The Estate System and Power Structure

The French social hierarchy was strictly divided into three distinct estates, each with varying levels of power and privilege under King Louis XVI's absolute rule.

Vocabulary: The "tithe" was a 10% tax collected by the First Estate (Clergy).

Highlight: Despite comprising 96% of the population, the Third Estate held no significant power or privileges.

Quote: "The Third Estate was the largest estate by far in France and was made up of farmers to business men. They had no power or privileges of the other estates."

The Estates General and National Assembly

The transformation of the Estates General into the National Assembly marked a crucial turning point in the revolution. This change represented the first successful challenge to royal authority and the traditional power structure.

Definition: The Estates General was a representative assembly of the three estates, though voting procedures heavily favored the privileged classes.

Example: When locked out of their meeting place, deputies met on the king's tennis courts, leading to the historic Tennis Court Oath.

Early Revolutionary Period

The early phase of the revolution saw dramatic changes to France's social and political structure, including the storming of the Bastille and the abolition of feudal privileges.

Highlight: The storming of the Bastille on July 14th, 1789, became a powerful symbol of popular resistance to royal authority.

Quote: "To dismiss fears of the peasants revolting, the national assembly abolished the Feudal regime and the tithe."

Constitutional Monarchy and War

This period saw attempts to establish a constitutional monarchy, followed by war with Austria and increasing radicalization of the revolution.

Definition: The Constitutional Monarchy was an attempt to create a system where power was shared between the king and the assembly.

Example: Louis XVI's failed attempt to flee Paris in 1791 severely damaged the monarchy's credibility.

The Reign of Terror

The final phase covered the Reign of Terror, marked by political violence and the execution of the king and queen.

Highlight: The period saw conflict between the Girondins and Montagnards over the direction of the revolution.

Quote: "The King and his wife were judged guilty of treason and were both executed."

Pre-Revolutionary France and Initial Events

The French Revolution emerged from the structure of the Ancien Regime, characterized by absolute monarchy and the three-estates system. This period saw significant social and political transformation beginning with the summoning of the Estates General by Louis XVI.

Definition: The Ancien Regime was France's pre-revolutionary political and social system based on absolute monarchy and feudal privileges.

Highlight: The three-estate system divided society into Clergy (First Estate), Nobility (Second Estate), and Peasants (Third Estate).

Example: The Tennis Court Oath of June 25th, 1789, represented the first major challenge to royal authority when members pledged not to disperse until a new constitution was established.