Social Studies Reading "The French Revolution Begins"

Estates

The three social classes in France before the Revolution: First Estate (clergy), Second Estate (nobility), and Third Estate (commoners).

First Estate

The clergy in France, comprising about 130,000 members, owning roughly 10% of the land.

Second Estate

The nobility in France, consisting of about 350,000 members and owning 25-30% of the land.

Third Estate

The commoners in France, making up 75-80% of the population and divided into sub-groups: peasants, urban workers, and the bourgeoisie.

Bourgeoisie

The middle class in the Third Estate, including merchants, bankers, and professionals, and owning about 20-25% of the land.

Taille

France's chief tax, which the First and Second Estates did not have to pay.

Great Fear

A period of panic during the French Revolution where peasants rioted against feudal oppression and landowner privileges.

Natural Rights

Fundamental rights believed to be inherent to all individuals, often cited in Enlightenment and revolutionary literature.

Tennis Court Oath

A pledge made by members of the Third Estate not to disband until a new constitution was created.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

A foundational document of the French Revolution affirming individual liberties and equal rights, inspired by Enlightenment thought.

Civil Constitution of the Clergy

A revolutionary law that brought the Catholic Church under state control, requiring priests to be elected by the people.

Limited Monarchy

A system of government established by the Constitution of 1791 where the king had limited powers and a Legislative Assembly made the laws.

Sans-culottes

Radical Parisian revolutionaries who wore long trousers to distinguish themselves from the aristocracy.

Estates-General

The French parliament that had not met since 1614, consisting of representatives from the three estates.

Louis XVI

The King of France during the Revolution, who struggled to maintain authority as revolutionary sentiments grew.

Marie Antoinette

Queen of France, known for her extravagance, contributing to popular resentment during the French Revolution.

Universal male suffrage

The right for all adult males to vote, established during the more radical phases of the French Revolution.