What were the reforms of the National Assembly?
On August 4, 1789, the National Constituent Assembly abolished feudalism (action triggered by numerous peasant revolts), sweeping away both the seigneurial rights of the Second Estate and the tithes (a 10% tax for the Church) collected by the First Estate.
What did the Civil Constitution of clergy do?
Civil Constitution of the Clergy, French Constitution Civile Du Clergé, (July 12, 1790), during the French Revolution, an attempt to reorganize the Roman Catholic Church in France on a national basis. It caused a schism within the French Church and made many devout Catholics turn against the Revolution.
What reforms did the National Assembly want for France?
The National Assembly played a major role in the French Revolution. It represented the common people of France (also called the Third Estate) and demanded that the king make economic reforms to insure that the people had food to eat.
What did the clergy do in the French Revolution?
The church was responsible for social policy and welfare and also carried out some functions of the state. Its clergy conducted and registered marriages, baptisms and funerals; they delivered education to children and distributed charity to the poor.
What did the clergy do for society?
Priests cared for the spiritual life of people. They administered sacraments, oversaw the life of the manor, absolved men and women of their sins through confession and made pronouncements to the community that were given by the bishops or the pope.
What was the aim of the Civil Constitution of the clergy?
In July 1790 the National Constituent Assembly passed the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. The Assembly’s aim was to reorganise and regulate the Catholic church in France, as well as eliminating corruption and abuses within the church.
What did the National Constituent Assembly do in 1789?
In September 1789, the National Constituent Assembly abolished the taxation privileges of the First and Second Estates. Two months later, the Assembly nationalised all church-owned lands. Property seized from the church was deemed biens nationaux or ‘national goods’; the auctioning of this property began in late 1790.
What did the nationalisation of the Church of England do?
Two months later, the Assembly nationalised all church-owned lands. Property seized from the church was deemed biens nationaux or ‘national goods’; the auctioning of this property began in late 1790. Revenue from the sale of church lands was used to underwrite newly issued paper bonds called assignats.
Why did the church surrender its wealth to the government?
By late 1789, there was a consensus in the Assembly that the church should surrender much of its wealth, to help alleviate the national debt. In return, the national government would assume responsibility for clerical salaries and relieve the church of its responsibilities for education and poor relief.