The French Revolution Era: 1789-1815

A Violent Uprising!

1. In the years that followed the Enlightenment, the ideas expressed during this movement began to take on a whole new meaning. No longer did citizens of a country sit idly by as their government terrorized them. The notions given to them during this period stated that all people should have a say in the government. While these ideas influenced the start of the _________________________, Europe felt the effects of these ideas with the advent of the French Revolution in 1789. The conflict began when disagreement between the three French social classes, called ____________________ grew out of control

American Revolution

Estates

2. When the French king ___________________ began to run out of money from his enormous expenditures, he wanted to create a new _______________ on the nobility. This outraged members of the 2nd Estate, who forced him to call the ___________________________, the French Legislature into session. However, this hadn’t been done in 175 years!

a. The First and Second Estates expected to dominate the session, which they had done for almost the entire existence of the Estates General. However, the group that had the largest representation in the Estates General was the __________________ with 600 members, while the other two had only _________________ members each.

Louis XVI

tax

Estates General

Third Estate

300

b. Nonetheless, each Estate only had ________________ no matter how many representatives they had. That meant that the 3rd Estate would always be outvoted, 2-1. Realizing this, the 3rd Estate called for each ________________________ to have a vote.

c. King Louis sided with the nobility, backing the medieval method of running the Estates General. The 3rd Estate then took a bold step. Claiming they represented the people of France, they formed the _______________________, and invited members of other Estates to meet with them.

one vote

individual

National Assembly

d. The other delegates scoffed at the notion of a National Assembly. They even went as far as locking the 3rd Estate delegates out of their meeting place. Nonetheless, the 3rd Estate pledged to keep meeting. In the famous _________________________, the delegates promised to continue meeting until they wrote a new ________________________ for France.

Tennis Court Oath

Constitution

3. Reaction was mixed across France. Members of the 3rd estate enthusiastically supported their delegates actions. On the other hand, the king threatened to have the leaders of the National Assembly ______________________. As rumors swirled around Paris and Versailles, the 3rd Estate took another bold step: on July 14, 1789, they stormed the _________________________, a medieval prison housing political prisoners (their actual goal was not to free the prisoners; they really wanted ____________________, of which there was none in the prison). This event is seen and celebrated as the day of French Independence from absolute monarchy.

arrested

Bastille

weapons

4. As peasants rose up against their former nobles, chaos ensued. Records were destroyed indicating who paid what taxes. This time in French history is known as “The Great Fear.” In time, Louis XVI was forced to accept the National Assembly as legitimate. The Assembly, after officially being recognized by the monarchy, took a bold step and released the ________________________________________________, which stated the basic rights for all French citizens, including ___________, _________________ and _____________________.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizenlife liberty property

5. One of the early focus’ of the National Assembly was dissolving the Church’s influence in French Government. The National Assembly declared that Church lands and priests were public lands and elected officials. Therefore, they could be _________________. This was used to help pay off France’s enormous debt. Because he was a divine right monarch, it was during this period that Louis XVI and his family attempted to escape France by disguising themselves as commoners. However, a guardsman recognized Louis from the paper money the nation used, and the family was imprisoned.

sold

6. While the National Assembly achieved their goal of removing the monarch from power, they also created incredible _______________________ in France. Disorder was rampant as different groups struggled for power. Foreign powers declared war to aid the __________________. One political group in particular, the ____________________ exerted incredible influence over society, creating a quasi-totalitarian society ruled by _______________________________________ . During this period, he began his “________________________________” where thousands of so-called ______________________________were accused of treason and executed via the guillotine with no trial (this also included the royal family, and in an ironic twist of fate, Robespierre himself).

instability

king Jacobins

Maximillian RobespierreReign of Terror

Political dissidents

7. The Reign of Terror is just one example of the chaos and disorder that occurred throughout France during the 1790s. No stable government emerged during this period, leading to citizens of France becoming disillusioned with the revolution. However, that all changed in 1799, when French general ______________________________became leader.

Napoleon Bonaparte