The French Revolution

Ryan Fortini
Name: _____________________________
7
Period: ______________
Part 1: Setting the Stage for Revolution Why did a revolution break out in France?
Directions: Using the map, answer the question below.

ireland

uk

germany
paris
france

spain
italy

Label the major western European countries on the map. Also, label the city of
Paris. How might France’s location in Europe have impacted other surrounding
countries during the French Revolution?
Because other countries might see
whats happening

2
What is a revolution? A revolution is a great change from the ways
things were in the past.

There have been many different types of revolutions in history. We will break them into two
types: political revolutions and non-political revolutions.

Political Revolutions Non-Political Revolutions

Have to do with a change in government, usually the Usually have to do with a change in technology or
overthrow of one government by people who want to ideas and the effects of that change.
replace it with new leaders, or a new system of
government. Most political revolutions are violent.

Based on the definition above, can you think Based on the definition above, can you think
of any examples of Political Revolutions? of any examples of Non-Political Revolutions?
What changed as a result? What changed as a result?

America breaking away from britian 1776 The renneisance

3
Timeline Preview
Directions: Examine each of the following timelines and answer the questions about them that follow.

1. According to the timeline above, 2. Which was the first country to rebel in 3. Based on the timeline, what earlier
identify five countries that had revolutions the “Age of Revolution?” events may have caused the Age of
or wars of independence between 1775 Revolution? Why do you think that was?
and 1848.

America The enlgihtment, it was a time

of great thinking and removal
America Hati France eduador of absolutism

4
1. Who ruled France at 2. Why do you think the 3. What happened to 4. Based on the timeline 5. Who do you think
the start of the second stage of the King Louis XVI during above, which countries Napoleon was?
revolution? Who ruled revolution was called the second stage of the opposed the revolution
France at the end? the “Radical revolution? in France?
Revolution?”
King Lousi it was a
XVI time of war Austria Prussia
many executed Britian Holland A french emperor
executions Spain
and reign
of terror

5
 The French Revolution (1789-1799)
The French Revolution was a political revolution
during which the lower and middle class in
France, frustrated over social, economic, and
political problems in the country and inspired by
Enlightenment ideas overthrew King Louis XVI
and tried to institute a more democratic
government.

Watch The French Revolution in a Nutshell (start to 2:13) and read the transcript below then answer
the questions to the right.
So, how did this all begin? For hundreds of years prior to the revolution, 1. Based on the video, identify two
French people like most Europeans were divided into three social estates: causes of the French Revolution.
clergy, nobility, and the lowest estate, the commoners, which existed to
serve the other estates. Above all was God's gift to mankind, the king.

But this hierarchy was being questioned by the Enlightenment, a the enlightment,food shortages
movement of intellectuals who promoted the use of the reason and science.
Revolutionary ideas began to spread to the public.

In the 1780s when an economically broken split monarchy tried to increase

taxes on the commoners, resentment reached a new level and riots began.
On the fourteenth of July 1789, revolutionists stormed the Bastille fortress, a
symbol of the royal power. This date is marked as the beginning of the end
of the old monarchy and became France’s Independence Day, even though
the king was beheaded in 1793.

Shortly after, the French adopted a universal declaration which stated, that
“Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.” This was a radical
change even though it left many people out. But the French Revolution was
far from a smooth ride. Actually, it was a bloodbath which led to external
and internal wars. The newly introduced guillotine worked overtime 2. This was just an overview of the French
Revolution. What would you like to learn
beheading tens of thousands of French during the period known “The
more about?
Terror.”

In 1799, the revolution ended when a military commander by the name of Neapolan bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte seized control of the French legislature, eventually
declaring himself emperor.

Although the revolution began and ended with a monarchy, it had a crucial
impact on Europe and world history and laid the foundation for a modern
state governed by the people. 6
Part 2: What were the social, economic, and political problems in
pre-revolutionary France?
Objective: Describe the social, economic, and political problems in pre-revolutionary France.

Problems in Pre-Revolutionary France

Directions: As you examine the documents about pre-revolutionary France, take down notes, write
down direct quotes from the documents, or paraphrase what you read in the chart below. Group the
information into “social,” “economic,” and “political” categories.

Large populations, people living close to eachother, and the class

differnces 1st-2nd-3rd
Social Causes

Famine,bread, and the tax burden fell apon the peasents

Economic Causes

faulted adminastration, king and queen kept their lavish lifestyles and
Political Causes did not invest into the economy

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Document Set 1: The Estates System
The estates system was the class structure in France before the French Revolution. Though feudalism was no
longer the organizing force in most of Europe in the 1700s, the same groups that held power during the Middle
Ages still had control.

Vocabulary
clergy people who work for the church like commoners people in a low social and/or economic class
the Pope, bishops, and priests

nobility wealthy landowners and people with caricature a picture, description, or imitation of a person or
high status in society think that exaggerates certain features to be funny

bourgeoisie the middle class; during the French

Revolution this was a group in the
Third Estate made up of educated
professionals like lawyers and doctors

Document 1a 1a. Based on the chart, identify which groups of

people make up each estate.
The Three Estates In
Pre-Revolutionary France First Estate Second Estate Third Estate

I
clergy nobility n
commoners,caric
ature,
bourgeoisie

1b. What percentage of the population of France

made up the Third Estate?

98%

Chart showing the “estates,” classes in France before the French 1c. When combined, what percentage of France’s
Revolution. population were the First and Second Estates? How
Source: Schwartz and O’Connor, Democracy and Nationalism, Globe Book Company (adapted) from the NYS Global much of the land in France did they own?
History and Geography Regents Exam, August 2007
20%

1d. If you were a member of the Third Estate, how

would you feel about the “estates system?” Why
would you feel that way?
I would extremely dislike it
due to them not caring
about the commeners

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Document 1b 1e. What does the amount of land that a group of
The Three Estates in Pre-Revolutionary France people owns suggest about how wealthy they are?

Third estate had the most

land, this dosent mean they
are the wealthiest due to
them paying taxes

1f. Based on the graphs to the left identify the

percentage of the taxes collected by the French
government that each of the estates paid in the table
below.

Source: Jackson J. Spielvogel, World History, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2003

(adapted) from the NYS Global History and Geography Regents Exam, January First Estate Second Estate Third Estate
2007.
0%
0% 100%

1g. If you were a member of the Third Estate, how

would you feel about taxation in the “estates
system?” Why would you feel that way

I would definitley be mad because the

taxation system is extremely unfair

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Document 1c 1. Identify each of the figures from this cartoon below and
Unknown artist, political cartoon about The Three Estates, provide your reasons why.
You Should Hope this Game Will Be Over Soon, 1788

Who/what does Who/what does Who/what does

this figure this figure this figure
represent? represent? represent?

peasent/3r clergy/ first noble 2nd estate

d estate estate

How do you How do you How do you

know? know? know?

doing cross Carrying everyone

the around and the way he is
dirty his dressed

2. The title of this cartoon is “You Should Hope this Game

Will Be Over Soon.” Who do you think you refers to in the
title? Why?
How unfair the poltics
were back then

Source: Reproduced with permission from the National Museum 3. Why is the old man carrying the two other men on his
of France from the NYS Social Studies ToolKit. back? What does this represent?
http://www.c3teachers.org/inquiries/frenchrev/
The peasent carries two men
due to the work the peasents
would endure

4. How might someone from the First Estate, Second Estate,

and Third Estate have reacted to this image in 1788? Would
their reactions be different? If so, in what ways?

The peasent would likely agree with the

poltical cartoon, the clergy wouldnt mind it,
and the noble probaly woulnt like the cartoon

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Document Set 2: Absolute Monarchy and Life at the Palace of Versailles

Document 2a 2a. What was the divine right theory?

. . . Powers of the king.—The King, Louis XVI, political and religious doctrine of royal and political
was absolute. He ruled by the divine right theory legitimacy.
which held that he had received his power to
govern from God and was therefore responsible 2b. List five of Louis XVI’s powers as the King of France and
to God alone. He appointed all civil officials and place a checkmark in the appropriate column for the powers
military officers. He made and enforced the laws. that Enlightenment Thinkers would not support and those
that might worry members of the Third Estate.
He could declare war and make peace. He levied
taxes and spent the people’s money as he saw fit. Not supported Worrisome for
He controlled the expression of thought by a Powers by the the Third
Enlightenment Estate
strict censorship of speech and press. By means of
lettres de cachet (sealed letters which were really 1.
millitary
blank warrants for arrest) he could arbitrarily
[without reason] imprison anyone without trial
2.
for an indefinite period. He lived in his taxes
magnificent palace at Versailles, completely
oblivious to the rising tide of popular discontent 3. Declare
[frustration]. . . .
Image source
Text source: Friedman & Foner, A Genetic Approach to
4. censorship of speech
Modern European History, College Entrance Book Co., 1938
and press
from the NYS Global History and Geography Regents Exam,
January 2007. 5. justice system

2c. If you were a member of the Third Estate who read and
agreed with the Enlightenment Thinkers, how would you
feel about Louis XVI?

Would most likely have a liking to king Louis

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Document 2b
The Palace of Versailles was a royal château [castle] in Versailles and was the center of political power in
France from 1682 until 1789. Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette lived in the palace before the
French Revolution. They were known for throwing lavish parties.

2d. Based on the images of the Palace

of Versailles, describe the lives of the
royal family (Louis XVI, Marie
Antoinette, and their children).

Extremely lavish lifestyle

The Queen’s Chamber

The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles

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Document Set 3: The Lives of the Third Estate

Document 3: Travels in France (1792) by Arthur Young 3a. The “poor woman” that Arthur Young
Arthur Young was an English gentleman farmer who visited meets on the road says that France, or at
France at the start of the French Revolution. His goal was to least the region she lives in is “a sad
determine "the cultivation, wealth, resources, and national country.” Identify two reasons why she says
prosperity" of France by describing what he witnessed. that.

July 12, 1789 Due to the

. . . The 12th. Walking up a long hill, to ease my mare [female horse], government/poverty
I was joined by a poor woman, who complained of the times, and that
it was a sad country; demanding her reasons, she said her husband
had but a morsel of land, one cow, and a poor little horse, yet they 3b. Arthur Young states that there is a great
had a franchar (42 lb.) of wheat, and three chickens, to pay as a quit- difference between the “lower people” in
England and France. Who does he blame for
rent [a payment that allowed the husband and wife to continue to use
that difference? Why?
their land] to one Seigneur [noble]; and four franchar of oats, one
chicken and 1 sou [small unit of money] to pay to another, besides Because they are treated way worse in
france
very heavy tailles [taxes on the land and its produce] and other
taxes[…] It was said, at present, that something was to be done by
some great folks for such poor ones, but she did not know who nor 3c. Compare the life of the woman Arthur
how, but God send us better, car les tailles & les droits nous ecrasent Young met to the lives of Louis XVI, Marie
[because the taxes and laws are crushing us]. —This woman, at no Antoinette, and other members of the First
and Second Estates.
great distance, might have been taken for sixty or seventy, her figure
was so bent, and her face so furrowed [wrinkled] and hardened by
labour, — but she said she was only twenty-eight. An Englishman The lives are incredibily differnt
because they are in differnt
who has not travelled, cannot imagine the figure made by infinitely estates. Higher estates are more
the greater part of the countrywomen in France; it speaks, at the first wealthy and lavish, lower are more
poor
sight, hard and severe labour[…] To what are we to attribute this
difference in the manners of the lower people in the two kingdoms
[England and France]? To Government . . . .
Source: Miss Betham-Edwards, ed., Arthur Young’s Travels in France During the
Years 1787, 1788, 1789, G. Bell and Sons (adapted) from the NYS Global History
and Geography Regents Exam, January 2007.

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Document Set 4: Bad Harvests, National Debt, and the calling of The Estates General
Vocabulary
grievance a cause for complaint or protest especially for unfair treatment

Document 4a 4a. What did the kings of France spend

On the eve of the French Revolution, France’s government was in money on that put the country into debt?
enormous debt. King Louis XIV (1638-1715), Louis XV (1710-
1774), and Louis XVI (1754-1793) added to the debt, borrowing Personal
money to finance the following: needs Insert
text
Date Event that Increased the French Debt here

1678-1789 Building of, additions to, and upkeep of the

Palace of Versailles 4b. Often to pay back debt, a government
will do two things. One, they will cut back
1756-1763 Seven Years’ War
on the amount of money they spend. Two,
Fought against their rivals at the time, Great Britain,
and several other European powers in Europe and they will raise taxes. Based on Document 1b,
North America. if the king raised taxes in 1789, who would
have to pay them?
1775-1783 American Revolution
France lended 1.3 billion livres, soldiers, and ships to peasents and commeners
the American colonists in their fight against the
British.

1678-1789 Extravagant lifestyles of Louis XVI and Marie-

Antoinette

4c. If you were a member of the Third

Estate, how would you feel about the
country’s debt problem? Who would you
blame?

I would hate it because it

was caused by the
king/queen

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Document 4b
Watch The French Revolution Documentary from the History Channel (20:30-23:32) and read the transcript
below then answer the questions to the right.

(20:02) Narrator: Versailles in the late seventeen hundreds is an oasis of extravagance [wealth]. Surrounded by a
land in despair and with an uncertain king at the helm, France is charting a course for disaster.

(20:16) After nineteen years of marriage Louis has sired four children, yet as a king he remains impotent [unable to
act]. As the financial crisis escalates all the king can do is hire and fire a succession of administrators, none of
whom have the answers. By ancient privilege, the nobility and clergy are exempt from taxation and so as taxes
rise to cover the government's mounting debt repayments the burden falls heavily upon the poorest.

20:49 To add to their misery, freakish weather arrives to decimate the harvest.

William Boyle: “If ever God had intervened to make a situation worse the summers or 1788 and spring of 1789 is a
moment when that happens. By the summer of 1788, you already have a burgeoning political crisis and it's
developing against the background of very serious food shortage.”

(21:13) Narrator: For the people of France in 1788, bread is the essence of life itself.

Lynn Hunt: “Most ordinary people in France ate at least two pounds a day of bread. Bread was all-important. Its
price was immediately felt by everyone, if the price doubled you're in big trouble.” Under the financial
mismanagement of Louis’ government, the cost of bread skyrockets. Food supplies are hoarded by profiteers and
the cost of a loaf of bread can soon equal a month's wages.

(21:51) Hunger turns to rage. Bread riots break out across France. Bakeries are raided and shopkeepers suspected of
hoarding bread are lynched on the spot.

4a. How did King Louis XVI try to solve the country’s financial crisis?
Forcing taxes on nobility

4b. What happened in the summer of 1788 and spring of 1789 to make the financial situation worse? What were
the effects of these events?
The French Revolution

4c. Why was bread so important in France?

Was considered a public service

4d. What was the result of the rise in bread prices in 1788-1789?
Riots and protests

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Document 4c: Louis XVI Calls the Estates General

The opening of the Estates General May 5, 1789 in the Salle des Menus Plaisirs in Versailles.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Estatesgeneral.jpg
Estates-General of 1789
In the late 1700s in France, the king needed approval from a group of noble judges called the Parliament of Paris to pass new
taxes. In an attempt to solve the country's debt problems and larger financial crisis, Louis XVI proposed to tax the First and
Second Estates for the first time. The Parliament was not in favor of the tax because its members were from those estates.

Since the King and Parliament could not come to an agreement, they decided to convene the Estates General, an old
institution that had not been assembled since 1614, 175 years beforehand, to settle the issue.

The Estates General was an assembly of representatives from each of the three estates from areas all over France. When the
Estates General met on May 5, 1789, one quarter of the representatives were from the First Estate, one quarter were from the
Second Estate, and half were from the Third Estates, but each estate received only one vote. So, even though the Third Estate
had half of the delegates, they were always outvoted by the First and Second Estates, 2 to 1.
Source: Adapted from “French Revolution.” New World Encyclopedia.

4e. What did King Louis XVI propose to solve the country’s debt problem?
taxed the first , and second estate

4f. Why did the Parliament reject Louis’ idea?

members were from the estate

4g. What was the Estates General? Who was a part of it?
Ins
Meeting of the three estates

4h. If you were a delegate at the Estates General from the Third Estate, what would you think of the voting
system? Why?
I would be on King Louis side to fix the
economy and make everyone pay taxes

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Document 4d
The Cahiers de Doléances, better known simply as Cahiers, were lists of grievances written by the three Estates in France in
1789 for the convening of the Estates General. King Louis XVI asked each of the Estates to compile cahiers. Below is an excerpt
of one of the cahiers from the district of Carcassonne.

The third estate of the electoral district of Carcassonne very humbly petitions his Majesty to take into consideration these several
matters, weigh them in his wisdom, and permit his people to enjoy, as soon as may be, fresh proofs of that benevolence [goodwill;
kindness] which he has never ceased to exhibit toward them and which is dictated by his affection for them...:
8. ...the nation should hereafter be subject only to such laws and taxes as it shall itself freely ratify [approve].
9. The meetings of the Estates General of the kingdom should be fixed for definite periods...
10. In order to assure to the third estate the influence to which it is entitled in view of the number of its members, the amount of its
contributions to the public treasury, and the manifold [many] interests which it has to defend or promote in the national assemblies,
its votes in the assembly should be taken and counted by head.
11. No order, corporation, or individual citizen may lay claim to any [financial] exemptions. … All taxes should be assessed on the
same system throughout the nation.
12. The [tax] exacted from commoners holding fiefs [land] should be abolished, and also the general or particular regulations which
exclude members of the third estate from certain positions, offices, and ranks which have [until now] been bestowed on [given to]
nobles either for life or hereditarily [based on family relations]. A law should be passed declaring members of the third estate
qualified to fill all such offices for which they are judged to be personally fitted.
14. Freedom should be granted also to the press, which should however be subjected, by means of strict regulations to the
principles of religion, morality, and public decency. …
Source: Copyright © Hanover Historical Texts Collection. Used by permission of Hanover College, Hanover, IN from the NYS Social Studies ToolKit.

Paraphrase of Grievance
Why would the Third Estate 1. What are the Cahiers de Doléances? Who were
make this request? they written by? Why were they written?
8. Ins books/ledgers

2. Why do you think the authors of this cahier

9.
introduce the document with phrases like “very
humbly petitions,” “weigh them in his
wisdom,”and “fresh proofs of that benevolence
[goodwill; kindness]?”
10.
The author used polite and formal
languages to convey the reader

11.
3. In grievance 10 the authors write that “its votes
in the assembly should be taken and counted by
head.” What do you think “by head” means in this
context? Why would members of the Third Estate
14.
what this?
They mean that the voting
should be extremely presise

17
Task - Analyzing a Political Cartoon
Directions: Analyze the political cartoon. Then complete any questions.

1. Describe three things you notice in the political cartoon that relate to the political
or social system of pre-revolutionary France.
Political figures, taxes, 3rd estate

2. According to the political cartoon, what unfair conditions exist in pre-

revolutionary France?

3rd estate and the tax law

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Part 3: The Stages of the French Revolution

Stage 1 – The National Assembly (1789 – 1791)

What was The Estates General?

Why was it meeting in May 1789?

Insert text here

1st Estate 2nd Estate 3rd Estate

clergy of the catholic nobles Middle class:merchants and

professional
owened 10% of land, pay owened 20% of land paid little to no taxesowned little land,pay
2% income tax 50% income tax
2 % of population 97% of
1% of population population

THE TENNIS COURT OATH: (JUNE 1789)

king locked members out of meeting hall

3rd Estate breaks into adjacent indoor tennis court to meet
Agree to continue to meet until a new consitution is formed

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 3 Goals of the
National
Insert text here Assembly Insert text here

Womens March

Insert text here

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

Part of new constituion:
Adopted by National Assembly on Aug 27th
Enlightenment ideals incorporated
Outlined basic freedoms held by all Fraternity new government=limited monarcary
The Storming of the Bastille: Womans
July 14, 1789

What is the importance of this event?

Defining event of the revolution
Jul 14th 1789: a mob storms and takes the
bastille (a prision in patis)
Represented tyranny and old order

Stage 2: The Reign of Terror (1792-1794)

*Mini-Project to be completed. Details to follow.

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 STAGE 3 - THE DIRECTORY
Moderate government of France from 1795-1799

What did this government accomplish during their years in control of France?

New elite schools

Focused on improving the economy
Strengthened the millitary and won the
important battles
What problems did they face?

Stage 4 - Napoleon Bonaparte

Emperor of France (1799-1814)

The Concordat:
ICreation of a
French Empire:
The Napoleonic Code

ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Financial
Victory against the Austrian Stabilization:

Generosity
toward his people
Construction of
Centralized Schools
Authority
Crowning himself
Emperor

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Part 4: The Rise of Napoleon
Directions: Use the video to take down notes. A&E Biography’s “Napoleon – The Glory of France”

Napoleon’s Early Life Napoleon’s Rise to Power in France

Created French empire that dominated and

controlled France
1796 Won several dazzling victories agianst
austrians

Napoleon’s Accomplishments Napoleon’s Downfall & Failures

Expedition to egypt in 1798

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Task: Complete the Chart below using the video notes and the guided reading you did in class.

Topic about Napoleon Details

French army ideas spread across europe
Napelonic Code
Impact on Europe
Form of economic warfare
Called for closing all of europes ports to british goods
Britains response- implemented their own blockade of
Continental System european ports
British attacks on American ships eventually sparked the
war of 1812
Spain was part of Napoleons empire
Resistance grew from reforms introduced that sought to
undermine the spanish catholic church
Peninsular War

Russia and France were former allies

Russia became unhappy with the economic effects of
Invasion of Russia the continental system and led the Tsar to withdraw his
support (Scorched earth)

Napoleon was defeated in the battle of Nations

Exlied to Alba
Downfall

Napoleonic Code consolidated many

changes of the revolution
Legacy

Congress of Vienna

Goal was restoring stability and order in Europe(from Napoleons conquests)

Met for 10 months, from september 1814 to June 1815

Was brilliant gathering of European leaders

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Part 5: Review of French Revolution
Directions: Use your notes to complete the review graphic organizer.

Causes of French Rev Effects of French Revolution

The Estates of France Reign of Terror & Robespierre

Rise and Fall of Napoleon

Napoleonic Code Congress of Vienna

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