French Revolution
The Old Order
The Great Fear
The National Assembly
Causes
French people were divided into three big groups
The Third Estate
Priviledged Estates
The first two estates, known as the priviledged estates, were made up of the clergy and the nobles, even though they were the richer ones, the clergy didn't pay taxes and the nobles had almost no tax.
Was made up of three groups with different social classes
They scorned the enlightenment ideas, because it threatened their status and power, their priviledge
Workers
Peasants
Bourgeoisie
About 97% of the population belonged in the third estate
Completely disadvantaged
Bankers, factory owners, successful artisans, etc
Many of them were as rich as nobles, but paid extremely high taxes
Tradespeople, domestic servants, etc
The poorest French class
Lived in constant hunger and were the ones that protested for the price of bread
The largest group, containing almost 80% of the french population
Resented the priviledged states, because they paid almost the half of their salaries in taxes
Enlightenment ideas
Economic trouble
A weak leader
Louis XVI was indecisive and took poor decisions regarding France
New systems of ideas were being spread in the third estate
Louis XVI inherited previous kings' debts and he and his queen, Marie Antoinette spent heavily
Inspired by Rousseau and Voltaire, required liberty, equality and democracy
Inspired by the American Revolution
Suggested a meeting between the three estates for the delegates to vote
It was suggested to the Third Estate that they started to call themselves the National Assembly
The National assembly would be the voice of French people
The first deliberate act of revolution
Represented the end of absolute monarchy
Many members of the other two estates joined the Third Estate because they believed in their ideas
Civilians gathered weapons and seized control in the Bastille
Peasants started to arm themselves and invade the nobles' homes
The Terror
The crisis started with the division of the people in many clubs, there were two of them that had a greater influence
Jacobins
Girondins
Were once part of the jacobins, but separated later
The jacobin leaders were Marat, Robespierre, Danton and Desmoulins
Consisted majorly of the bourgeoise class
Weren't interested in going into war
The club was open for anyone to join, even foreigners
Robespierre
Was one of the assembly's constituent
Was called the "The Incorruptible" and dictator
Spoke up for the third estate
Wished for liberty
Didn't consider himself monarchist or republican
Were radicals
Believed that Louis XVI comitted treason by connecting with foreign countries, so they wanted him dead immediatey
In the reign of terror, the jacobins murdered whoever went against them
Stood by the right to live as the first goal of society
More moderate than the opposing group
The strongest supporters were Brissot, Jean-Marie Roland and his wife Marie Roland
Supported war against Austria, but didn't want Louis XVI to be killed
Were known for being the opposite of the jacobins
Even though they love the king, they wanted a few changes
The female role
Charlotte Corday, a member of the girondines, killed Marat, one of the jacobins' leaders
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