Chp3 Revolution: The Estates General Flashcards
What was the Estates General?
A kind of parliament in France
When did the Estates General meet?
only by royal command
Who were the members of the Estates General?
Members from the three social layers or estates of France:
Who were the First Estate?
First Estate – Clergy
Who were the Second Estate?
Second Estate – Aristocrats
Who were the Third Estate?
Third Estate – Middle Class
Which was the largest group?
The Third Estate had twice as many members.
How often did the Estates General meet?
Very rarely, the last meeting had been in 1614, more than 150 years before
How did the Estates vote?
They voted in a bloc… ie all the same way so they had power, which meant that the First and Second Estates could always outvote the Third Estate
Why would bloc voting cause a problem?
The privileged classes, Clergy and Aristocrats, always kept power and did not have to consider the Middle class’s wishes
A.R. Turgot had tried to reform the economy in his role as Controller of Finances, but he was fired by Marie Antoinette for trying to stop her spending. How did this impact France?
Spending continued out of control, and by the 1780s France was bankrupt.
Why did Louis XVI call the Estates General to Versaille in 1789?
He hoped that they could figure out a way to raise $ and stop the riots.
Why did this meeting backfire on Louis XVI?
The Estates expected more power, but Louis was only willing to give them token power. Louis would not surrender his absolute power
How did the Estates react to Louis’ reluctance to give up absolute power?
They would not bow to the king’s wishes, but they still hoped for progress towards democracy.
