WHis 9th

• Estates of the Ancien Regime

  • First Estate (Clergy)
  • Second Estate (Nobles)
  • Third Estate (Peasants, Urban Workers, Bourgeoisie)
• First Estate (Clergy)


  Less than 0.5% of the population, had 10% of the land, didn't have to pay taxes, people had to pay the tithe (10% of money) to them
• Second Estate (Nobles)


  1.5% of the population, had 30% of the land, didn't have to pay taxes, two types: Robe (recent, held administrative positions) and Sword (oldest, mostly military families)
• Third Estate


  98% of the population, had to pay taxes, included Peasants (80% of population, tied to landlords), Urban Workers (unskilled workers in cities), and Bourgeoisie (wealthy middle class)
• The Ancien Regime had financial issues due to debt from wars, leading to the call of the Estates General
• There were food shortages and high food costs, while the king had lavish spending habits
• The second and third estates disliked the king for high taxes and lavish spending
• Estates General


  Parliamentary/representative body in France that could only be called by the king, hadn't been called for over 170 years, representation was unjust
• The National Assembly


  Formed in 1789 when the third estate wasn't happy with their position in the Estates General, represented the will of the people
• Tennis Court Oath


  The national assembly met outside parliament on a tennis court and promised not to disband until their goal was achieved
• The Storming of the Bastille


  Peasants burned chateaus, killed nobles, and created the "Great Fear" rumor that the nobility and king created the famine
• The National Assembly abolished many noble privileges on August 4th, marking an end to the Ancien Regime
• Declaration of the Rights of Man

  Established a new constitutional monarchy government, based on Locke's ideas of natural rights, purpose of government, equality of opportunity, and source of political power
• Reforms to the Church

  • Positive: Church land put on sale, 10% available to people, to pay debt and add revenue
  • Negative: Civil Constitution of the French Clergy made clergy part of government, had to take oath to revolution, government paid them as officials
• Political Parties


  • Jacobins (radical left, wanted republic)
  • Sans-Culottes (revolutionary citizens, very violent)
  • Royalists (conservative, wanted monarchy)
• Emigres were nobles who fled France to Austria and Prussia, trying to send an army to restore power
• France declared war


  Jacobins concerned about emigre invasion, declared war first to avoid it
• Over 1200 people were murdered in the September Massacre on suspicion of betraying the revolution
• The Sans-Culottes, as passionate citizen soldiers, helped drive the Prussians out and save the revolution
• Execution of King Louis XVI

  Discovered corresponding with Austrians, put on trial and guillotined for treason against the revolution
• The execution of the king marked the end of the constitutional monarchy, giving the Jacobins full power
• Causes of the Counter-Revolution

  • Angered the religious, women, and old nobility
  • Forced people to join the French army
• Maximilien Robespierre


  Leader of the radical Jacobins, executed as people wanted more stability and an end to the Reign of Terror
• The Maximum


  Setting of the price of bread to prevent the rich from buying abundant amounts and reselling at higher prices
• Committees of Public Safety


  Centralized executive branch that enforced revolutionary ideas
• Law of Suspects


  Series of laws calling for the arrest of those suspected of disloyalty to the revolution
• The Directory


  Executive branch of the new French government, consisting of 5 directors chosen by a bicameral legislature, a more moderate government mixing Ancien Regime and liberal ideas
• Napoleon Bonaparte


  Most influential person in the French military, became important in determining the course of French politics