1. Causes of the French Revolution
Vocabulary

2. The first estate The Clergy
About one hundred thousand out of total population of 24 million
Catholic church owned 10% of the land
Made money by collecting Tithe and taxing people who lived on their land.
Controlled educational institutions and censored the press.

3. The second estate The nobles
Approximately four hundred thousand people
Only ones to be officers in the army, fill high church positions.
Did not have to pay taxes
Owned 20 % of land

4. The third estate Commoners –the bourgeoisie, the
proletariat and peasantry
Was about 96% of the total population
Not all were poor, some were wealthy

5. Noblesse de la robe
Also known as Nobles of the Robe or Nobles of the Gown
French aristocrats- whose rank came from holding judicial or administrative posts.
Former rich bourgeoisie that purchased judgeships

6. Bourgeoisie Bankers, merchants, shopkeepers and lawyers
Many were influenced by the Enlightenment
By the late eighteenth century many had become richer than the nobility but were shut out of the highest levels of government.
HINT – think “borough” or city- those that live in the city- not rural areas.

7. Proletariat Working class (part of the third estate)
In Paris about half the population were proletariats- played significant role in revolution
Many were servants to the rich

8. The French Revolution Begins
Vocabulary

9. National Assembly
Was a result of the Estates General meeting– third estate wanted reform in the voting system because the first and second estate outvoted them.
The Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly- wanted to write a constitution.
Louis the XVI excluded them from the palace meeting – leading to the Tennis Court Oath

10. Tennis Court Oath
A result of the Third Estate being banished from the palace by Louis XVI.
The third estate promised to stay at the palace until France had a constitution.

11. Bastille Day
July 14th, (now celebrated as the French independence day)
Citizens of Paris stormed Bastille and released its prisoners (they were also looking for gunpowder and weapons).
Symbolic start to the French Revolution
The Bastille represented years of the Monarchy’s power over the people of France

12. Great Fear
Stories spread of attacks on towns and villages and that government troops were taking the peasant’s crops- these rumors led to the Great Fear.
The peasants were scared and starving- they took it out on the nobles- set fire to old manor records, stole grain and held nobles as leverage.

13. Declaration of rights of man
Outlined the basic rights that all individuals should have.
Written by the National Assembly - document inspired
by the American Declaration of Independence
Stated that all men were “born and remain free and equal in rights” They had natural rights to “liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression.”
Governments should protect the citizen’s natural rights (similar to what Locke said)

14. The Revolution gets messy
Vocabulary

15. Emigres Nobles in exile Some left the country due to the Terror
They were lobbying Austrian and Prussian rulers to take action

16. Radicals Overthrew the new government Called for a new constitution
Elected to the National Convention (new governing body)
Voted to make France Republic (got rid of Monarchy)_

17. Jacobins Demanded Louis XVI be tried for treason
Robespierre was elected president of the Jacobin club
Radical group- wanted France to be a republic.

18. Committee of public safety
Created to address the “threats to France”
Helped avoid civil war and French army started to win victories
12 members- had absolute power
Issued a levy (tax) requiring the people to contribute to the war
In charge of trials and executions
Decided there was no longer a need for defense lawyers/ witnesses- lead to many executions.

19. Maximilien Robespierre
Leader of the Committee of public safety
Nickname “the incorruptible”
Believed France could become a “republic of virtue” through “prompt, severe, inflexible justice”
“Liberty cannot be secured unless criminals lose their heads”
Through these ideas he lead France into the Reign of Terror

20. Guillotine Beheaded the victim
Was the main form of execution during the Reign of terror
If sentenced to death, the person would be put in a cart and driven around as witnesses threw mud at them
People would come to watch – many
feared being put on the “list” for the guillotine

21. Reign of Terror September 1793-July 1794
Quick trials – many were accused of resisting the revolution
People were put into prisons or faced death in the guillotine
Lead by Robespierre and Committee of Public Safety
Between 20,000 – 40,000 killed