traditional privileges. 0.5% of population, 0% of taxes. 25% of land.
Third Estate
Bourgeoisie/Peasants. 100% of taxes (on many things,) large number unemployed, urban workers earned miserable wages, forbidden to hunt. 65% of land, 98% of population.
Peasant population
90%
Bourgeoisie population
8%
Why is the fact that 3rd estate was forbidden to hunt significant?
Bc it was the king’s land, but now they couldn’t feed themselves without earning $.
What was the French Old Regime?
Outdated Middle Ages social system-everyone belonged to one of three classes. Tensions among the classes was major cause of FR.
How did the Enlightenment provide the spark to ignite discontent within the estates?
The Enlightenment ideas led them to question the Old Regime.
How was Marie Antoinette described? What was her quote when told the people could not eat?
“hated,” “let them eat cake.”
Comparison-3 estates to pyramid
King, clergy, nobility, peasants
What was the economic crisis?
deficit spending in palace, people starving
Why else were they starving (aside from hunting laws and economic crises?) (unfair q)
poor harvests and high bread prices, poor leadership
Describe Louis XVI
Bashful, hesitant, young, easily persuaded
What did Louis XVI marriage symbolize?
Political union between Hapsburgs and Bourbons (them and Austria becoming allies and ending ancient rivalry)
Describe Marie Antoinette @ the time of her marriage
young, headstrong, lively teen w/ little political interest
What is happening outside palace of Versailles?
people of France suffering and starving. Louis XV lost major war 10 years prior, costing them in $ and prestige. Population increase from 20-26 mil (grew only 1million in preceding century.)
Why wasn’t France in good hands when Louis XV died?
He died an unpopular king and his grandson is woefully unprepared for a country on brink of chaos
What happened in 1788?
France approached bankruptcy
How did Louis XVI react to the chaos?
Summoned estates general to Versailles
Estates General
Met separately, one vote for each estate (only landowners)
Cahiers
notebooks prepped by estates generals listing grievances. (only landowners)
Why was the third estate always outvoted @ the estate general?
Since the inception, each estate always met separately and only had one vote
How many reps did each estate have?
1 estate-308 reps
2 estate-285 estate
3 estate-621 reps
What did the third estate insist and what did this result in?
3 insists that each delegate have a vote, changing the system
Weeks of stalemate
3 transforms themselves into the National Assembly
Goals of the National Assembly
Pass laws and reforms in the name of the French people
Proclaim end of absolute monarchy and the beginning of representative government
Tennis court oath
They go to meet, but the doors are locked. They take it as a personal message from the king, and go to meet in the tennis (racketball) court to meet and say they will meet anywhere if it means changing France
Wind blows into the tennis court- the winds of change. A revolution is coming. Progress is coming.
Men hold their hands in a salutary position(taking an oath)- they are giving honor to the individual leading the oath.
Who proposed the Tennis Court Oath?
Jean Joseph Mounier
Storming of Bastille
July 14, 1789 The people are rioting in Paris, to revolt, so to show power, the king sends troops to control them. The people are getting ready to fight, but they don’t have enough gun powder. To get more, they go to Bastille prison and break into Bastille. The men on top of the jail are shooting down, but the people persist. They finally break in, but don’t find enough gun powder. What they did find was the commander of the jail. They dragged him out, beat him, stabbed him, and beheaded him.
What was the women’s march?
A bunch of women who wanted food for their kids marched on Versailles and dragged the king and queen, who they hated, to be imprisoned in Parisian palace Tuileries (where they would eventually be murdered)
