Unit 5: French Revolution & Napoleonic Era

Chapter 19 - A Revolution in Politics: The Era of the French Revolution and Napoleon

Chapter Summary

Reading Notes Packet Instructions

1.​ Complete the Terms & Names
a.​ Use the textbook glossary & index to locate terms within the text & define them
2.​ Complete the Reading Notes Gists
a.​ Take notes as you read the chapter, use the guidelines below to complete the notes
3.​ Short Answer Questions
a.​ At the end of each chapter/section of notes there will be a series of review questions
b.​ Select at least 2 (TWO) questions to answer

Terms and Names:​

DIRECTIONS:​
1. Complete the chart below.

Term/Name Page # Definition + Significance

Old Order The political and social system of France before the French
Revolution, also known as the Ancien Régime. It divided society
into three estates: clergy (First Estate), nobility (Second Estate),
and commoners (Third Estate). The Old Order’s inequalities were
a major cause of the French Revolution.
Sans-culottes Radical working-class revolutionaries in France, primarily from
urban areas, who played a key role in pushing the revolution
towards more radical measures, such as the Reign of Terror.
Their name means “without breeches,” symbolizing their
rejection of aristocratic fashion.
De-Christianization A policy during the radical phase of the French Revolution
aimed at reducing the influence of the Catholic Church in
France. Churches were closed, religious symbols were removed,
and a secular calendar was introduced. It created strong
opposition from devout Catholics.
Continental system Napoleon’s economic policy aimed at weakening Britain by
forbidding continental European nations from trading with it. This
backfired as it hurt European economies and contributed to
growing resistance against Napoleon.
Nationalism A strong sense of pride and devotion to one’s nation, which grew
significantly during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.
French nationalism helped unify the country, but it also inspired
resistance in conquered nations against Napoleon’s rule.
READING NOTES: Ch. 19 ​
DIRECTIONS:
1.​ For each section answer the focus question (FQ) using the information in the text.
a.​ Answers should be in bullet point form
b.​ Should cover, who, what, where, when, why that helps to answer the FQ
2.​ Read the text & image insert boxes & answer the questions when included.
 The Beginning of the Revolutionary Era: The American Revolution (pg. 560)
Focus Question: What were the causes and results of the American Revolution, and what impact did it have
on Europe?

Causes

-​ Taxation without representation (Stamp Act, Tea Act, etc.)

-​ Enlightenment ideas (natural rights, popular sovereignty)
-​ British economic restrictions on the colonies
-​ Growing colonial unity and resistance to British rule

Results

-​ U.S. independence (Treaty of Paris, 1783)

-​ Creation of a democratic government based on Enlightenment principles
-​ Influence on other revolutions, especially the French Revolution

Impact on Europe

-​ Inspired political movements advocating for rights and representative government

-​ Increased financial strain on France due to its support of the war
-​ Challenged the legitimacy of absolute monarchies

The Argument for How did this argument challenge absolute monarchy? In what other
Independence Excerpt pg. places was monarchy challenged during this period?
562
The argument emphasized natural rights and the idea that governments
derive power from the people, directly opposing divine right monarchy.

Background to the French Revolution (pg. 563)

Focus Question: What were the long-range and immediate causes of the French Revolution?

Long-range causes:

-​ Social inequality under the Ancien Régime

-​ Enlightenment ideas promoting democracy and equality
-​ Financial crisis due to wars and extravagant royal spending
-​ Weak leadership under Louis XVI

Immediate causes:

-​ Bankruptcy of the French government

-​ Estates-General meeting in 1789, leading to the formation of the National Assembly
-​ Food shortages and rising bread prices
-​ Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789)
 The French Revolution (pg. 566)
Focus Question: What were the main events of the French Revolution between 1789 and 1799? What role did
each of the following play in the French Revolution: lawyers, peasants, women, the clergy, the Jacobins, the
sans-culottes, the French revolutionary army, and the Committee on Public Safety?

-​ The formation of the National Assembly and the drafting of the Declaration of the Rights of Man
and Citizen marked the early phase, establishing principles of equality and popular sovereignty.
-​ 1791, France transitioned to a constitutional monarchy, but growing tensions led to the monarchy’s
abolition in 1792, making France a republic.
-​ The execution of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette in 1793 marked the radical phase of
the Revolution, during which the Jacobins, led by Robespierre, took control.
-​ The Reign of Terror followed, with thousands executed under suspicion of counter-revolutionary
activity.
-​ 1795, the more moderate Directory government was established, but it faced internal instability
and corruption.
-​ 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte staged a coup and took power, bringing an end to the revolutionary
government.

-​ Lawyers were instrumental in drafting revolutionary documents and shaping political institutions.
-​ Peasants revolted against feudal dues and noble privileges, particularly in rural uprisings.
-​ Women, such as those who participated in the March on Versailles, demanded economic relief
and political rights.
-​ The clergy was divided, with some supporting the Revolution while others resisted its secular
policies.
-​ The Jacobins, a radical political faction, pushed for the most extreme measures, including the
execution of the king and mass purges of perceived enemies.
-​ The sans-culottes, representing the urban working class, drove revolutionary fervor and helped
radicalize the movement.
-​ The French Revolutionary Army defended France against external enemies, while the Committee
on Public Safety, under Robespierre, oversaw the Reign of Terror, using extreme measures to
maintain control.

The Fall of the Bastille Why did the author think the storming of the Bastille was a significant
Excerpt, pg. 568 turning point in French history? Do you agree? Is this a biased account?

-​ Symbolizing the end of the monarchy’s unchecked power and

sparking further uprisings across France
-​ Many viewed it as a turning point that demonstrated the people’s
ability to challenge authority, but some accounts of the event are
biased, glorifying the revolutionaries while downplaying the chaos
and violence
-​ Similarly, the role of women in the Revolution was
significant yet often overlooked

Opposing Viewpoints: The Why did Olympe de Gouges feel the need to write her declaration? How
Natural Rights of the French does it compare with the one by the National Assembly?
People: Two Views, pg.
570-571 -​ feminist writer, authored the Declaration of the Rights of Woman in
response to the Declaration of the Rights of Man, arguing for
gender equality
 -​ Her work challenged the exclusion of women from political
rights, though it was largely dismissed, and she was later
executed during the Reign of Terror

Justice in the Reign of Terror How did the spectacle of the execution promote loyalty or conformity in
Excerpt, pg. 577 the observers?

-​ public executions became a tool for promoting loyalty and

conformity
-​ The spectacle of the guillotine reinforced fear and
discouraged opposition to the revolutionary government.
-​ While Robespierre justified these actions as necessary for
protecting the Republic, they ultimately led to widespread
paranoia and instability

Robespierre and How was Robespierre’s idea of the role of government different from that
Revolutionary Government of the French monarchs? From that of the United States?
Excerpt, pg. 578
-​ Emphasized strict ideological control, differing from both the
monarchy’s traditional rule and the U.S. government’s emphasis on
individual freedoms.
-​ His policies centralized power and suppressed dissent,
ultimately leading to his downfall and execution in 1794

The Age of Napoleon (pg. 582)

Focus Question: Which aspects of the French Revolution did Napoleon preserve, and which did he destroy?

Napoleon both preserved and destroyed aspects of the French Revolution

-​ He upholds the principles of legal equality, merit-based careers, and centralized administration
through the Napoleonic Code
-​ However, he also restricted political freedoms, censored the press, and limited women’s
rights. His military conquests expanded French influence, but his ambition led to costly
wars that drained resources and fueled opposition

-​ Napoleon’s use of psychological warfare and nationalistic rhetoric strengthened French identity
and encouraged loyalty, but his policies ultimately created resentment in occupied territories.

Napoleon and Psychological How did Napoleon’s rhetoric and military success increase French identity
Warfare Excerpt, pg. 584 and French patriotism?

Map 19.3, Napoleon’s Grand On the continent, what is the overall relationship between distance from
Empire in 1810, pg. 587 France and degree of French control, and how can you account for this?

Critical Thinking Activity: Making an Argument

Fill in the following table with events during Napoleon’s rule that would provide evidence that he was
either an “Enlightened Ruler” or a “Tyrant”. Be sure to explain your evidence
Enlightened Ruler Tyrant
-​ He advanced reforms that modernized
France, such as improving education, -​ he ruled as an autocrat, suppressing dissent,
infrastructure, and governance. engaging in relentless warfare, and declaring
himself Emperor
​
​
​
​

B.​ Write a complex thesis that addresses the content above. A complex thesis takes a stand but
allows for exceptions. See samples of regular thesis v. complex thesis below regarding causes of
French Revolution (not the same topic as your assignment).
REGULAR ACCEPTABLE THESIS: The French Revolution was mostly caused
by economic factors including the national debt and the bread shortage of
1788-1789.

COMPLEX THESIS: Although, economic factors including the national debt

and the bread shortage of 1788-1789 were a cause of the French Revolution,
the goals of the rising bourgeoisie and the influence of enlightenment thought
were the most significant motivators of the Revolution.

Your Response: