Context to the French Revolution Flashcards
(6 cards)
What was the Ancien Régime?
The old social and political order of France
What were the characteristics of the Ancien Regime
absolute monarchy, feudal privileges, and rigid social classes.
What was the Estates-General?
A representative assembly of the three estates (clergy, nobility, and commoners)
How did Enlightenment ideas contribute to the Revolution?
They challenged traditional authority, promoted reason and equality, and inspired calls for reform.
What economic problems contributed to the Revolution?
War debt, tax inefficiency, and famine (bad harvests in the 1780s).
How was the French social structure unfair?
The First and Second Estates (clergy and nobility) had privileges, paid no direct taxes, and controlled most land, while the Third Estate bore the tax burden.
