Questions and Answers
What is the Estates General?
An assembly of representatives from all three of the estates in France.
What was the significance of the Estates-General meeting in May 1789?
Who were the three groups that made up the Estates General?
What did the National Assembly aim to abolish?
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What was one of the changes proposed by the National Assembly?
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What was the purpose of the National Convention?
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The Tennis Court Oath was a pledge made by the members of France's National Assembly in _____
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What marked the true start of the French Revolution?
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What happened in June 1789?
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Each estate in the Estates General had proportional representation.
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Match the following phases of the revolution with their timeline:
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Study Notes
Estates General
- Assembly representing three social classes: First Estate (clergy), Second Estate (nobility), and Third Estate (commoners).
- Key event in May 1789 initiated by King Louis XVI to tackle France's financial issues.
Significance of Estates-General
- First Estate comprised church leaders, Second Estate included nobles, while Third Estate represented 98% of the populace.
- Voting structure favored the two upper estates, causing discontent among commoners, leading to demands for reform.
Assembly Composition
- First Estate: Approximately 100,000 members, less than 1% of the population.
- Second Estate: Between 300,000 to 400,000 members, constituting around 2-3% of the population.
- Third Estate: Roughly 24 million individuals, carrying the burden of taxation while the upper estates benefited.
National Assembly
- Formed from the Estates General by the Third Estate in 1789, signaling the start of the French Revolution.
- Notable for passing the Declaration of the Rights of Man in the same year, advocating human and civil rights.
Goals of the National Assembly
- Abolish privileges of the First Estate and nationalize church/noble lands.
- Focus on peasant rights, establishment of a constitutional monarchy, and voting rights linked to property ownership.
- Advocated for freedom of the press and deliberation on national identity and liberty.
National Convention
- A gathering of delegates every four years to nominate presidential candidates, ratify party platforms, and adopt rules.
- Transitioned from the National Assembly to a more radical agenda focusing on universal suffrage and abolition of the monarchy.
Objectives of the National Convention
- Address dissatisfaction among the Third Estate and prevent counter-revolution.
- Aimed for universal suffrage and the establishment of France's First Republic.
- Advocated for social reforms including civil marriages and a new calendar system with ten-day weeks.
Timeline of Events
- 1789: King Louis XVI convenes Estates General; the Third Estate forms the National Assembly.
- Key events: Storming of the Bastille (July 14), Declaration of Rights of Man (August 26), and Women’s March on Versailles (October 5).
- 1792-1794: France declares war, establishment of the Convention, beheading of King and Queen, and the Reign of Terror.
Revolution's Inception
- Financial strain led to King Louis XVI's attempt to tax all estates, causing pushback.
- Disparities in voting privileges further fueled revolutionary sentiment among the common people.
Third Estate's Actions (June 1789)
- In response to exclusion from power, the Third Estate withdrew and formed the National Assembly, asserting authority without royal consent.
Voting Issues
- Unequal representation: each estate received one vote irrespective of size, disadvantaging the Third Estate.
Tennis Court Oath
- A vow made by National Assembly members in 1789 to persist in their meetings until a new constitution was drafted.
Storming of the Bastille
- Seen as a pivotal moment marking the outbreak of the French Revolution by destroying a significant royal prison.
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Description
Explore key concepts related to the Estates General in France through flashcards. This quiz provides definitions and significance, highlighting its role in the financial crisis of 1789 and the social structure of the time.
