French Revolution

French Society

100

Under the ancient regime France was divided into 3 social classes (estates), name them.

First Estate: clergy

Second Estate: nobility

Third Estate: everyone else

200

Explain the church influence at this time.

Clergy enjoyed enormous wealth and privileges. Church owed 10% of land and collected tithes, and paid no taxes. Nuns, monks, priests ran schools, hospitals and orphanages.

300

Explain the Second Estate at this time

Nobles had top jobs in government, the army, the courts, and the Church. Many owned land but had little income so felt the pinch with the rising prices. They feared losing their traditional privilege of no taxes.

400

Explain how the Third Estate is vastly diverse.

At the top were the "bourgeoisie" (middle class) made up of bankers, merchants, manufacturers, lawyers, doctors, journalists, and professors.

The bulk consisted of rural peasants, some were prosperous landowners, or tenant farmers/day laborers. Wages were small and rising prices could cause starvation.

The poorest members were urban workers, such as apprentices, journeymen, industry workers, servants, stable hands, construction workers, street sellers. A large number were unemployed needing to beg or commit crimes to survive.

Third Estate was burdened with paying all the taxes for everyone.

500

At this time, France is experiencing a financial crisis mostly due to..

Years of deficit spending. This occurs when the government spends more money than it takes in.

Financial Troubles

100

Name some reasons why there was a national debt in France.

Louis XVI and lavish courts spent large amounts of $

Seven's Years War and American Revolution cost $

France government borrowed $ to bridge gap between money coming in and going out

Tax money was only enough to pay on loan interest

200

In addition to the spending habits, France also experienced what that brought hunger to the poorest peasants and city dwellers?

Bad harvests that sent food prices soaring

300

Louis XVI was well meaning but a weak and indecisive leader; however, he wisely chose who as a financial advisor?

Jacques Necker, a financial expert who urged the King to reduce extravagant court spending, reform government, and abolish burdensome tariffs on internal trade.

400

What did Necker propose that caused the Clergy and Nobles to force the King to dismiss him.

He proposed taxing the First and Second Estates

500

As the crisis deepened, France is facing banruptcy, bread riots are spreading, the King summons the Estates-General, who are they?

Legislative body consisting of representation from all three Estates.

Estates-General

100

King Louis XVI has each estate prepare how?

Each Estate prepares a "cahiers" notebook that lists their grievances. Many of the grievances called for reform in fairer taxes, freedom of press, reasonable work hours, etc.

200

Who were the delegates elected from the Third Estate?

Since only the propertied men could vote, delegates were mostly lawyers, middle-class officials and writers.

300

Delegates wanted all three Estates to take a vote on issues by having the votes counted "by head". Estates 1 & 2 didn't like this idea which lead to what daring step?

The Third Estate claiming to represent the people of France declared themselves to be the National Assembly.

400

What did the National Assembly do?

Tennis Court Oath, vowing to create a constitution. They swore "never to separate and meet wherever the circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution".

500

What was the significance of the storming of Bastille?

The people of France representing years of abuse from the Monarchy, stormed Bastille, killing many, demanding change which resulted in the fall of Bastille. Today its a symbol of peace and celebrated yearly as the national independence day.

National Assembly Acts

100

In addition, to the political crisis, France was experiencing a major famine. What were the "rumors" that created the "Great Fear"?

Tales of attacks on villages and towns, rumors that the government troops were seizing peasant crops, nobles were trying to impose dues, peasants reacted by burning old manor records and stealing grain.

200

Define factions

dissenting group of people competing to gain power.

300

With the uprising of the peasants and the fall of Bastille, the National Assembly sprang into action. What did they do?

After an all-night combative meeting, they voted to end their own privileges of manorial dues, hunting rights, special legal status, and exemption from taxes.

People announced "Feudalism is abolished"!

400

The first step toward writing a constitution, the Assembly issued a Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. This document was modeled after the American Declaration of Independence. What did it declare?

All men were born and remain free and in equal rights. They have rights to liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. All male citizens were equal before the law meaning every Frenchman had equal right to hold public office. Freedom of religion and taxes be levied according to the ability to pay.

500

Many women were disappointed that the Declaration of the Rights of Man did not grant equal citizenship to women. Olympe de Gouges took a stand...what happened?

Women proclamation freedom, which lead to the March on Versailles. Crowds anger directed toward the Queen Marie Antoinette because she lived a life of great pleasure and extravagance. Women refused to leave Versailles unless the Louis XVI and family returned to Paris to be closer to the people. He reluctantly agreed. Became a prisoner.

Radicals Take Over

100

How did the National Assembly put the Church under government control?

Created the Civil Constitution of the Clergy which ended the papal authority over the French Church and dissolved convents and monasteries.

This angered the Pope, bishops and priests who refused to accept it.  

200

The Constitution of 1791 set up a limited monarchy to replace the monarchy that had ruled France for centurions. What was the new Legislative Assembly able to do?

Power to make laws, collect taxes, decide on issues of war and peace, abolish old laws and courts and reformed laws.

300

Louis XVI and his family tried to escape Paris and failed. This act fueled the "French Plague" and led to increased border patrol. Why?

The horror stories told by the "emigres" (nobles, clergy and others who fled France and it revolutionary forces). They reported attacks on their privileges, property, religion and lives. This led to violent opposition and many even people from abroad to protest.

400

The Legislative Assemble took office but faced a crisis of economic problems. "Assignats" (revolutionary currency) dropped in value causing prices to rapidly increase which led to hoarding and food shortages. As the Legislative Assembly fought for power what other radicals formed

"Sans-cullotes" (wore Long pants) demanded a republic - government ruled by elected representatives instead of a monarchy.

"Jacobins" middle class lawyers and intellectuals. They used pamphleteers, and sympathetic newspaper editors to spread the cause.

500

The radicals become more powerful and had the upper hand of the Legislative Assembly. They were eager to spread the revolution. What did the Legislative Assembly do?

Declared war first on Austria, then on Prussia, Britain, and others. The revolution entered a radical phase, one of the bloodiest regimes in history.