Background on the French Revolution
Why was the French Revolution Important?
It took many of the ideas of the American Revolution to the next level: all people were considered equal, tyranny EVERYWHERE needed to be abolished (political and religious), and forms of government could be radically new.
The Tennis Court Oath
“We swear never to separate and to meet wherever circumstances require until the kingdom’s Constitution is established and grounded on solid foundations.”
How many deputies (representatives) were sent from each estate to the Estates General?
The Estates General Meeting of 1789 consisted of…
1st Estate deputies: 303
2nd Estate deputies: 291
3rd Estate deputies: 610
What allowed the citizens of Paris to attack the Bastille?
The French Guard refused to disperse them. Some even joined and together, they attacked the French prison fortress Bastille.
Who made up the first estate?
Clergy:
was the priests that ran both the Catholic church and some aspects of the country. The clergy also had the power to levy a 10% tax known as the tithe.
The August Decrees
A series of laws that abolished the taxes peasants had to pay nobles and the Church. They are widely considered to be the official end of feudalism in France.
What turned the Estates General of 1789 sour?
All estates were placed in separate rooms at a royal palace near Versailles, with furniture reflecting the status of each one (3rd Estate had the worst).
The 3rd Estate representatives realized that, since each estate had one vote they’d always be outvoted.
They argued that they needed to have more power since they represented 95% of the population of France. They were ignored
What happened to the Commander of the Bastille?
the commander of the fort was taken prisoner, executed, then had his head paraded around Paris on a pike.
Who made up the second estate?
Nobility:
consisted of the nobility of France, including members of the royal family, except for the King. Members of the Second Estate did not have to pay any taxes. They were also awarded special privileges, such as the wearing a sword and hunting.
The Jacobins
A political club (party) that advocated for the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of an equal society.
How did the King respond to the Third Estate demanding more rights?
The King responded by locking the door to the building the next day
Why did the August Decrees need to be passed?
to calm the population after the Storming of the Bastille
Who made up the third estate?
Commoners:
was made up of everyone else, from peasant farmers to the bourgeoisie – the wealthy business class. While the Second Estate was only 1% of the total population of France, the Third Estate was 96%, and had none of the rights and privileges of the other two estates.
How did the representatives from the Third Estate respond to the King locking them out of the Estates General?
The 3rd Estate then went to an indoor tennis court nearby and declared a new National Assembly.They vowed they wouldn’t dissolve the assembly until a new French constitution making society more equal was written.
Name three Articles from The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, give a summary of what right they uphold.
Article I – Human Beings are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions can be founded only on the common good.
Article II – The goal of any political association is the conservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man.
Article V – The law has the right to forbid only actions harmful to society. Anything which is not forbidden by the law cannot be impeded, and no one can be constrained to do what it does not order.
Article X – No one may be disquieted for his opinions, even religious ones, provided that their manifestation does not trouble the public order established by the law.
Article XIII – For the maintenance of the public force and for the expenditures of administration, a common contribution is indispensable; it must be equally distributed to all the citizens, according to their ability to pay.
What spread, leading to the monarch's power to monitor important ideas diminish?
The spread of coffeehouse culture and Masonic lodges meant that great ideas were discussed outside of Versailles (The King's capital city)
How many attackers died in the Storming of the Bastille?
83