The French Revolution

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Questions and Answers

The French Revolution was an __________against the _____________ in France beginning _____________________ with the storming of the ____________, resulting in the establishment of a _______________ and ending in 1799 with the Consulate under _____________.

uprising, monarchy, 1789, Bastille, republic, Napoleon

Match the following terms with their descriptions:

taille = A land tax from which the nobility was exempt guillotine = A device used for executions during the French Revolution coup d’etat = A sudden seizure of power from the government Marie Antoinette = The Queen of France during the Revolution Bastille = A prison in Paris stormed at the beginning of the Revolution Robespierre = An influential figure during the Reign of Terror Third Estate = The common people of France bourgeoisie = The middle class sans culottes = The working class relics of feudalism = Traditional rights held by nobles Voltaire = An Enlightenment writer whose ideas influenced the revolution Waterloo = Site of Napoleon's final defeat National Assembly = Representatives from the Third Estate Napoleonic Civil Code = A body of French civil laws introduced in 1804 Corsica = Birthplace of Napoleon

Which of the following groups was part of the First Estate in pre-revolutionary France?

  • Artisans
  • Nobles
  • Clergy (correct)
  • Peasants

Which group primarily comprised the Third Estate?

<p>Commoners including peasants and bourgeoisie (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Second Estate consisted of members who always paid all the taxes in pre-revolutionary France.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What impact did the ideals of the Enlightenment have on the French Revolution?

<p>The Enlightenment introduced ideals of liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty, inspiring revolutionaries to challenge the authority of the monarchy and aristocracy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In terms of political power, how did France change from before the Revolution to when Napoleon became Emperor?

<p>France transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a republic, then to an empire under Napoleon, representing a shift from aristocratic rule to centralized authority.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who supposedly said, 'I am the revolution'?

<p>Napoleon Bonaparte</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the motto of the French Revolution?

<p>Liberté, égalité, fraternité (Liberty, equality, fraternity)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Approximately, how many people were killed during the Reign of Terror?

<p>Approximately 17,000 were officially executed, with possibly 10,000 dying in prison or without trial.</p> Signup and view all the answers

On what day of the year do the French celebrate Bastille Day, and why is it a national holiday?

<p>July 14th, commemorating the storming of the Bastille in 1789, symbolizing the beginning of the French Revolution.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who is believed to have said – “let them eat cake.”?

<p>Marie Antoinette</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Estates System contributed to the start of the French Revolution?

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was a significant cause of the French Revolution?

<p>Widespread famine and economic hardship (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Define the term 'relics of feudalism'.

<p>Traditional rights and privileges held by nobles that were remnants of the feudal system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the sans-culottes?

<p>Radical working-class people (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was an immediate result of the storming of the Bastille?

<p>The release of prisoners and symbolic assertion of popular power (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the significance of the Napoleonic Civil Code.

<p>It was a comprehensive set of laws that influenced legal systems across Europe and beyond, embodying principles of equality before the law and secularism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Waterloo was where Napoleon conquered Europe.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who was Robespierre?

<p>An influential figure who was a main component during the Reign of Terror.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Coup d'etat

A forced transfer of power, often illegal and usually involving the military.

Bastille

A prison in Paris, its storming marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

Marie Antoinette

Austrian wife of King Louis XVI; known for her extravagant lifestyle and alleged indifference to the suffering of the French commoners.

Robespierre

A lawyer and politician, he became one of the most influential figures during the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror.

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Third Estate

The common people of France; about 97% of the population, including peasants, artisans, and the bourgeoisie.

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Bourgeoisie

The middle class, including merchants, industrialists, and professional people.

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Sans culottes

Without breeches, the common people of the lower classes in France, many of whom became radical and militant partisans of the French Revolution in response to their poor quality of life under the Ancien Régime.

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Taille

A general tax on land from which the nobles were exempt

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Napoleonic Civil Code

Civil Code based on Enlightenment principles, emphasizing equality before the law

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Waterloo

The location of Napoleon's final defeat in 1815, marking the end of his reign.

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Guillotine

A machine with a heavy blade sliding vertically in grooves, used for beheading people

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Relics of feudalism

A legacy from the Middle Ages, these included feudal dues and obligations owed by peasants to landlords.

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Voltaire

French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his attacks on the established Catholic Church

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Enlightenment political ideas

The main political ideas of the Enlightenment included concepts like natural rights, separation of powers, social contract theory, and the general will.

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National Assembly

In revolutionary France (1789–1799), the National Assembly, which existed from 1789 to 1791, was a pivotal institution. It emerged from the Estates-General, called by Louis XVI to address France's fiscal crisis, when the Third Estate (commoners) declared itself the National Assembly on June 17, 1789, inviting the other two estates (clergy and nobility) to join, aiming to draft a constitution; it marked a shift to popular sovereignty and reform.

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French Revolution motto

The motto of the French Revolution was 'liberty, equality, fraternity.' It was a call for freedom, equal rights, and brotherhood among citizens.

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The Three Estates

The Estates System fractured French society into three distinct classes. The First Estate was made up of the Clergy, while the Second consisted of Nobles, and finally the Third Estate encompassed the rest of French society.

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Study Notes

  • The French Revolution was an uprising against the monarchy in France.
  • It began in 1789 with the storming of the Bastille.
  • It resulted in the establishment of a republic.
  • It ended in 1799 with the Consulate under Napoleon.

Matching Section Key Terms

  • taille: a land tax
  • Waterloo: site of Napoleon's final defeat
  • guillotine: device used for executions
  • coup d’etat: a sudden seizure of power
  • Marie Antoinette: Queen of France during the revolution
  • National Assembly: a revolutionary assembly representing all the people of France
  • Napoleonic Civil Code: French civil code established under Napoleon I in 1804
  • Corsica: Napoleon's birthplace
  • Bastille: a medieval fortress and prison in Paris
  • Robespierre: a radical Jacobin leader and key figure during the Reign of Terror
  • Third Estate: the commoners of France
  • bourgeoisie: the middle class
  • sans culottes: the common people of the lower classes
  • relics of feudalism: rights and obligations of the aristocracy
  • Voltaire: a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher

The Three Estates

  • First Estate: clergy
    • Included priests, bishops, and cardinals
    • Did not pay taxes
  • Second Estate: nobility
    • Included nobles, king's niece, member of the Bourbon family
    • Did not pay taxes
  • Third Estate: commoners
    • Included peasants, artisans, bourgeoisie, shop owners, carpenter, tax collector, physician
    • Paid all the taxes

Essay Questions

  • Adjectives to Describe the French Revolution:
    • The revolution evolved over time
  • Was the French Revolution successful?
    • Consider the primary goals of the revolution and whether the political system in France changed from before the Revolution to when Napoleon became Emperor of France.
  • The Enlightenment:
    • Consider the main political ideas of the Enlightenment that inspired the French Revolution.

Short Answer Section

  • "I am the revolution.": attributed to Napoleon.
  • The Three Estates:
    • Analyze the percentage of the population, percentage of land ownership, and tax payment responsibilities of each estate.
  • Motto/Slogan:
    • The motto/slogan of supporters of the French Revolution was "Liberté, égalité, fraternité" which translates to "Liberty, equality, fraternity".
  • Reign of Terror:
    • Thousands of people were killed during the Reign of Terror.
    • Analyze the reasons for the violence during the Reign of Terror.
  • Bastille Day:
    • The French celebrate Bastille Day on July 14th.
    • It commemorates the storming of the Bastille, a pivotal event in the French Revolution.
  • "Let them eat cake":
    • Attributed to Marie Antoinette
    • It reflects a disconnect between the monarchy and the struggles of the common people.

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