Section 9 - The French Revolution

Question 1

What did each of the 3 estates consist of?

Answer 1

1st Estate-The clergy
2nd Estate-Noblemen
3rd Estate-Everyone else; from well of middle class to poor peasants

Question 2

Which estate(s) had to pay taxes?

Answer 2

Only the 3rd estate paid taxes. This caused hardship and resentment.

Question 3

What were “enlightened” ideas?

Answer 3

Until now, people just thought that the king had a God given right to rule and nobles ought to have special privileges. Enlightened ideas proposed that everyone should be equal.

Question 4

Name a writer who put forth “enlightened” ideas.

Answer 4

1) Voltaire

2) Rousseau

Question 5

How did the American Revolution influence the French Revolution (2 points)?

Answer 5

1) The American Revolution showed the French that ordinary people could take power for themselves. French soldiers who fought in the American war of independence brought the idea of “power people” back to France.
2) The cost of fighting in the war was great. King Louis’s government was in a lot of debt and needed to raise taxes to generate income. This caused hardship and resentment.

Question 6

What did king Louis do to help his raise taxes?

Answer 6

He called together the estates general, an elected assembly of representatives of each of the 3 estates.

Question 7

What did the 3rd estate do at the estates general?

Answer 7

The 3rd estate was angry at the inequalities in the French society. They called themselves the National Assembly and refused to disband until the constitution was made fair.

Question 8

How did king Louis react to the National Assembly?

Answer 8

He called for the army to break them up.

Question 9

How did the French people react when they heard the army was coming to break up the National Assembly?

Answer 9

They took to the streets to defend them.

Question 10

What was the name of the prison the people of France stormed? In what year did they do this?

Answer 10

They stormed the Bastille in 1789.

Question 11

What was the name of the army the people of France set up? What was its purpose?

Answer 11

The people set up the national guard to protect the people of France and the assembly from the army.

Question 12

What was the name of the declaration issued by the French that sated that all men are born free and equal? In what year did they issue it?

Answer 12

The declaration of rights of man was issued in 1789

Question 13

Where were the king and queen of France taken from by Parisian women?

Answer 13

The palace of Versailles

Question 14

In what year did the king and his family try to escape from France to country X? What was country X?

Answer 14

In 1791 the king and his family tried to escape to Austria where queen Mary Antoinette’s brother was emperor.

Question 15

In 1792, who did the assembly declare war on?

Answer 15

Austria

Question 16

What threat did Austria make to the assembly?

Answer 16

That if king Louis XVI was harmed in any way, they would destroy Paris.

Question 17

How did the National Assembly respond to Austria’s threat?

Answer 17

They executed king Louis by guillotine and later queen Mary Antoinette.

Question 18

In what year did the assembly declare France a republic?

Answer 18

1793

Question 19

How did the execution of the king put the Revolution in danger?

Answer 19

Many other monarchs in Europe were angered by the execution and so joined the war.

Question 20

What committee did the convention (National Assembly) set up to deal with threats to the Revolution? Who led this committee?

Answer 20

The committee of public safety, led by Maximilian Robespierre protected the Revolution.

Question 21

Why was Robespierre executed?

Answer 21

In 1794 Robespierre was executed because he refused to stop his “reign of terror” in which he killed 40000 French citizens on suspicion of them not supporting the Revolution.

Question 22

Who was made emperor of France in 1804?

Answer 22

Napoleon Bonaparte

Question 23

Name 2 results of the France Revolution.

Answer 23

1) It showed that ordinary people should be involved in politics. It spread democracy.
2) In Ireland, people such as Wolfe tone were inspired by the Revolution and led an uprising to win freedom for oppressed Irish people. The uprising failed but influenced republicanism in Ireland.

Question 24

Where was Maximilian Robespierre born?

Answer 24

Arras, North France

Question 25

What did Robespierre do for a living?

Answer 25

He was a lawyer

Question 26

What was Robespierre’s involvement in the estates general?

Answer 26

He was a representative of the 3rd estate.

Question 27

What were Robespierre’s political views?

Answer 27

He wanted France To become a republic. He called for the execution of king Louis XVI

Question 28

What committee was Robespierre made leader of? What did he do in this position?

Answer 28

He was made head of the 12 member public safety committee. He protected France from invasion . However he also began a reign of terror, killing 40000 French people who he suspected to oppose the Revolution.

Question 29

What group of people admired him? Why?

Answer 29

Poor people admired him because he protected France from attack and kept bread prices low in a time many were hungry.

Question 30

What was Robespierre’s nickname ? Why was this?

Answer 30

He was known as “The incorruptible” because no amount of pressure or money could change his views.

Question 31

In what year did Robespierre die? How did he die? What age was he?

Answer 31

Robespierre died in 1794 aged 36. He was killed because he refused to end his reign of terror.

Question 32

When was the French Revolution?

Answer 32

1789-1799