The French Revolution and Napoleon

Chapter 6World History A

Section 1
  1. Know what “bourgeoisie” is and which groups of people made up the bourgeoisie.
/ The French Middle Class. Bourgeoisie was made up of doctors, lawyers, businessmen, bankers, merchants, journalists, professors, but they were still part of the Third Estate
  1. Know what “ancient regime” was.
/ The name given to the old order of French society—divided society into social classes (1st Estate-Clergy) (2nd Estate-Nobles) (3rd Estate)
  1. Know what many people believe the Bastille symbolized.
/ The Bastille was a symbol of tyranny of the French Government—represented the start of the French Revolution (France’s Independence Day)
  1. Know which groups of people and the percentage of the population that made up the three estates of French society.
/ First Estate – Clergy 1%
Second Estate – Nobles 2-4%
Third Estate – Bourgeoisie, peasants and urban workers 95-97%
  1. Be able to cite several causes of the economic crisis in France.
/
  • Lavish spending to build the court
  • The Seven Year’s War
  • The American Revolution
  • Enormous amounts of interest being paid on borrowed money

  1. Be able to describe what effect the national debt had on France.
/
  • Continued struggles for French people (especially Third Estate)
  • The Third Estate demanded financial reforms
  • First and Second Estates demanded the calling of the Estates General
  • It worsened the economic crisis

  1. Know why Louis XVI was forced to dismiss Jacques Necker.
/ Necker had great economic ideas to help France but was still dismissed because he recommended that the First and Second Estates be taxed—clergy and nobles forced Louis XVI to dismiss him
  1. Be able to describe the circumstances that led to the writing of the Tennis Court Oath.
/ Deadlock over the issue of voting in the Estates General—the 3rd Estate wanted votes “by head” not by class, when they wouldn’t give in they were locked out and formed the National Assembly and wrote the Tennis Court Oath
  1. Know which group of delegates broke away from the Estates-General and what they declared themselves to be.
/ When they were denied the ability to vote “by head”, the 3rd Estate declared themselves the National Assembly, were locked out and forced to meet elsewhere…the tennis court, where they took the oath
  1. Know which group within the Third Estate was the poorest.
/ Rural Peasants
Section 2
  1. Know who Olympe de Gouges was and what ultimately happened to her.
/ A journalist that wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen. She would later be executed for demanding equal rights for French women (and doing so publicly)
  1. Know who Marie Antoinette was and several reasons why the French people hated her so badly.
/ Austrian born Queen of France (sister of Joseph II). Married to Louis XVI. Spent millions on an extravagant lifestyle while others in France were starving. Would later be beheaded
  1. Know who the sans-culottes were.
/ Working class men and women who demanded radical actions to right the wrongs in France
  1. Know who the Emigres were.
/ People, mostly nobles and clergy, who had fled France to escape the revolutionary forces (safety fears and fear of losing status/money)
  1. Know who the Jacobins were.
/ Members of a revolutionary political club that led the radicals in the Legislative Assembly—Maximilien Robespierre was a prominent member
  1. Know what was used as a model when the Declaration of the Rights of Man was written.
/ The Declaration of Independence
  1. Know who resisted the ideas of the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
/
  • King Louis XVI
  • Women
  • many nobles

  1. Be able to describe how the National Assembly hoped to pay off the national debt.
/
  • to sell lands owned by the Church
  • increase taxes on those who were previously untaxed

  1. Know how European monarchs and nobles felt about the French Revolution.
/ They opposed it, fearing that the revolutionary ideas would spread to other parts of Europe and to their possible demise as a monarch or noble
  1. Know what the women who marched on Versailles demanded from the king.
/ Women marched on Versailles demanding to speak with the King about more rights and food—they also required the King and Queen to return to Paris
  1. Know what the Declaration of Pilnitz was and what other members of European royalty were prepared to do.
/ A document from the emperor of Austria (Marie Antoinette’s brother), threatening to intervene on behalf of the French monarchy
Section 3
  1. Know who Robespierre was.
/ The main leader of the National Assembly and a member of the Jacobins
  1. Know what the guillotine was and during what period it was used.
/ A tool used to behead people that was used during the Reign of Terror
  1. Know why the revolutionaries wanted to abolish the monarchy
/ They wanted abolish the monarchy so that they could set up a French Republic
  1. Know what the Convention created to deal with the threats to France.
/ The Committee of Public Safety—12 member committee, led by Robespierre, given almost absolute power in order to “save the revolution”
  1. Know which group was the dominant political power during the directory phase of the Reign of Terror.
/ The Bourgeoisie
  1. Know which group of people received voting rights when the radicals took control of the Legislative Assembly in 1792.
/ All male citizens
  1. Be able to describe what Robespierre believed needed to take place if France was to achieve a “republic of virtue”.
/ Robespierre believed that in order for a “republic of virtue” to be achieved in France, the use of terror was necessary—justice (“Liberty cannot be secured unless criminals lose their heads”)
  1. Know under whose authority trials and executions were carried out during the Reign of Terror.
/ Executions were carried out under the authority of the Committee of Public Safety (led by Robespierre)
Section 4
  1. Know who Napoleon was and what accomplishments are credited to him.
/
  • Napoleon rose to power in the French military; he parlayed his military successes into political power
  • The Napoleonic Code; a national constitution; property rights for more citizens; access to education

  1. Know what guerrilla warfare was and how it was used.
/ A war tactic involving the use of the element of surprise in hit and run raids
  1. Know what “abdicate” means.
/ When a leader chooses to step down from power, usually involving the leader fleeing for reasons of personal safety
  1. Be able to cite several things that helped Napoleon rise to power.
/ He quickly rose to high rank in the French Army, winning spectacular battles against Austria and capturing most of Italy. He later went on to overthrew the Directory and set up the consulate
  1. Know what the Napoleonic Code was and what it was designed to reform.
/ Designed to reform France’s legal system, the Napoleonic Code included the Enlightenment principles of equality for all citizens before the law, religious toleration and the abolition of feudalism
  1. Know which country Napoleon was unable to conquer.
/ Napoleon was unable to conquer:
  • Great Britain—although he had a greater army, he had a weaker navy that was defeated by the British at the Battle of Trafalgar
  • Russia—once allies, Russia used “scorched-earthy policy” and then counter attack to defeat France

  1. Know what the Continental System was and for what reason it was developed.
/ The Continental System wasclosing European ports to British goods (a blockade of sorts) and it was developed as a means to destroy Great Britain’s economic success
  1. Know what “scorched-earth policy” was and how it affected the war between France and Russia.
/ Scorched earth policies involve the destruction of crops and villages(and anything of use by enemy troops) as Russian troops retreat from an area
  1. Know what the Congress of Vienna was and what goals they attempted to achieve.
/ The Congress of Vienna wanted to restore “legitimacy” to the European monarchs by restoring the hereditary monarchs to power and to create a “balance of power” so that no European country could be strong enough to overthrow another European country
  1. Know what governing board Napoleon set up after he overthrew the directory.
/ Napoleon set up the Consulate
  1. Be able to cite several accomplishments made under the Napoleonic Code.
/ included the Enlightenment principles of equality for all citizens before the law, religious toleration and the abolition of feudalism
  1. Know what was event the beginning of Napoleon’s downfall.
/ The beginning of Napoleon’s downfall was his failed attempt to invade Russia (leaving his army crippled—from 600,000 to 100,000 troops—and vulnerable to attack by his enemies
  1. Know where Napoleon’s final defeat took place.
/ The final defeat took place in Belgium during the Battle of Waterloo
  1. Describe what nationalism is and how it was helpful to Napoleon and how it worked against him.
/ Pride in you country
Helped-French people had pride in Napoleon and supported his wars for expansion
Hurt-other nationalities in Europe revolted against Napoleon’s French Empire controlling them.