French Revolution Flashcards
(14 cards)
Old Regime
System of feudalism - Society was divided into three classes or estates.
Estate
A social class (group) of people
First estate
It consisted of the Roman Catholic clergy (priests and nuns). They did not pay taxes.
Second estate
It was made up of the nobles. The first and second estates made up about 2% of the population, but both estates owned 20% of the land. They had easy lives because they did not pay taxes.
Third estate
Everybody ese belonged to the Third estat. This huge group included: 1) the bourgeoisie, 2) city workers, and 3) peasants (farmer workers - didn’t own the farms).
the bourgeoisie
This group was mostly well-off merchants and skilled workers who lacked the status of nobles
city workers
This group included cooks, servants, and others who were poorly paid and often out of work
peasants
They were farm workers who made up 80 percent of the French people. They generally did not own any land.
Estate-General
An assemby of representatives from all three estates
National Assembly
French congress established by representatives of the Third Estate when Louis XVI called the Estate-
General, but were unfairly out voted to reform the taxes
Jacobin
A member of the Jacobin Club, a radical political organization which Robespierre was the leader.
guillotine
A machine for beheading (taking of people’s head)
Maximilien Robespierre
A revolutionary leader who tried to wipe out every trace of France’s past monarchy and nobility
Reign of Terror (1793- 1794)
Period of Robespierre’s rule that was very violent and many people were beheaded and/or imprisioned for being enemies of the Revolutionary government
