Download French Revolution Notes - Mrs. Blair`s World History Class

The French Revolution
France was considered the most __________ country in Europe in the late 1700s. They
were successful in foreign trade, were at the center of the _________________, and
had a large population. But, there were A LOT of ___________ too!
France was a kingdom, but operated under a system called the “Old __________,”
divided into three __________ or social classes.
• 1st estate=_________ Officials
• 2nd estate=__________
• 3rd estate=___________and middle class
The 1st and 2nd estates owned much of the _______ and had most of the ________ of
France, but paid very little in _______. They had privileges, all the power and money
and the ____ estate paid the price. Make-Up of the 3rd estate: A. The ______________
(middle-class). These were ______________ (bankers, factory owners, merchants, etc.).
Some of the bourgeoisie were very __________, but they paid high _______ and did not
have many privileges. B. The ________ and ________ of France. C. _________. ___
______in the 3rd estate had _______________. They wanted more POWER!!!
CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION:
1. The ________________ Ideas, and watching the successful U.S. Revolution, gave the
people of France’s 3rd estate ________________ and courage to stand up for
themselves. They demanded more __________ ________ and equality for all citizens.
2. Economic Problems
A. -_________ were very high on the 3rd estate (97% of the population).
B. -________-____-__________ was high. C. There was _____________.
D. Bad weather destroyed crops and there was a __________ of ______. Bread prices
doubled.
E. -_______________ was highly in _______, partly because the King and Queen spent
too much money!
3. Weak Leadership– ______________________ was very _________ and did not have patience
to ___________ or listen to advisors. He made ________ decisions.
– ______________________ (the queen) was unpopular and spent lots of
money on __________ and __________.
King Louis XVI’s solution was to make the 2nd estate pay higher taxes. They called
for a meeting of the ______________-____________ (where representatives from
all three estates meet-but _________ estate only gets _______ vote).
4. National AssemblyThe 3rd estate (people influenced by ideas of the __________________) demanded that
each ___________gets a vote-not each estate. Because the 3rd estate had as many
delegates as the 1st and 2nd put together, this would be more fair. The 3rd estate called
themselves the __________ __________ and tried to pass fair laws for the people of
France. The National Assembly planned to draw up a new ______________ for France.
They called this promise the ___________ __________ __________.
5. Storming the BastilleSince this was all seen as the start of the ______________no one knew how the
government would respond. _________ and gossip started, saying the government was
going to start killing citizens. So citizens started gathering ___________.
On ___________ ______ (which is now France’s 4th of July-like holiday) citizens
__________ a prison (looking for gunpowder and weapons), killed guards and then
placed the guard’s heads on ________ and _________ them around town!
AND IT BEGINS…
Rebellion spread from _________ to the _____________. ________ and ______ began
when peasants heard nobles were hiring outlaws to terrorize them. This is known as the
___________ _______. Peasants themselves started to become _________,
breaking into manors and sometimes burning them down.
The old regime was dead and France started drafting their __________ of the
Declaration of Independence (still no rights for __________).
Church reforms came first. First step was to make the church priests _________ and
paid as _______ ___________. All land and money they owned was sold and went to
the country’s _______. (Many peasants objected based on the idea of ____________ of
church and state.)
A ___________ monarchy was created, which gave the king little power. He was only
able to __________ laws (not __________them -that was the legislative assembly’s job).
IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF THE REVOLUTION: Before the revolution, people in France
were divided based on their social classes. Because of the French Revolution, the
middle class (bourgeoisie) gain more POWER.
Other countries in ________ watched in fear, afraid that their citizens would do the
same to them! Some sent troops to _________and defend the royal family-France
declared ______ on those countries. The people of France __________ and
_____________ the royal family.
In 1792, France ____________ their Constitution and became a _________. THE
NATIONAL CONVENTION was the governing body. A _________ group, called the
___________, saw Louis XVI as a spy. Since there were no longer kings, they voted and
sentence him to be beheaded by a ______________.
One Jacobin in particular, Maximilien _______________, rose to power (became a
__________). He tried to totally wipe out every trace of France’s history. Robespierre’s
one year as ruler became known as the ________ of _________. This was a period in
France where ANYONE suspected of being a threat or _________ of the new
government would be ___________. Anyone who challenged Robespierre would be
sent to the _____________. Eventually, Robespierre was ________and France declared
itself a ___________. However, they put a military genius in charge of the __________.
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
In 1789 France hit the drawing board again to create a new plan for the _____________,
this one less radical They found a new general to lead their army named ____________,
who is one of world’s greatest military geniuses. Napoleon Bonaparte was a war ____.
He won many battles for France and the people LOVED him. The people of France urged
him to take power-hoping he would bring ___________. Eventually, Napoleon is
_________ ____________ of France and builds a huge empire.
Napoleon: set up _________ and fair taxes, got rid of government corruption, set up
public _________, a civil service system (officials hired by _________-not
family/friends), and created the ___________ ________(set of laws limited injustices,
but not a lot of individual power).
Napoleon was power-hungry and wanted to __________ all of __________ (and the
U.S.), and he did get most of Europe, but eventually Napoleon and his armies were
_________. Due to his love of power he was distracted and made three big mistakes:
1) Set up a ___________ to stop Great Britain (England-France’s __________) from
trading with anyone in Europe. He hoped it would cripple England’s economy, but they
were able to __________their stuff in. England set up their own blockade and hurt
France’s ___________ instead 
2) He invades _________ and makes his brother king of Spain. The Spanish ________
this and join with Great Britain in war (Peninsular war) weakening the French army.
______________________!!!!!!!!!
3) Biggest mistake = invading Russia (an ______) because they __________ to stop trade
with G. B. Russia fought hard and _________ forces with Britain, Spain, Prussia, and
Sweden) against France. France was ____________ and many soldiers were killed.
With a new inexperienced army, Napoleon was quickly defeated and exiled to ______, a
tiny __________ near Italy.
Louis the XVI’s brother takes power as King Louis XVII and is unpopular. Napoleon took
advantage of this and ____________ to regain the _________. In the battle of
_____________, Brittan and Prussia attacked again to get rid of Napoleon and defeated
the French Army in 3 days!!
Again shipped off to another island he _________ 6 years later of a _____________
issue, which was probably cancer.