14. The French Revolution and Napoleon, 1789-1815

Question 1

Prior to the French Revolution, what percentage of French population comprised of peasants?
the third estate?

Answer 1

• 4/5 or 80%

- 95%

Question 2

Describe briefly the course of French Revolution.

Answer 2

Estates General –> The National Assembly 1789-1791 –> The Legislative Assembly 1791-1792 –> The National Convention 1792-1795 –> The Directory 1795-1799 –> Napoleon and the Consulate 1799-1804 –> The Napoleonic Empire 1804-1815

Question 3

What was the Assembly of Notables?

Answer 3

similar to the estates general but hand-picked by the king instead of election by citizens.
Basically king’s Council.
Last met under Louis XVI

Question 4

Why did the third estate separate?

what did they call themselves and what oath was sworn?

Answer 4

• King refused the 3rd estate’s demand that all 3 meet together
• National Assembly of France. Tennis Court Oath

Question 5

What does the storming and the fall of Bastille symbolize

Answer 5

an important symbolic act against royal despotism

Question 6

The National Assembly drafted this constitution in august 1789

Answer 6

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

Question 7

THE major advocate of the women’s rights

Answer 7

Mary Wollstonecraft

Question 8

what did mary wollstonecraft publish

Answer 8

“A Vindication of the Rights of Women”

Question 9

What did the women demand in their march to Versailles?

Answer 9

that the king move to Paris and price of bread be lowered

Question 10

Civil Constitution of the Clergy passed by the National Assembly did what?

Answer 10

Confiscated clergy lands and decreed that bishops and priests be elected by the people

Question 11

In the midst of the reforms and establishment of the constitutional monarchy , what did the National Assembly not do?

Answer 11

did NOT give women the right to vote

Question 12

How was the newly elected Legislative Assembly divided into factions?

Answer 12

“Right”, “Center”, and “Left”

Question 13

Which groups represented the separate sections of the Legislative Assembly

Answer 13

Right - Conservatives supporting the king, mostly the bourgeoisie (wealthy middle class in 3rd estate)
Center - Moderates
Left - Radicals who distrusted the king

Question 14

the “right” vs. the “left” in beliefs?

Answer 14

the moderates believed that the revolution had achieved its goals
while the left side wanted the Revolution to continue

Question 15

How was the “left” faction of the Legislative Assembly divided?

Answer 15

Jacobins vs. Girondists

Question 16

Jacobins’s goals

key leader?

Answer 16

overthrow the monarchy and create a republic

- Maximilien Robespierre

Question 17

It is important to know that this guy was NOT a Jacobin

Answer 17

LaFayette, the Hero of Two Worlds

Question 18

Girondists’ goals

Answer 18

wanted to involve France in a war that would discredit the monarchy and spread the revolution across Europe.
Basically, they wanted the end of monarchy but resisted further radical revolution.
just know them as the less radical Jacobins

Question 19

Leopold II of Austria and Frederick II of Prussia issued the Declaration of Pillnitz, saying:

Answer 19

that the restoration of absolutism in France was of “common interest to all sovereigns of Europe”

Question 20

In reaction to the Declaration of Pillnitz, what did Legislative Assembly declare?
what is it called/

Answer 20

War

called the War of the First Coalition

Question 21

how did the War against Austria and Prussia go for France

Answer 21

began badly b/c of poorly equipped armies. but in the end, was able to stop Austro-Prussian army

Question 22

who were sans-culottes and what did they do

Answer 22

poor radicals who took control of the Paris Commune.

Question 23

Which group propelled the second french revolution by executing over a thousand priests, bourgeoisie, and aristocrats?
What was this event called?

Answer 23

• Sans-culottes

- “September massacres”

Question 24

What change did the newly-elected National Convention bring?

Answer 24

Abolished monarchy and declared France a republic

Question 25

Girondist vs. Jocobins on the fate of Louis XVI

Who won the debate?

Answer 25

Girondists favored imprisonment, Jacobins demanded execution

-Jacobins won by one vote

Question 26

What happened to the Girondins when there were increasing conflictions between them and Jacobins?
What did this ultimately mean?

Answer 26

Jacobins and sans-culottes ousted them from National Convention
- radical Jacobins were in power now as tyranny

Question 27

To threaten the National Convention and the radical revolutions in France, the countries England, Spain, Holland, and Sardinia joined Prussia and Austria to form:

Answer 27

the First Coalition

Question 28

Domestic threat against Jacobins?

Answer 28

Girondists and royalist Catholics rebelled against the tyranny

Question 29

What kind of extreme measures did the National Convention respond with against the foreign and domestic threats?

Answer 29

establishment of the Committee of Public Safety

Question 30

who led Committee of Pub Saf with dictatorial power and what was it called?

Answer 30

Robespierre, the Reign of Terror

Question 31

How did Robespierre fight against the First Coalition and was he successful?

Answer 31

• “Nation in Arms”, marking the first example of the complete mobilization of a country for war
• He successfully defeated Coalition

Question 32

What happened to Robespierre in the end and why

Answer 32

was executed by National Convention b/c he was too radical

Question 33

What is Robespierre’s radical goal known as?

Answer 33

Republic of Virtue

Question 34

What gov’t came after the National Convention?

describe.

Answer 34

Directory, executive body of 5 men.

dominated by rich bourgeoisie

Question 35

Why did Napoleon overthrow the Directory?

Answer 35

the Directory was very unpopular and corrupt, and Napoleon, who was very popular, happened to be in the city or something

Question 36

what kind of gov’t did Napoleon create and what did he call himself?

Answer 36

the Consulate. he was the Consul

Question 37

Why did his popularity continue to rise

Answer 37

• restored order,

- defeated the Second Coalition

Question 38

What did Napoleon do with the laws

Answer 38

made it uniform into Napoleonic Code

Question 39

Concordat of 1801

Answer 39

Napoleon ended the strained relationship between French gov’t and Catholic Church

Question 40

1804’s major event

Answer 40

Napoleon declared himself Emperor

Question 41

what irony lies behind Napoleon’s popularity?

Answer 41

he censored press and suppressed opposition, resulting in the loss of individual liberties of citizens. Nevertheless, France enjoyed security, stability and prosperity so the nation was grateful

Question 42

During his empire’s rise, Napoleon defeated these countries

Answer 42

Austria, Prussia, and Russia

Question 43

What did Napoleon do with German states?

Answer 43

he dissolved the HRE and consolidated the independent states into the Confederation of the Rhine under French rule.

Question 44

What did Napoleon unwillingly do within Germany?

Answer 44

sparked German nationalism and fueled resistance to French rule.
Thus, inadvertently accelerated the cause of German unification

Question 45

What was Napoleon’s Continental System?

Answer 45

blocking out Britain in hopes to put GB down

Question 46

Why did Napoleon invade Russia that would turn out to be fatal to him?

Answer 46

Russia refused to stop trading with GB and violated Napoleon’s Continental System

Question 47

Against Napoleon, GB, Russia, Prussia, and Austria formed what?

Answer 47

Grand Alliance

Question 48

What were the two islands Napoleon was exiled to?

Answer 48

Elba and St. Helena

Question 49

During Napoleon’s fame, which battle solidified Napoleon as a military genius?

Answer 49

Battle of Austerlitz