The Constituent Assembly Flashcards
Not needed for A-Level exms
What did the Constituent Assembly work on between 1789-91?
Replacing the governmental and administrative structure.
What two things was the new constitution based on?
The king who retained ‘supreme power’ but only a four year veto on law and an elected national assembly.
What happened to the right to vote?
It was restricted and citizens were divided into two groups- “active citizens” and “passive citizens”- only “active citizens” could vote.
Who were active citizens?
Men over 25 who had lived in one place for a year, paid the equivalent of 3 days labour in taxes and had the right to vote in the first stage of both local and national elections.
What was an individual required to do in order to stand for office or vote in the second stage of elections?
Pay the equivalent of 10 days labour in taxes.
What did someone have to do to become a deputy in the National Assembly?
Pay the equivalent of 50 days labour in taxes which was known as the marc d’argent- a silver mark or 52 livres.
What percentage of men and women had the right to vote in the first stage of elections?
61% of French men and no women.
Out of 100, how many men were eligible to stand for deputy?
1/100.
What happened to the local administration?
It was reorganised and decentralised under a new three tier system of departements, districts and communes.
How many departements were there?
83.
How many districts were subdivided from departements?
547.
How many communes were subdivided from districts?
43,360.
How were officials elected?
Voting by active citizens.
What were councils responsible for?
Law and order within their localities and a range of specific duties.
What were four duties that councils were responsible for?
- The assessment and collection of taxes
- The construction of public amenities such as roads
- Maintenance of churches
- Supervision of the local national guard
What happened to local governments?
They fell largely into the hands of the educated bourgeoisie- men of some wealth but selected on their merits.
What two problems occurred and why?
- There were insufficient educated men to fill offices
2. In some rural communes there were too few literate people.
What legal system was established?
Single legal system established.
What three forms of violence were forbidden?
Torture, branding and hanging forbidden.
What was the form of death penalties?
All death penalties in the form of decapitation- formerly only a privilege of nobles.
What were the new law courts based on?
The local departements.
What happened to tribunals?
Tribunals were established at each level of local governments, plus a central court of appeal and high court for cases of treason.
What would justices of the peace do?
At the lowest level, they would deal with minor civil cases.
Where did more serious cases go?
District courts.