The French Revolution Flashcards
Who were the First Estate?
The clergy
How much of the land did the French clergy own?
About 10%
How much taxes do the clergy have to pay?
Little or none
Who were the Second Estate?
The Rich Nobles
How much of the land do the rich nobles own in France?
About 20%
Who were the Third Estate?
Anyone who wasn’t rich noble or a clergyman (peasants, merchants, Bourgeoisie (middle class), city workers, etc.)
How much of the French population was in the Third Estate?
97%
How much of the taxes did the Third Estate pay?
100%
What were some of the major troubles before and during the French Revolution?
Defecit spending and heavy taxes (economic), crop failures and lack of bread (agricultural), and lack of reform (political).
What kind of leader was King Louis XVI?
Weak
Who were the king and queen during the French Revolution?
King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette
Which country was Marie Antionette from?
Austria
What solution did the king and queen propose for their economic troubles?
More taxes!
What did the Second Estate do in response to the extra taxes?
They called for a meeting of the Estates General to approve the tax.
Which estate created the National Assembly?
The Third Estate
What was the cause of the Tennis Court Oath?
The Third Estate was locked out of their meeting place
What was the Tennis Court Oath?
The Third Estate vowed not to leave the king’s tennis court until they had drawn up a constitution.
What was the Storming of the Bastille?
Troops went to Versailles and searched for gunpowder in the Bastille. They killed the prison commander and several guards.
When is Bastille Day?
July 14th, 1789
What year did a famine rampage through France?
1789
What were two major themes of The Great Fear?
Rumors and peasants attacking the homes of nobles.
Who was Marquis Lafayette?
He headed the National Guard and popularized a red, white, blue badge inspired by the American flag
What was the Paris Commune?
A violent protest group
What was the first phase of the French Revolution? How long did it last?
Moderate Phase (1789-1791)
What was the second phase of the French Revolution? How long did it last?
Radical Phase (1792-1794)
What was the third phase of the French Revolution? How long did it last?
Directory Phase (1795-1799)
What was the fourth phase of the French Revolution? How long did it last?
The Age of Napoleon (1799-1815)
What did the National Assembly do?
It dissolved privelages
What was the name of the constitution the National Assembly made during the Moderate Phase?
‘The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen’
What did the National Assembly do pertaining to the church in he Moderate Phase?
Created a state-controlled church
What happened October 5th, 1789?
Thousands of angry women marched to the palace shouting “BREAD!”
What were three reasons the French people disliked Marie Antoinette?
She was frivolous with money, she was Austrian, and the “Let them eat cake!” rumor/scandal
When was the second constitution of the Moderate phrase written? What was it’s main focus?
1791; Limiting monarchy with the Legislative Assembly
Which other countries was France at war with during the French Revolution? How long were they at war?
Austria, Prussia, and Britain (1792-815)
What did the radicals of the Radical Phase want?
A republic
What did the National Assembly do in 1792?
They abolished the monarchy
How many people were killed during the hasty trials of the Radical Phase of the French Revolution?
40,000, including the king and the queen, and Maximilien Robespierre
What was the guillotine and who invented it?
A fast falling blade that was more humane than the axe; Joseph Guillotine
Who was the man who lead a majority of the hasty trials of the Radical Phase?
Maximillien Robespierre
When was the third constitution created?
1795
What type of government did the Directory Phase have?
A 5-Man directory with a two house legislature.
Who did the directory turn to to command France’s armies?
Napoleon Bonaparte
Where was Napoleon Bonaparte born?
Corsica
What did Napoleon do in 1799?
He helped overthrow the directory and set up a three-man Consulate.
When did Napoleon become the “First Consul” as well as consul for life?
1802
When did Napoleon crown himself empperor?
1804
What is a plebiscite?
Ballot in which voters say yes or no to an issue.
What was the Concordat of 1801?
Kept the Church under state control but recognized religious freedom for Catholics.
What was the Napoleonic Code?
New law code
What were the main focuses of the Napoleonic Code?
Equality, religious toleration, and advancement based on merit.
