French Society
Before the French Revolution, France's population was divided into how many estates?
3
The most serious economic problem facing the French government in the 1770s and 1780s was:
Huge debt owed to bankers
Which historical documents served as inspiration for the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen?
The English Bill of Rights and the American Declaration of Independence
The theory proposed by Nicholas Copernicus, stating that the planets revolved around the sun, is known as:
Heliocentric Theory
Which countries did Napoleon defeat which led to France seeing him as a hero?
The Papal States, Austria, and Sardinia
The First Estate consisted of the:
Clergy
King Louis XVI was considered a weak ruler because he:
Was unprepared for the job and lacked motivation
What was the primary political difference between the Girondins and The Mountain (Jacobins) in the National Convention?
The Girondins represented areas outside Paris and feared radical mobs, while The Mountain represented Parisian radicals who demanded the king's execution.
Which Enlightenment philosopher believed people were born with the natural rights of Life, Liberty, and Property and that the government's purpose was to protect these rights?
John Locke, and people have the right to overthrow
What was the significance of the Napoleonic Code?
It preserved the principles of the revolution
Approximately what percentage of the land was owned by the First Estate?
10%
The Estates-General was a French parliamentary body consisting of representatives from:
The three estates of French society
During the Reign of Terror, which 12-member body exercised near-dictatorial power over France, and who was its most prominent leader?
The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre
The core belief of Thomas Hobbes was that people were naturally selfish and wicked, and to escape a "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" life, they gave up their rights to a strong ruler in an agreement called the:
The Social Contract
In what ways did Napoleon not uphold revolutionary ideals during his reign?
He crowned himself emperor, reinstated slavery in the colonies, stripped women of rights, and shut down newspapers that spoke out against him
The Third Estate resented the 'relics of feudalism,' which were:
Obligations to local landlords
What charter of basic liberties was adopted by the National Assembly on August 26, 1789?
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
How did the Committee of Public Safety respond to foreign threats gathering on France's borders in 1793–1794?
They issued a mass conscription decree mobilizing all of French society, raising an army of over one million soldiers.
The idea of separating government powers to preserve liberties, as presented in 'The Spirit of the Laws,' is attributed to which philosopher?
Montesquieu
Why did the “old order” of Europe fear the impact of Napoleon after he conquered their territories?
Due to his revolutionary ideals, feared a revolution at home
The Second Estate, consisting of the nobility, made up approximately what percentage of the population?
1-2%
What major political change did the Paris Commune force upon the National Convention regarding voting rights?
Universal male suffrage was established, granting all adult males the right to vote
How did the Directory (1795–1799) ultimately come to an end?
General Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the Directory in a coup d'état and seized power.
While both the American and French Revolutions were inspired by Enlightenment ideas, how did their political outcomes differ?
While both the American and French Revolutions were inspired by Enlightenment ideas, how did their political outcomes differ?
What two ideologies were instrumental in breaking the “old order”?
Liberalism and Nationalism