French Revolution Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards related to the causes of the French Revolution.

Société d'ordres

A society composed of three legal categories: the nobility, the clergy, and the Third Estate.

Noblesse et clergé

The privileged orders in French society who were exempt from many taxes and held significant rights.

Tiers état

The Third Estate, which had no special rights and bore the burden of taxation.

Dépenses de la monarchie

The expenditures of the monarchy, including funding the American War of Independence, court expenses, and construction projects, significantly increased France's debt.

Crise économique de 1780

Economic crisis caused by an eruption in Iceland in 1783, that cooled the climate, reduced agricultural production, and increased the price of grain, exacerbating the financial situation.

Réforme des finances

Proposed reforms to tax the privileges of the nobility and clergy, which were rejected by the parlements.

États généraux

An assembly composed of representatives from the three orders, convened by Louis XVI to address financial problems.

Cahiers de doléances

Lists of grievances drafted by the three orders in March 1789, reflecting conservative ideas from the nobility and clergy.