the estates-general Flashcards
key dates in 1789
5th May - Estates-General met at Versailles
17th June - National Assembly proclaimed
20th June - Tennis Court Oath
10th July - Formation of the citizens’ militia
14th July - storming of the Bastille
20th July - start of the Great Fear
4th August - Decrees dismantling feudalism passed
26th August - Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
5-6th October - ‘October Days’
2nd November - Church property nationalised
Estates-General needed to be called
by late 1788
financial and political problems facing Crown were too great
method of voting - by order
Paris parlement declared the Estates-General should meet
- should vote by order (Estate)
this would favour two privileged orders
- tended to act together
- bourgeoisie tended to follow lead given by the privileged classes
method of voting - by head
1789
bourgeois leaders of Third Estate suspected privileged orders wanted to retain status quo
demanded twice the number of deputies - they would have as many as the other two orders combined
also wanted voting by head
- would give them the majority
decision of King’s Council
allowed doubling of Third Estate
said nothing about voting method
- led to confusion in the Estates-General meeting
- orders weren’t sure how they were voting
Electing deputies
All adult male members of the 1st & 2nd Estates voted in election of deputies
for 3rd Estate - Frenchmen over 25 chose representatives in a primary assembly, who then went on to elect deputies
1st Estate
- parish priests elected
- only 51 out of 291 deputies were bishops
2nd Estate
- majority of noble deputies were conservatives (no reform)
- 90 out of 282 were liberals (more tolerant and supportive of cautious reform)
3rd Estate
- 580 educated, articulate and well-off deputies
- peasants and artisans couldn’t afford to pay the expenses of a deputy
- the industrial middle class did not play a leading role in the Revolution
Cahiers
lists of grievances and suggestions for reform
1st Estate:
- reflected interests of parish clergy
- called for an end to bishops holding more than one diocese
- were prepared to give up financial privileges of Church
- NOT willing to give up dominant position of Catholic Church
2nd Estate:
- very liberal - more so than 3rd Estate
- 89% prepared to give up financial privileges
- showed a desire for change
- people chosen on merit rather than birth
3rd Estate:
- wanted to vote by head
- the major issue separating the Estates
All three:
- against absolute royal power
- wanted limit on King’s power through an elected assembly
Meeting of the Estates-General
5th May 1789
- nothing mentioned about new constitution; all cahiers had asked for this
- government didn’t offer any clear reforms - 3rd Estate were prepared to support King if he promised reform
3rd Estate insisted all three estates should meet together (they would meet separately traditionally)
- setting precedent for voting by head
- rejected by nobles (188 votes to 46) and clergy (133-114)
3rd Estate refused to do anything
- weeks of inaction
declaration of National Assembly (1789)
10th June
- 3rd Estate passed motion (deadlock broken)
15th June
- debate by 3rd Estate and some priests who had joined
17th June
- 3rd Estate deputies voted 490-90 to become National Assembly
- claimed to represent most of nation
- therefore had the right to decide taxation
this illustrated loss of government control
- 19th June
- clergy voted to join 3rd Estate
This was all a direct challenge towards the King
Séance royale
23rd June
- King decided to hold a Royal session with the Estates-General
Tennis Court Oath
20th June
- Estates-General were supposed to meet with King
- 3rd Estate got locked out of room
- met in a nearby tennis court
- took an oath not to be dispersed until France had a constitution
- claimed the King didn’t have the right to dissolve them
- only 1 member voted against the motion
indicated that the deputies were becoming more radical
King’s response - Séance royale
Necker advised him to hold a Séance royale
- King would ignore events of 10-17 June & accept voting in common
Louis was pressured by Marie Antoinette & co.
- on the privileged side
- stated on 23rd June that previous decisions taken by 3rd Estate were void
- wouldn’t allow discussion of privileges of 1st & 2nd Estate in common
King’s response - reform
reaction
placed restrictions on his own power
- no taxes imposed without consent of representatives of nation
- lettres de cachet (allowed detention without trial) would be abolished
- freedom of press introduced
- internal customs barriers, gabelle & corvée abolished
3rd Estate no longer felt that this was enough
June Timeline
24th
- 151 clergy joined 3rd Estate
25th
- 47 nobles, e.g. Duc d’Orléans, joined
- popular demonstrations in Paris
27th
- King reversed his decision on 23rd June
- ordered nobility & clergy to join 3rd Estate & vote by head
King’s response - military
22nd June
- ordered troops to be moved to Paris and Versailles
- 4,000 troops stationed by late June
- government claimed they were there to preserve order
Louis believed loyalty of troops was certain [elite units of army]
alarm in capital - Louis appeared to be thinking of using force to dissolve National Assembly
- further troop movements - units increased from 4,000 to 20,000
- Assembly saved by Parisians’ revolt
