Welcome to the Ancien Regime
This social group made up around 99% of the population and paid the bulk of direct taxes
What is the Third Estate
This 1774–1776 Controller-General attempted free trade in grain and was dismissed after resistance from privileged groups.
Who was Turgot?
The spread of new ideas
The Enlightenment
Members of the 3rd estate that don't earn an income from agriculture
bourgeoisie
This doctrine justified the king’s authority as coming directly from God.
What is Divine Right Monarchy
This tax was paid directly to the Church and typically amounted to about one-tenth of income.
What is the Tithe
This was the main financial problem facing France by the 1780s.
What was massive state debt (or a fiscal crisis)?
This thinker argued for separation of powers in government
Who was Montesquieu?
What are the two distinctions between different types of nobles and how did they get their position?
Nobility of the Sword - Hereditary Claim to their title
Nobility of the Robe - Recently ennobled Third Estate Men or bought a Venal Office
This palace symbolised royal absolutism and court extravagance.
What is Versailles?
A much hated tax imposed on a regular household commodity
What is the Gabelle (Salt Tax)
This finance minister published the Compte rendu au roi in 1781, misleadingly suggesting France’s finances were healthy.
Who was Jacques Necker
This philosophe famously criticised the Church and championed civil liberties
Who was Voltaire?
This term refers to the exemption from taxes and special rights enjoyed by the First and Second Estates.
What is privilege?
This king inherited a massive debt and would eventually call the Estates-General in 1789
King Louis XVI
This system divided French society into three legally defined orders with different rights and obligations
What is the Estates
I am famous for my financial skills and a controversial report of finances
Jacques Necker & The Compte Rendu
This Enlightenment thinker promoted the idea of popular sovereignty in The Social Contract.
Who was Rousseau
French Soliders brought back with them ideas of liberty and enlightenment
What was the American Spirit
Sale of offices to raise revenue for the Crown.
What are Venal Offices?
The tax imposed on the 3rd estate for unpaid labour
corvée
This fundamental problem meant the wealthiest estates were largely exempt from direct taxation.
What was the unequal tax system (or privilege)?
What are the 6 Enlightenment Ideas listed in your study design
what is the critique of privilege, the critique of absolute authority, attack on the Church and claims to popular sovereignty, and equality
This concept refers to the ultimate authority within a state.
What is sovereignty?
These regional courts had the power to register or block royal edicts (laws)
What were the parlements?