french rev

Question 1

Revolution

Answer 1

A violent, change in political structures. The French Revolution marked the end of the absolute monarchy and the rise of republican ideals in France

Question 2

Royalist

Answer 2

Supporters of the monarchy who opposed revolutionary changes. Many royalists fled France during the Revolution

Question 3

Corruption

Answer 3

Corruption in government spending was a major factor in the financial crisis leading to the Revolution.

Question 4

Three Estates

Answer 4

social classes
First Estate: Clergy (religious leaders), who owned about 10% of French land and were exempt from most taxes.
Second Estate: Nobility, who owned 25-30% of the land, were also exempt from taxes, and had significant political power.
Third Estate: Commoners, making up about 98% of the population carried the tax burden and had little say in government, despite their numbers.

Question 5

Feudal System

Answer 5

gave nobles control over land and peasants, and peasants were obligated to give part of their produce to their landlords.

Question 6

Coup d’état

Answer 6

Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in a coup d’état in 1799, ending the Revolution and establishing the Consulate.

Question 7

Radical

Answer 7

Radicals wanted to completely transform French society. They supported the use of violence during the Reign of Terror to protect the Revolution

Question 8

Moderate

Answer 8

Moderate revolutionaries, sought reform but not the extreme measures taken by radicals. They favored a constitutional monarchy over a republic but were eventually overthrown by more radical factions.

Question 9

Tyrant (Tyrannical)

Answer 9

A ruler who exercises power oppressively. The revolutionaries viewed King Louis XVI as a tyrant due to his resistance to reform

Question 10

Guillotine

Answer 10

The preferred method of execution during the Revolution, particularly during the Reign of Terror. Seen as a “humane” form of execution, it symbolized revolutionary justice.

Question 11

Constitution

Answer 11

The French Revolution saw the creation of several constitutions, starting with the Constitution of 1791, which limited the king’s power and established a legislative assembly.

Question 12

Liberty/Liberation

Answer 12

Central revolutionary ideal inspired by Enlightenment thinkers. Revolutionaries sought freedom from oppression

Question 13

Equality

Answer 13

Another key Enlightenment idea, the Revolution aimed to eliminate social and political inequalities. Abolishing feudalism, tax exemptions for nobles and clergy, and creating equal rights for all men were revolutionary goals.

Question 14

Fraternity

Answer 14

The idea of brotherhood and unity among all citizens

Question 15

National Assembly

Answer 15

Formed by the Third Estate, The Assembly claimed to represent the will of the people

Question 16

Maximilien Robespierre

Answer 16

A Jacobin leader and one of the most influential figures of the Revolution. His radical vision for France led to the Reign of Terror, where thousands were executed as “enemies of the Revolution.” his policies became increasingly tyrannical, leading to his downfall and execution

Question 17

Napoleon Bonaparte

Answer 17

A military genius who rose to power at the end of the Revolution. Through a coup d’état in 1799, he became First Consul, and later Emperor. he also centralized power and created a dictatorial regime.

Question 18

Louis XVI

Answer 18

The last king of France before the fall of the monarchy. His inability to manage France’s financial crisis, coupled with his resistance to reforms, made him a symbol of the corrupt. He was executed in 1793 for treason.

Question 19

Marie Antoinette

Answer 19

Queen of France and wife of Louis XVI. She became a symbol of royal excess and was blamed for much of France’s financial troubles.

Question 20

First Estate (Clergy)

Answer 20

Held significant wealth and power, with control over education and religious influence.

Question 21

Second Estate (Nobility)

Answer 21

Held key military and administrative roles. Their refusal to pay taxes despite France’s financial crisis was a major grievance of the Third Estate.

Question 22

Third Estate (Commoners)

Answer 22

Included the bourgeoisie, the urban working class, and peasants. Their frustration with their lack of political representation was the driving force behind the Revolution.

Question 23

Estates General

Answer 23

Called by Louis XVI to address the financial crisis. The Third Estate demanded more representation, but when negotiations failed, they broke away to form the National Assembly.

Question 24

Tennis Court Oath

Answer 24

After being locked out of their meeting hall, members of the Third Estate met in a nearby tennis court, vowing not to disband until they had written a constitution for France, marking the first act of defiance against the monarchy.

Question 25

Storming of the Bastille

Answer 25

marked the beginning of the Revolution . The fall of this royal fortress showed the weakness of the monarchy.

Question 26

Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizen

Answer 26

A fundamental document that proclaimed freedom of speech, equality before the law, and other Enlightenment ideals.

Question 27

Women’s March on Versailles

Answer 27

Thousands of women marched to Versailles to demand bread and forced the royal family to return to Paris, signaling the growing influence of popular movements in the Revolution.

Question 28

Constitution of 1791

Answer 28

Established a constitutional monarchy, which Louis XVI reluctantly accepted. This constitution aimed to balance power between the king and the Legislative Assembly, but ultimately failed to satisfy both radicals and royalists.

Question 29

France declares war on Britain, Austria, Prussia, Spain, and Holland

Answer 29

The revolutionary government saw foreign monarchies as threats to the Revolution, and these wars spread revolutionary ideals but also created internal instability.

Question 30

Execution of Louis XVI

Answer 30

The execution of the king marked the end of the monarchy and the beginning of the radical phase of the Revolution.

Question 31

Reign of Terror

Answer 31

Led by Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety, this period was marked by mass executions of suspected enemies of the Revolution. Though intended to protect the Revolution, it became a period of extreme political violence.

Question 32

The Directory is formed

Answer 32

A five-man executive that governed France after the Reign of Terror. The Directory was plagued by corruption and inefficiency, paving the way for Napoleon’s coup

Question 33

Napoleon takes power as First Consul

Answer 33

Napoleon’s coup ended the revolutionary period, but he maintained some revolutionary reforms

Question 34

What was the Historical Context for the French Revolution?

Answer 34

The French Revolution emerged from economic hardship (due to debt from wars and poor harvests), social inequality (the unfair privileges of the First and Second Estates), and political discontent (Louis XVI’s inability to enact reforms).

Question 35

How did the Enlightenment influence the French Revolution?

Answer 35

Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau and Voltaire criticized absolute monarchy and promoted ideas of liberty, democracy, and equality, which became the intellectual foundation for revolutionary demands.

Question 36

What complaints did the Third Estate have that led to the revolution?

Answer 36

The Third Estate was taxed heavily, had no political power, They demanded more representation and relief from feudal dues and taxes

Question 37

What were the goals of the French Revolution?

Answer 37

Overthrow the monarchy, establish a republic, secure individual rights, create equality before the law, and remove the privileges of the aristocracy and clergy.

Question 38

What was different between the Moderate Stage and the Radical Stage of the French Revolution?

Answer 38

The Moderate Stage sought constitutional monarchy and gradual reforms, while the Radical Stage abolished the monarchy, established a republic, and used extreme measures like the Reign of Terror to enforce revolutionary ideals.

Question 39

What was the Reign of Terror and who led it?

Answer 39

A period of political purges led by Robespierre and the Jacobins where thousands were executed by guillotine. It aimed to eliminate counter-revolutionaries and preserve the republic but ended with Robespierre’s own execution.

Question 40

How did the French government change over the course of the revolution?

Answer 40

The government transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, then to a republic, and finally to a dictatorship under Napoleon

Question 41

How did Napoleon take power and what did he do with that power?