French Revolution Test

Old Regime

The french social structure before the revolution (regime-established social order)

1st estate

made up of clergymen (roman catholic clergy) Owned up to 25% of land, but only represented .5% of population

2nd estate

noble families. Less power than under fuedalism, but still went off. (less power to people, more to monarchy or leader) No taxes and 20% of land

3rd estate

27 million people. The bourgeoisie was the upper end, while the urban and rural poor made up 90%.

Tennis court oath

The 3rd estate declared themselves the national assembly and went to write a constitution in the meeting hall, but were locked out because the 1st and 2nd estate didn’t want them to. They wrote it in an indoor tennis court oath.

Storming of the Bastille

July 14th, 1789, military demanded weapons from a medieval prison to be given to them. They were not given, and attacked the prison building, killing the guards and the commander, and released the prisoners. The start of the french revolution.

The great fear

People started spending 80% of their income on bread. Bakers were losing jobs, wheat was stolen, poor and crime suffered, and people became evil stealing other peoples bread. Is the government stealing peasant crops?

`Reign Of Terror

Commitee on public safety was created to protect the revolution but actually murdered anyone who was suspected of a counter-revolutionary. 40,000 people died, 85% of them being peasants and led by Robespierre.

Coup d’etat

Napoleon led a coup d’etat to drive the directory out of power. Coup d’etat means to suddenly take power.

Lycees

Schools run on military lines (government run schools)

Napoleonic Code

A comprehensive series of laws which…

-limited freedom of speech

-limited some individual rights

-restored slavery in the French colonies of the Caribbean

Battle of Trafalgar

Napoleons first lost and guaranteed the British would be the most powerful in the world (army). Prevented Napoleon from invading Britain and Spain

Hundred days

Refers to the time period that France was ruled by Louis VVlll which the people disliked because they suspected him of wanting to undo the revolution land. He was defeated at Waterloo and exiled to St. Helena

Legitimacy

promoted to restore hereditary monarchs (result for Congress of vienna)

Concert of Europe

created to maintain peace, ensured that nations would help one another if revolution broke out

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Marie Antionette=Madame Deficit. Cannot produce a male heir. The bread rose in price and women marched on Versailles and forced the king and queen to Paris.

Maximilien Robespierre

A leader of the Jacobins and started the Reign of terror which killed thousands. Eventually killed by the guillotine

Czar Alexander I

Delegate from Russia, Goal: to restore Europe to the status quo of 1792

Klemens von Metternich

Delegate from Austria, Goal: to establish a “holy alliance” of christian monarchs to suppress future revolutions. To create a balance of power, so no country would be a threat to others.