The French Revolution Flashcards
First Estate - the Clergy
- People of the Church. Owned land and had massive wealth.
- Don’t pay taxes to state
- Tithe - Tax extracted from peasants (one-tenth of produce)
Second Estate - the Nobility
- Aristocrats, kings, nobels
- Don’t pay taxes to state
- Feudal privilages, i.e. , feudal dues extracted from peasants
Third Estate
- Rest of the population
- No Privilege, had to pay direct taxes (Taille) and indirect taxes (salt, tobacco, food)
- Peasants (90% Population). Some owned land.
- 60% land was owned by nobels, the Church, other richer members of third estate.
- Peasants had to work in house of nobels, serve in army, build roads
John Locke
Two Treaties of Government - critised the right of monarchy.
Jean Jacques Rousseau
The Social Contract - Government based on Social Contract between people and representatives.
Montesquieu
The Spirit of the Laws - Seperation by legislature, executive, Judiciary.
Estate General Meeting
5th May, 1789
National Assembly - 1789
[ When? Where? Who? ]
- 20th June, 1789 at Versailles.
- Tennis Court Oath, i.e., constitution.
- Representatives of third estate lead by Mirabeau (Nobel) and Abbe Sieyes (Clergy)
Subsistence Crisis
[ When? Why? How? ]
- 1715 - 1789
- Prices of Bread increased as production was low.
- Population increased.
- Wages were low.
During the severe winters, Bakers had…
Stocked up Bread, & Sell them at High Rates
The Reckoning Of The Bastille
[ When? Who? Why? ]
- 14th July, 1789
- Prison in France
- Symbolized the kings dominating powers
- Destroyed by the agitated and hungry crowd
August of 1789
- Feudal system was abolished
- Church land was seized
- 2 billion livres worth assets gained
Constitution of France
[ When? What? ]
- 1791
- Powers seperated as the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary.
- Assembly was voted indirectly by Electors. Electors were elected by Active Citizens.
- Active Citizens - Men above 25 y/o who pay taxes equal to at least 3 days of labourer wage.
- Electors belonged to highest bracket of Taxpayers.
Active Citizens ~> Electors ~> Assembly
Jacobin Club
[Leader? Members? Origin? Attire/Dresses? ]
About:
- Leader - Maximilian Robespierre
- Members - Less prosperous sections of Society, i.e., Shopkeepers, artisians, cooks, watch-makers, etc.
- Origin - St. Jacobs convent in Paris
Attire:
- Wore long stripped trousers similar to dock workers, a way to declare the end of knee breeches (Nobels).
- Sans-culottes
- Wore Red cap to symbolize liberty
The Period of The Reign of Terror is
1793 to 1794