The Meeting of the Estates-General Flashcards
When did the Estates-General meet?
5th May 1789
Why would the Third Estate have supported the King?
If he had promise reforms
Why did the Third Estate not support the King?
The government had not taken the initiative of reforms and put forward no such programme
Necker spoke about fairer taxation but did not mention any other reforms
What had the cahiers demanded that had not been mentioned?
A new constitution
Why was the Estates-General summoned?
To deal with France’s financial crisis
What did the Estates-General meeting fall to squabbling over?
Its own structure
How had the Third Estate thought they were voting?
By head, hence its double representation
What did the Third Estate refuse?
The information that they would be voting by order and not head
What would therefore be meaningless to the Third Estate?
Their double representation
Were the Estates meant to meet together?
No
What did the Third Estate argue for and why did the other two Estates oppose this?
Voting by head
They representatives of the Third Estate were more numerous so they would be outvoted
Although the Estates-General met separately, what did the Third Estate insist?
That the credentials of those who claimed to have been elected should be verified in a common session comprised of the deputies of all three estates
Although the proposed verification of deputies was seen as a trivial matter, what was it setting a precedent for?
Deciding whether the Estates-General should meet as one body (and vote by head) when discussing all other matters
Did the nobles and clergy accept or reject the proposition of deputy verification?
Reject
The nobles declared themselves a separate order by how many votes?
188 to 46
The clergy declared themselves a separate order by how many votes?
133 to 114
Why was there deadlock for 6 weeks?
Lack of agreement about the key issue of how the Estates-General would vote
The Third Estate refused to do anything until the other two orders joined them
What was shuttle diplomacy? Did it succeed?
Negotiations conducted by a mediator for parties reluctant to hold direct discussion. No
When did shuttle diplomacy continue to?
27th May
What did the Third Estate do on 28th May?
Began meeting on their own calling themselves the Communes (Commons)
