The French Revolution Flashcards
Who were the reigning monarchs in the 1700s?
King Louis the 16th
What kind of Monarch was Louis the 16th?
He was an absolute monarch
What does it mean to be an absolute monarch?
It means to be able to make laws and having the power to imprison without trial, those who criticise him
Who are the 1st Estate?
The clergy- members of the church
What Estate do the Nobles belong to?
The 2nd Estate
What kind of lives did the 1st & 2nd estate live?
Lives of Luxury & Privilege
Who were the 3rd estate?
The remaining population
What was life like in the 3rd Estate?
The 3rd were peasants & workers, who lived lives of poverty
What is the “Enlightenment” period?
Period of rational thought in the 1700s during which people believed logic, science & natural law ruled everything on Earth, therefore “divine right” & absolute monarchies seemed illogical
Who called for an end to the Ancient Regime?
A group of French writers ( philosophes )
What did the philosophes believe?
They believed that all the countries problems could be solved through reason rather than by past traditions
Who were some of the philosophes in the French Enlightenment Period?
Voltaire, Montesquieu & Rousseau
What did the philosophes say should be true?
That everyone was equal & had certain rights & freedoms
What did the philosophes want?
They wanted a democratic government
The ideas of the enlightenment has an influence over which estate?
The 3rd Estate
