french revolution - Sheet1 Flashcards
France’s traditional assembly with representatives of the three estates, or classes, in French society: the clergy, nobility, and commoners. The calling of the Estates General in 1789 led to the French Revolution.
Estates General
1% consisted of the Roman Catholic Church. Always voted with the 2nd Estate. Did not pay taxes.
1st Estate
Nobility (wealthy) less than 2% of population, but owns 25% of land. Paid no taxes, held highest offices in government. Always voted with the 1st Estate.
2nd Estate
Common people, which included between 97 - 98% of the French Popul, paid heavy taxes, rented land they worked on, paid tithe
3rd Estate
Queen of France (as wife of Louis XVI) who was unpopular her extravagance and opposition to reform contributed to the overthrow of the monarchy; she was guillotined along with her husband (1755-1793)
Marie Antoinette
- King of France (1774-1792). In 1789 he summoned the Estates-General, but he did not grant the reforms that were demanded and revolution followed. Louis and his queen, Marie Antoinette, were executed in 1793.
Louis XVI
financial expert of Louis XVI, he advised Louis to reduce court spending, reform his government, abolish tarriffs on internal trade, but the First and Second Estates got him fired.
Jacques Necker
French Revolutionary assembly (1789-1791). Called first as the Estates General, the third estate came together and demanded radical change after the original Estates General was “deadlocked.” It passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man in 1789.
National Assembly
French Revolution document that outlined what the National Assembly considered to be the natural rights of all people and the rights that they possessed as citizens. (Applied to all men, no ladies)
Declaration of the Rights of Man
Medieval fortress that was converted to a prison stormed by peasants for ammunition during the early stages of the French Revolution.
Bastille
Bastile Day. The day the people stormed the Bastille Prison which was also an armory that stored all the guns and powder. Similar to our 4th of July. Celebrated today as Independence Day in France.
7/14/1789
The panic and insecurity that struck French peasants in the summer of 1789 and led to their widespread destruction of manor houses and archives of documents that made them serfs. Also called the “August Fear.”
Great Fear
Demonstrations in Paris from bread shortage scare. March to Versailles by the women, called the “Women’s March,” where they forced the royal family back to Paris. Signifies power of mob and will of the French people.
October Days
On October 5, 1789 an angry mob of Parisian women stormed through Versailles demanding Louis XVI end the nationwide food shortage and that the royal family return to Paris with them.
Women’s March
King Louis XVI and his families attempt to escape paris; made it only to Varennes where they were arrested and put on house arrest. End of French Monarchy
Flight to Varennes