FRENCH REVOLUTION STUDY GUIDE

Explain the following:

Absolute Monarch
The Tennis Court Oath

First Estate
Storming the Bastille

Second Estate
The Declaration of Rights of Man and
Citizen
Third Estate

The Women’s March on Versailles

The Bourgeoisie

King Louis trying to escape France

The Palace of Versailles

Girondists, Jacobins, and Sans-Culottes

King Louis XIV (14) Influence

The Revolutionary Wars

The Age of Enlightenment

The Trial and Execution of Citizen Louis

The Philosophes / Rational Thought Capet

France under King Louis XVI (16) The Reign of Terror

The Estates General Revolutionary Tribunal

The 3rd Estate walking out of the Estates Committee on Public Safety
General

The National Assembly The role of Robespierre

 Outdated Political and Social Structure based on Estates, with
educated, wealthy people called the Bourgeoisie and Philosophes
questioning the system.

France was in a lot of debt due to ongoing wars and the Nobility’s
improper spending on a new castle and lots of parties. 1st and 2nd estate
were tax free, making the 3rd Estate responsible for paying all taxes, but
they were very poor

King Louis called the Estates-General to fix the problems. After weeks
of political deadlock, the 3rd Estate got angry and left. They created
their own National Assembly, made the Tennis Court Oath, and
created the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen.

Revolutionaries Storm the Bastille in an attempt to free political

prisoners. Hugely symbolic because it was considered the symbol of
the Kings power and is considered the start of the revolution.

Around this time, the radical Jacobins really take control of the
situation and are using the sans-culottes for support.
 France begins to fear other Monarchs in Europe thinking that they
would invade to stop the revolution, so France declares war on many
nations in Europe.

After trying to flee France, King Louis and his wife are convicted of
treason, King Louis and Marie Antoinette are sentenced to die by
guillotine.

At this point, the Revolution is very violent with lots of fighting.

Robespierre, Daton, and Marat, influential Jacobin Leaders of the
Revolution, create the Committee on Public Safety which imposes
strict rules and begins arresting and killing anyone who is deemed “an
enemy of the revolution.” This is known as the Reign of Terror.

Danton and Marat are killed, and people begin to grow angry with the
Committee of Public Safety due to the many, many people being killed.
People rise up, and Robespierre is killed by guillotine.

A new elected body called the Directory returns the power to the
original constitution of The Declaration of Rights of Man and the
Citizen. France is a mess with lots of fighting and threat of civil war.