history-French Revolution Flashcards
Two main stages of FR
1789-1799 : Revolutionary Governments
1799-1815: Napoleón
When was the French Revolution
1789-1815
Causes of French Revolution
Unequal social structure (population divided into 3 estates )
Age of Enlightenment ideas
France sent troops and supplies to the American revolutionaries
Financial difficulties
France was an absolute monarchy with a weak monarch
Old regime
France prior to FR- when it was an absolute monarchy
What were the three estates under the old regime
First estate
Second estate
Third estate
First estate: Who made it up? What % of the pop? Land ownership Problems and/or privileges
Made of Roman Catholic clergy
Made up 1% of the pop
Owned 10% of land
Exempt from paying taxes; grand lifestyles paid for by tithe $ (10% of everyone’s income that’s paid to the church)
Second estate: Who made it up? What % of the pop? Land ownership Problems and/or privileges
Made of nobility
Made up 2% of pop
Owned 20-25% of land
Top govt and military jobs saved for them; exempt from paying taxes; main income= feudal dues (taxes that peasants must lay nobles)
Third estate: Who made it up? What % of the pop? Land ownership Problems and/or privileges
Made of peasants, laborers, artisans, bourgeoisie,etc.
97% of pop
65% of land
V poor; about half their income was paid in taxes
Bourgeoisie
V small group
Middle class (our lower rich/upper middle class)
Hosted and attend salons
What Age of Enlightenment ideas caused the FR
Challenging the absolute right to rule, ppl have a say in govt, liberal freedoms, overthrow a govt, justice system, etc.
appealed to bourgeoisie’ grievances
Affect of France sending troops to assist American Revolutionaries
Wars = expensive (led to financial hardships for France)
Introduces revolutionary ideas to 3rd Estate foot soldiers that just fought in American Revolution (Republic>monarchy, no taxation without representation, liberal freedoms, take up arms against tyranny)
Causes of frances financial problems
Govt had large debts with heavy interest
Costs of over ambitious wars of Louis XIV and XV
Cost of helping America in .their revolution
Bad harvests -> increased food prices -> hunger spreads
Extravagant spending of royal family + upkeep of Palace of Versailles
Louis XVI
Weak monarch of France
Preferred personal interests over court interests
Heavily influenced by wife Marie Antoinette
Incapable of strong decisive action
Marie Antoinette
Married to King Louis XVI
French people didn’t trust her bc she was part of Austrian royal family
Spent extravagantly on gowns, gambling, jewelry, etc
Nicknamed Madame Deficit
Revolutionary Governments: 3 phases
Moderate phase (1789-1792) Radical phase (1792-1794) Reactionary phase (1795-1799)
Govts in the moderate phase
National Assembly Legislative assembly (created by National Assembly)
Meeting of the Estates General- why?
King Louis decides to tax first and second estates bc of financial problems -> second estate forced king to call meeting is estates-general (first time they met in 175 yrs) bc they didn’t want to pay taxes
Meeting of the estates general- what happened during meeting?
Representatives from each estate came (most from the third estate) -> each estate only got one vote-> third estate was always outvoted bc first and second estate always voted to benefit themselves and hurt third estate (keep things the way it was) -> third estate demands to vote per delegate-> other estates refuse
What happened as a result of the meeting of the estates general?
The third estate voted to establish themselves as the National Assembly and to pass laws/reforms in the name of French people -> first deliberate act of FR