french revolution

• 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)