French revolution Movie Guide

The video notes begin about 15 minutes into the movie. Be patient. (17)
1. Who is Maximilli Robespierre? What era in history inspired him?

A French Revolutionary and the man that condemns King Louis XVI to death by guillotine. He was
influenced by the enlightenment era.

2. What did Robespierre demand at the Estates-General meeting?

A fair voice and equality of the people in the Third Estate.

3. What did the 3rd Estate do when they were locked out of the Estates General meet4. What was the National
Assembly?

They moved to the next-door tennis court and demanded that they stay until they have a new Constitution.
National Assembly was the deputies of the Third Estate.

4. Why did the people raid the Bastille on July 14, 1789? What did this raid symbolize?
Paris citizens needed gunpowder for weapons and raided a prison. Raid represents the people siding with
the revolution over King Louis XVI’s power.

5. What do the colors of the French flag signify?

Red and blue represent Paris and white represents the House of Bourbon.

6. What did the Declarations of Rights of Man ask for? What does it say about the king?
That class or estate distinctions are to be abolished and every man is truly equal. The document states that
“sovereignty belongs to the people” and the king does not have power over the people. In addition, the issuing of the
Declaration of Rights of Man represents the National Assembly is striving power in itself rather than the monarch.

7. What did the National Assembly demand?

A constitutional monarchy, equal rights for all men, justice under reasonable laws, and increased
freedom for the press.

8. What was Jean-Paul Marat's role in revolutionary France?

Newspaper writer that gave French citizens patriotism and was the voice of the people. He was considered
as “fiery” for his want of blood and heads in his writings of the Revolution. Marat influenced the people and got
them to take action in the revolution.

9. What did the women that marched on Versailles demand?

Demanded lower priced bread and food for their families.

10. What did the women eventually do?

 Break into Versallies to kill or hurt the queen. They tore the queen’s bed and kill the royal guards. The
royal family leaves Versallies and goes to Paris.

12.Who were the Jacobins?

Members of the debating society, Jacobin Club, named after the Jacobin monastery which was their
previous gathering place.

13. What was Robespierrie's nickname?

“The Incorruptible”

14. What did Louis XVI do in 1791 ? What did it lead to?

He and his family tried to escape Paris, France, and flee to Austria. However, they are caught, arrested, and
brought back to Paris. Lead to the people depicting him as a traitor for fleeing his country. Leads to a broken bond
between him and the people.

15. .What were Robespierre's thoughts on the death penalty?

He was against the death penalty because of enlightenment ideals.

16. Why did people support the use of the guillotine?

The guillotine gives death and punishment to anyone equally, which is what the people of France strived
for. In addition, death was quick, painless, and against medieval death penalties.

17. . Why did the revolutionaries declare war on Austria?

They believed Austria’s extended royals will send forces to France for the treatment and loss of power of
the Marie Antionette and French royals and start a counter-revolution.

18. How did Loius XVI and Marie manipulate their situation?

By going along or siding with the Revolution and conspiring against it at the same time.

19. Who were the San-Culottes and why don't they wear knee britches?

The “true” people of France, composed of well-off artisans, shopkeepers, people who were good with their
hands. Not weaning knee breaches represented that they are not aristocrats, but ordinary men.

20. Who is Danton?

Minister of Justice and Revolutionary that inspired the people to join the war. Considered as “gregarious
and loud” which was the opposite of Robespierre.
21. What does Marat urge the French to do in September of 1791 ?

He urges revolutionary citizens to invade the prison and slaughter all prisoners.

22. What is the ultimate fate of Louis and Marie?

Louis and Marie are both executed.

23. Why was Marie jailed? What happened to her children?

Revolutionaries wanted royal blood, after the execution of Louis and Marat. Therefore, Marie is jailed and
her children are separated from her. Her children would be abused for their royal blood, and one of them dies from
the abuse and neglect years later.

24. What were the charges was she accused of?

High treason, depleting the National Treasury, and accusation of incest with her son.

25. Why was Marie "doomed from the start?”

Because she was a living symbol of France and Austria’s alliance that fell through and became disastrous to
France and the revolution.

26. What did Danton mean when he said "revolution cannot be made with rose water.”

He meant that the Revolution is meant to have blood, suffering, death, and could not occur easily or
pleasantly.

27. What was the condition of France in September 1793?

France faces major losses in the war and violence irrupts in providences. Overall, France was in a bad
position.

28. What were the characteristics of the ​Reign of Terror?

Strict, bloody, violent, dark, and paranoid times.

29. What was the goal of the "Terror?"

Terror happened to frighten opposers of the revolution or enemies of the republic.

30. For what reasons were people killed during the Reign of Terror?

You could get arrested and killed for almost anything, using wrong terms, not being enthusiastic enough
about the revolution, complaining about bread prices, etc.

31. What was the Committee of Public Safety? (COPS)

A 12-man committee or council that delegated the power and ruled France, practically a 12-man collective
dictatorship.

32. What were two views of Robespierre’s that changed from the beginning of the Revolution to the Terror

Robespierre was against suffering and death penalties at the beginning of the Terror but later on, supports
terror, violence, and death for his new religion and form of government.

33. Why does the new government go after the church? Who replaces the saints? What was his fate?

The new government believes the church is an enemy of the revolution because of religion itself.
Therefore, if the new government got rid of the church, it would destroy the church’s power over the people. Marat
replaces the saints.

34. Explain what idea replaced the catholic church as a religion .

Robespierre’s idea of more terror creating a republic of virtue. He states that every citizen needs to be
actively involved with the work of the state, uses this to pick out enemies of the republic.

35. What was the ​Great Terror o​ f 1794?

Last phase of the terror, the bloodiest period of the terror. Spring of 1794-Summer of 1974, a time period
when execution numbers significantly rose (800 per month) and France was in an atmosphere of paranoia.
36. What mistakes does Robespierre make that eventually leads to his death?

Starting the festival of the Supreme Being and making himself look like the “god” of his “republic”. In
addition, he gives a speech making a list of enemies of the republic but doesn’t share it, and eventually leads to his
arrest.

37. MOST IMPORTANT: WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION!!!!!!

Revolution tore feudal rule in Europe, changed courses of civilization, and is an inspiration for revolution in other
countries. French democracy inspired other countries to create their own models of democracy after being faced
with tyranny.

38. What occurred to the fundamental beliefs -​Egalite! Liberte! Fraternite!​ -of the French Revolution in the course
of events following the July 14, 1789 fall of the Bastille to the end of the Terror of 1794?

I believe they continued on after the end of the Terror of 1794 because the revolution was still ongoing
afterward. The fundamental beliefs were expressed in the Declaration of Rights of Man, New Republic,
and Revolution Accomplishments which all outlived the revolutionaries and still impact the world and
society today.