The emergence of a constitutional monarchy in France marked a significant shift from absolute rule. The National Assembly crafted a new constitution in 1791, delineating powers among the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches. Crucial to this transition were the events leading to the storming of the Bastille and the growing discontent among various social classes, especially the Third Estate, which culminated in demands for greater political representation and rights.
In 1791, with the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in France, the political landscape dramatically transformed. The National Assembly aimed to limit the king's powers, redistributing authority among various institutions: the legislature, executive, and judiciary. At the core of this change was the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, an event that symbolized the uprising against royal tyranny and the call for a people's government.
Constitutional Monarchy: A government system where the monarch's powers are limited by laws.
National Assembly: The legislative body formed by representatives of the common people.
Social Inequality: The deep disparities in class that led to revolts and demands for change.
Bastille: The stronghold representing royal authority that was stormed as a revolutionary act.
Liberty and Rights, shining bright, / In France they took a bold fight.
Once there was a fortress called the Bastille, where kings ruled with a heavy seal. People united against their fear, to claim their rights and hold them dear.
Use 'FRIGHT' to remember: Freedom, Rights, Individual, Government, Human, Taxation.
The storming of the Bastille represents the uprising against absolute monarchy.
The National Assembly creating a new Constitution symbolizes the start of modern democracy in France.
Term: Constitutional Monarchy
Definition:
A form of government in which a monarch's powers are limited by a constitution.
Term: National Assembly
Definition:
The revolutionary assembly formed by the representatives of the Third Estate.
Term: Third Estate
Definition:
The social class in France that included commoners, who bore the tax burden.
Term: Bastille
Definition:
A fortress in Paris that was stormed in 1789, marking the start of the French Revolution.
Term: Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Definition:
A fundamental document that outlined the rights of individuals in France.