Old Regime

1. Old Regime Refers to the way in which France was run prior to the revolution in which there were three distinct social classes known as the estates.

2. 1st Estate Members of the Clergy. Lived extravagant lifestyles paid for by taxes and tithes 2nd Estate Members of the nobility and officers in the military. Lived extravagant lifestyles paid for by taxes and tithes 3rd Estate Everyone else. The vast majority of people were poor and many were hungry.

3. Louis XVI Weak French King who was in power during the French Revolution Marie Antoinette Very unpopular Queen at the time of the French Revolution – Famous for suggesting that people who could not afford bread eat cake instead

4. Guillotine Execution device thought to be more a more humane method of execution Medieval Execution Methods

5. Maximillian Robespierre One of the French Revolution’s leaders. Once in power he was obsessed with wiping out all traces of the Old Regime.

6. Reign of Terror Period of time describing Robespierre’s rule. This was because many people were put to death or imprisoned on the mere suspicion of liking anything associated with the Old Regime.

7. Assignment • 1) Using Google or another search engine, look up the following people / terms. For each term, write a brief definition or description of what happened – Also work on your map of Europe • San-Culottes • Jacobin • Storming of the Bastille • Napoleonic Code • Continental System • Napoleon Bonaparte • Waterloo • Napoleon’s 100 Days • Committee of Public Safety • Estates General • Tennis Court Oath