World History II H - The French Revolution

Old Regime

The political and social system in place in France before the French Revolution

Estates

The social classes of France (1st Estate - clergy, 2nd Estate - nobles, 3rd Estate - peasants and working class)

Bourgeoisie

The educated and wealthy members of the 3rd Estate (lawyers, doctors, etc.)

Taxes

Taille - a land tax imposed on the 3rd Estate
Corvee - labor service that the 3rd Estates had to provide to clergy and nobles if they needed heavy work done (ex. repairing a broken bridge)

Estates-General

Representatives from all three estates
Estates-General in 1789 was supposed to talk about taxes and France’s poor financial decision making but rather disputed about the procedures of the Estates-General (especially voting; each estates got one vote but the 3rd Estate wanted to vote by head [each rep. gets one vote] but since there were still more 1st and 2nd Estaters, King Louis XVI allowed them to bring more representatives)

National Assembly

3rd Estaters that were unhappy with the lack of progress in the Estates-General; wanted to represent the country as a whole

Tennis Court Oath

Mostly members of the National Assembly (3rd Estate) and some members from the 1st and 2nd Estates; occurred after the Nat’l Assembly was locked out of their meeting hall so they found a large place to gather and found a large “tennis court”; they took an oath later known as the “Tennis Court Oath” where they said they would not leave until a new constitution for France was made

Storming of the Bastille

Occurred on July 14, 1789
When mostly urban workers attacked the Bastille for gunpowder with the fear that Louis XVI was going to attack with troops to stop the National Assembly

Great Fear

Peasants who attacked/performed acts of violence against Nobles which scared Nobles enough to give up some privileges and some even fled France (Émigrés)

Civil Constitution of the Clergy

Priests and clergymen had to take an oath to the new French government: “I swear to support with all my power the constitution!”

Night of August 4

The night many 2nd Estaters (nobles) made speeches about loving liberty and equality and when 1st and 2nd Estaters joined the National Assembly (powered by fear) to get rid of feudal rights (privileges nobles had over peasants)
Marks the end of the Old Regime

Women’s March on Versailles

When women from Paris (joined by some men and the National Guard) marched to the Palace of Versailles to protest bread shortages and to demand political reform; some people got in and even chased around Mary Antoinette
These people forced Louis XVI back to Paris under the threat of death

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

A list of rights for French citizens (truly only men) which was written by Marquis de Lafayette with input from Thomas Jefferson and with slight modifications made by the National Assembly before being adopted in August 1789

Declaration of the Rights of the Woman and Female Citizen

A declaration which proposed a list of rights for women similar to DROM but was ignored by the National Assembly

Legislative Assembly

New legislative body that was formed after the old National Assembly passed a new constitution for France

Émigré

Nobles who fled France due to the actions of peasants during the Great France

Sans-culottes

The working class of Paris; they were named this because of their long pants which was opposite to the short culottes that was worn by the middle class

The Tricolor

New flag of France (in order: Blue, White Red vertical stripes; white of the Bourbon family and blue and red of Paris)

Cockade

A badge worn by citizens to show their support of the Revolution

Jacobin

a radical political organization who had representatives in the Legislative Assembly

Guillotine

A new form of execution which was said to be the most “humane” form of execution because it was painless and instantaneous

La Marseillaise

A revolutionary song written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle often sung by marching soldiers which eventually became the National Anthem of France

Attack on Tuileries

When Jacobins performed a mob attack against the king and his family at the Tuileries Palace

September Massacres

Mob attacks also performed by the Jacobins on imprisoned nobles and priests

Robespierre’s “Republic of Virtue”

Robespierre’s political philosophy for what France should become

Dechristianization

Radical changes which attempted to remove the Church’s influence from French society (caused a new Republican Calendar and caused many churches to close)

Committee of Public Safety

A group of people whose goal was to protect France from their enemies

Reign of Terror

A period started by the formation of the CPS; many people who were accused of being enemies of the Revolution were executed during this period

“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”

The core values of the French Revolution
Liberty: the right to live with freedom
Equality: everyone is equal under the law
Fraternity: brotherhood and national unity

AB MON → CON MON → Republic

The timeline of France’s government
Louis XVI (AB MON) → Louis XVI (Supposed CON MON) → Robespierre (during the Great Fear; leader of France when it was declared a Republic however he had dictatorial powers)

Estates-General → National Assembly → Legislative Assembly → National Convention → Committee of Public Safety

Progression of legislative bodies in France
Estates-General: meeting with reps. from all three estates
National Assembly: “broke off of” Estates-General, reps. from 3rd Estate but wanted to represent entire country
Legislative Assembly: legislative body formed by new constitution of France approved by Nat’l Assembly (were the legislative body during CON MON)
National Convention: legislative body when France was Republic
CPS: effectively took over the Nat’l Convention and wanted to protect France from “enemies” of the Revolution

People:

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1st, 2nd, 3rd Estates

The social classes of France during the Old Regime
1st Estate: Clergymen and priests
2nd Estate: Nobles
3rd Estate: 2 parts: Educated citizens without the same status as Nobles and the regular working class

Louis XVI

The AB MON leader of France who made bad decisions, procrastinated, and was unliked by many
Executed by guillotine after being found guilty conspiring with foreign powers

Mary Antoinette

Wife of Louis XVI from the Hapsburg family (ruling family of Austria; rival of France) who was bad at spending money, known as Madame Deficit
Marriage with Louis XVI was arranged as a statement of peace between Austria and France
Also executed by guillotine after being found guilty of treason

Maximilien Robespierre

the head of France and the CPS after the country switched to a Republic

Marquis de Lafayette

The author who wrote the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen”; was friends with Thomas Jefferson and was influenced by his ideas

Olympe de Gouges

The author who wrote the “Declaration of the Rights of the Woman and the Female Citizen” and was executed after trying to reinstate a monarchy in France and after criticizing leaders such as Robespierre

Émigrés

Nobles who fled France during the Great Fear

Sans-culottes

The working class of France; part of the 3rd Estate

Bourgeoisie

The educated and wealthy 3rd Estaters without the same social status of 2nd Estaters