Questions and Answers
What occupied a prestigious place in the social order during the late 18th century in Europe?
First Estate
What was the Second Estate in France under the Ancien Régime?
Nobility
Who was considered part of the Second Estate?
The king
Who argued that the Third Estate constituted a complete nation?
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Who was the last king of France before the French Revolution?
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Who helped provoke the popular unrest that led to the French Revolution?
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What was the Estates-General?
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What was the National Assembly?
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What was the Tennis Court Oath?
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What occurred during the Storming of the Bastille?
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What was the Great Fear?
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What was the National Convention?
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What is a guillotine?
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Who was Maximilien Robespierre?
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What was the Reign of Terror?
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Who became the first emperor of France?
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What is the Napoleonic Code?
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What was the Battle of Trafalgar?
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Study Notes
The Estates of France
- Society in France during the Ancien Régime was divided into three estates: First Estate (clergy), Second Estate (nobility), and Third Estate (commoners).
- The King was considered part of the Second Estate.
Key Figures
- Louis XVI: Last king of France (1774-1792) from the Bourbon line, executed in 1793 for treason.
- Marie Antoinette: Queen of France, her actions contributed to the unrest leading to the French Revolution and the monarchy's overthrow in August 1792.
Critical Events
- Estates-General (1789): First meeting since 1614 of the French Estates-General, uniting clergy, nobles, and common people.
- National Assembly: Legislative body during the early French Revolution (1789-1791) formed by representatives from the Third Estate.
- Tennis Court Oath: A pledge made by members of the Third Estate on June 20, 1789, after being locked out of the Estates-General meeting, vowing to draft a new constitution.
- Storming of the Bastille: Occurred on July 14, 1789, symbolizing the uprising against royal authority in Paris.
Social Unrest
- Great Fear: A wave of panic among the populace between July 17 and August 3, 1789, marking the beginning of revolutionary fervor.
Government Structures
- National Convention: Assembly in France from September 20, 1792, to October 26, 1795, during a critical phase of the Revolution.
Instruments of Revolution
- Guillotine: Execution device used for beheadings, became a symbol of the Reign of Terror.
- Maximilien Robespierre: Key revolutionary leader and Jacobin who dominated the Committee of Public Safety during the Reign of Terror; executed in 1794.
Significant Periods
- Reign of Terror (September 5, 1793 - July 28, 1794): A tumultuous period marked by mass executions and state-sanctioned violence against perceived enemies of the revolution.
Aftermath and Changes
- Napoleon Bonaparte: Military general who rose to power, became France's first emperor, and had a significant impact on European history.
- Napoleonic Code (1804): Established civil rights and government employment based on merit, prohibiting privileges based on birth.
Notable Military Conflict
- Battle of Trafalgar: Major naval battle involving British and French forces, showcasing naval strategies and the might of the Royal Navy.
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Description
Test your knowledge about the three estates of France during the Ancien Régime. This quiz focuses on the societal structure, particularly the First and Second Estates and their roles leading up to the French Revolution. Challenge yourself to learn more about this historical period and its key components.
