More of the French Revolution

Ancien regime

The political and social system in France before the French Revolution (c. 15th-18th century), marked by absolute monarchy, feudal aristocracy, and social hierarchy based on birth.

Absolute Monarchy

A king and Queen who has complete power in a state. They can make laws and there are no constitutional limits to their power.

Real Wages

Wages measured in terms of what they enable workers to buy rather than the actual money received.

Conscription

Complusory enrollment into the army as a service to the state. Men had no choice in the matter, and they had to be prepared to go and fight.Compulsory.

Parliament

Judicial courts of appeal. There were 13 local parlements in France at this time, of which the one in Paris was the most powerful. they were not elected or represented.

Assembly of Notables

A group of noblemen or senior members of the Church. The assembly had been summoned by the king only four times in the past, to deal with emergencies. The assembly had no authority - it could only consult, but not actually do anything. Calonne hoped that it would help him gain some support for much- needed financial reform

Estates General

An assembly which represented the three social classes of France under the Ancien Regime: the clergy, the nobility, and the third estate, who represented the majority of French people. The estates General of 1789 was the first called since 1614

Feudalism

A social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and the lower classes were tenants of the nobles, obliged to live on their lords land and serve him with their labour and a share of their crops

The Terror

The period of extreme violence in 1793-94 when thousands of French people were executed by the guillotine, after a brief trial before revolutionary tribunals. Those executed were royalists, aristocrats, clergy or political opponents of the Jacobins.

Emirgres

Members of the French population who left France during the first years of the Revolution and the Terror. The first emigres were mostly members of the aristocracy, but members of the middle class also left France. In 1792 the National Convention banned emigres from returning to France

Assignats

A new type of paper currency used instead of gold and silver coins and guaranteed by the government. The real value of this type of currency depended on peoples confidence in it and their willingness to accept it as payment for goods or their labour.

National guard

A largely middle-class military, created in 1789 to act as a national police force. It was to play a vital role in trying to maintain law and order in France during the revolutionary period.

Coup d’e’tat

The sudden and often violent overthrow of government by a group of citizens or military personnel

Annesity

A pardon for breaking any laws in the past

Plebiscite

Similar to an election, a plebiscite is a popular vote. Instead of being called to choose a national assembly and a government however a plebiscite puts a question to voters about specific issues and almost always organized around a yes or no decision

Jacques-Louis David

Leading French Neoclassical painter. Politically active during the French Revolution, supported Robespierre, and later became Napoleon's official artist. Known for iconic historical paintings.

August decrees

Granted rights to workers and peasants

Thermidorian Reaction

Robespierre arrested and executed in 1794

Bourgeosie

Term for educated middle class

Problems in France

Regional differences

Financial problems

Economic structure

legislative assembly

replaced national assembly in 1791

The convention

replaced the legislative assembly a few months later