The Three Estates
This outdated social and political system divided
France's population into three social classes in the
1770s.
What is the Old Regime?
The storming of this medieval Paris prison on July
14, 1789, was a search for gunpowder and is
celebrated as a major revolutionary victory.
What is the Bastille?
This document, adopted by the National Assembly
on August 26, 1789, guaranteed fundamental
freedoms and equal rights for French citizens.
What is the Declaration of the Rights of
Man?
In June 1791, Louis XVI and his family tried to
escape France to find refuge in this neighboring
country, but they were caught near the border.
What is the Austrian Netherlands?
This radical Jacobin leader aimed to build a 'republic
of virtue' by systematically erasing France's past,
eventually ruling as a dictator.
Who is Maximilien Robespierre?
This group made up the First Estate, owned 10% of
France's land, and paid only about 2% of their
income in taxes.
Who is the clergy?
Members of the Third Estate were heavily inspired
by the success of this overseas revolution, along
with Enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau and
Voltaire.
What is the American Revolution?
These three words became the ultimate, rallying
slogan of the French Revolution.
What is 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity'?
In the Legislative Assembly, members who wanted
sweeping changes sat on this side of the hall,
establishing a long-lasting political term.
What is the Left (or Radicals)?
This machine was designed to perform executions
humanely and was used to execute King Louis XVI
on January 21, 1793.
What is the guillotine?
This group composed the Second Estate,
representing only 2% of the population but owning
20% of the land while paying almost no taxes.
Who are the rich nobles (or nobility)?
In October 1789, Parisian women rioted over the
soaring price of this staple food and marched to
Versailles, forcing the royal family to return to Paris.
What is bread?
To pay off the massive national debt, the Assembly
took control of this institution's property and sold its
lands, upsetting many devout peasants.
What is the Catholic Church?
These two neighboring European nations urged
France to restore Louis XVI to his absolute throne,
prompting France to declare war in April 1792.
Who are Austria and Prussia?
Robespierre was the head of this 12-man executive
committee, which effectively ruled France during the
Reign of Terror.
What is the Committee of Public Safety?
This wealthiest subgroup of the Third Estate
consisted of well-educated professionals,
merchants, bankers, and factory owners.
Who is the Bourgeoisie?
This was the assembly of representatives from all
three estates that Louis XVI was forced to call in
May 1789 to resolve the financial crisis.
What is the Estates-General?
This body, proposed by Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès,
was voted into existence on June 17, 1789,
effectively ending absolute monarchy.
What is the National Assembly?
French nobles and others who fled the country
during the uprisings, hoping to restore the Old
Regime from abroad, were known by this term.
Who are the Émigrés?
Roughly this percentage of those executed during
the Reign of Terror were members of the Third
Estate (peasants, urban poor, middle class).
What is 85 percent?
This was the largest group within the Third Estate,
making up over 80% of France's total population.
Who are the peasants?
This historic pledge was sworn by locked-out
delegates of the Third Estate on an indoor sports
court, promising to stay until they had drafted a new
constitution.
What is the Tennis Court Oath?
This working-class Paris group wore full-length
trousers instead of knee-breeches and pushed for
more radical changes.
Who are the sans-culottes?
Over 1,000 prisoners were slaughtered by fearful
mobs in September 1792 during this bloody episode
of mass violence.
What are the September Massacres?
Following Robespierre's fall on July 28, 1794, this
new executive body of five moderate men was
established to govern France in 1795.
What is the Directory?