12 Questions
What were the primary privileges enjoyed by the 1st and 2nd Estates in the Old Regime of France?
Political power and social prestige
Which group made up the 3rd Estate of the Old Regime in France?
All of the above
Where was Marie Antoinette from, and why was she unpopular in France?
German; for her extravagant lifestyle
What were the three primary reasons behind the drained French treasury during that period?
Building palaces, waging wars, overspending
How did Louis XVI attempt to address the French financial crisis initially?
Removing some of the nobles' tax exemptions
What was the purpose of the Tennis Court Oath during the French Revolution?
To establish a new constitution for France
What event marked the destruction of feudalism in France?
The National Assembly's response to the Great Fear
Why did the price of bread soar in Paris during the Revolution?
As a result of harvest failures
Who were primarily responsible for instigating the French Revolution?
The bourgeoisie
What was the significance of the storming of the Bastille?
To initiate the destruction of feudalism
What did Georges-Jacques Danton believe was crucial for a successful revolution?
Daring and boldness
What group exhibited more radical views than moderates but were somewhat less radical than others?
Girondins
Study Notes
The Estates of the Old Regime of France
- The First Estate: clergy
- The Second Estate: nobility
- The Third Estate: commoners (including wealthy merchants, doctors, lawyers, shopkeepers, urban poor, and peasants)
Privileges of the 1st and 2nd Estates
- Wealth
Marie Antoinette
- Austrian
- Unpopular in France
- Had few friends
French Financial Crisis
- Caused by: aiding the Americans during the American Revolution, long wars with England, and overspending
- Louis XVI's solution: removing some of the nobles' tax exemptions
The Tennis Court Oath
- Purpose: to not disband until France had a constitution
- Threat: under the point of bayonets
The Declaration of the Rights of Man
- Created by the National Assembly
- Three main ideas:
- Men are born free and equal in their rights
- Rights include liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression
- Governments are instituted to protect these rights
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy
- Reorganized the Roman Catholic Church in France on a national basis
- Clergymen were required to swear an oath to the new French Constitution
The French Revolution
- Instigated by the nobility
- Set in motion by the bourgeoisie
- Spread to the common people
Food Shortage
- High bread prices, especially in Paris
- Caused by harvest failures
The Storming of the Bastille
- Date: July 14, 1789
- Purpose: a great symbolic event
- Celebrated every year in France
- Only seven prisoners were freed
The Great Fear
- Riots in the countryside by the end of July and beginning of August
- Event: August 4, 1789
- Nobility gave up:
- Privileges
- Hunting rights
- Serfdom
- Forced labor
- Tithes
The Flight to Varennes
- King Louis XVI reluctantly accepted the new constitution
- Decided to leave the country
Sans-Culottes
- Identified by their clothing and lower social status
Tuileries Palace Attack
- Date: June 20, 1792
- King forced to wear the red cap of liberty at the mob's insistence
War with Prussia and Austria
- Declared to advance the cause of liberty
Georges-Jacques Danton
- Quote: "We need daring, more daring, always daring, and France is saved!"
Execution of Louis XVI
- Date: January 21, 1793
Girondins and Jacobins
- Both groups were radical in their views
- Girondins were somewhat less radical than Jacobins
Unique Concern of the Girondins
- Plight of blacks in France's colonies
- Instrumental in passing legislation granting equal rights to all citizens
Prepare for your exam on the Age of Revolution with this study guide. Learn about the three Estates of the Old Regime in France and their primary privileges. Understand the composition of the third Estate and key historical figures like Marie Antoinette.
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