1. French Revolution Study Notes
Past Test Questions

2. Why did Louis XVI fail to satisfy the demands of the revolutionaries in France during the period ?
1st- Examine what the Demands of the Revolutionaries were & How Louis failed to address/meet the demands!
Equal Taxation-Why not
Equal Representation-Estates General
Just Laws
Elimination of Feudal Dues-why
Bread-Fair prize

3. Ideas
Believed Absolute Monarchy-Ancient Regime ideals/Conservative-Divine Right to Rule
Personality-Weak-Clued-out/politically in adapt/position inherited not earned…
Failed to listen to Finance Minister-fired
Influenced by Ist and 2nd Estate-Parliament
Influenced by European Monarchies-Attempted flight to Austria

4. To what extend had the demands of the Rev. being satisfied by 1794
What were the demands? How were they meet Were they are were they not?

5. How was Louis Weakness Responsible for outbreak of the Rev.
What were his weakness?
Failure to meet the demands of the Third Estate
Weakness to gain outside support
Weakness to fix the economy-war

6. Why did the French Revolution become increasingly radical during the years 1789-1794?
Louis fails to meet the demands of the 3rd Estate- Calls for military intervention-Leads to Storming the Bastille and March on Versailles
Louis signs-1791-Civil Constitution Clergy -opposed by many (Catholic priests, radical Jacobins, nobles)
Louis XVI attempts to flee
Austria and Prussia threaten military intervention
Robespierre Committee of Public safety/Robespierre/The Terror/Execution of Louis

7. Which of the grievances of the Third Estate in France in 1789 were the most important? Explain your answer.
Third Estate Grievances: 1789
Unfair Taxation, Feudal obligations to nobility, voting by order in Estates General, voting rights, urban poor couldn’t afford consumer prices, opposition to conservative order of the ancient regime

8. How far, and why, did the aims of the revolutionaries in France change during the period from ?
1789 vs aims of revolutionaries
1789-Constitutional monarchy; voting rights; equal taxation; end of serfdom/feudalism
1793-Democratic republic; overthrow of nobility; death to anti-revolutionaries; war with Austria/Prussia
Why? –Military intervention by Louis XVI and by Austria/Prussia; radicalism (Jacobins), great fear, the terror; disagreements between revolutionary factions/divided 3rd Estate; abdication of responsibility by Louis XVI

9. Military intervention by Louis XVI and by Austria/Prussia-Great Fear
How far, and why, did the aims of the revolutionaries in France change during the period from ?
Initial AIMS NOT MEET-Voting-b/c Tax-Tennis Court Oath-Constitutional Monarchy
Military intervention by Louis XVI and by Austria/Prussia-Great Fear
Louis Fleeing-Trial for Treason
Robespieere-Radiacal -Disagreements between revolutionary Louis XVI

10. From , who posed the more dangerous threats to the French Revolution: its internal or its external enemies?
Internal vs. external enemies?
Internal: King (and his military), Church, nobility, upper class 3rd Estate
External: European monarchs, Austrian relatives, Prussia (and their armies)

11. Who-Why-Support with Evidence Acknowledge the other side
From , who posed the more dangerous threats to the French Revolution: its internal or its external enemies
Who-Why-Support with Evidence
Acknowledge the other side

12. Why did Louis XVI’s policies from 1789 fail to prevent his execution in 1793?
Acted To late-Divided loyalty between 3 estates
Indecisiveness as a political leader/qualifications inherited, not earned
Fired-Necker
Question his loyalty-D ue to Marie Antoinette/Austrian family
Seen as Traitor-Flee
Seen as siding with OTHER Monarchies Europe-External threats by Austria and Prussia
Declaration of Rights of Man accepted by force
Against the church-people strong ties to church

14. How far did Napoleon Bonaparte achieve his aims in domestic policy?
Napoleon’s aims;
Stabilize economy (bank of France;coins)
Equal laws (Napoleonic Code)
Educated, talented bureaucracy(lycee’s)
Restore relations with the Church (Concordat with the Catholic church)
Nationalism(conscription for defense)
Grow/protect economy(Continental System)

15. Explain why Napoleon Bonaparte was able to establish a strong autocratic government in France.
10 years of chaos
External threats [Prussian and Austrian]
War hero status
Military backing
Promises to uphold the revolution
Spy system/Censorship/Education
Code of Napoleon
Bureaucracy of delegated patriots
Senators given estates/money for loyalty

16. How far did Napoleon Bonaparte maintain the ideals of the French Revolution during the period ?
Revolutionary Ideals (equality, liberty, fraternity)
The Napoleonic Code (equal laws, abolish serfdom, religious freedom, property rights, careers open to talent)
Unequal for women (property belongs to husband, treated as minors in lawsuits)
Powerful, centralized bureaucracy
Benevolent despotism- Napoleon decides what is good for France
European wars for conquest

17. How far did Napoleon Bonaparte achieve his aims in domestic policy?
Napoleon’s aims;
Stabilize economy (bank of France;coins)
Equal laws (Napoleonic Code)
Educated, talented bureaucracy(lycee’s)
Restore relations with the Church (Concordat with the Catholic church)
Nationalism(conscription for defense)
Grow/protect economy(Continental System)

18. How far was Napoleon Bonaparte an oppressive ruler in his domestic policies from 1799-1815?
Oppressive domestic policies?
Concordat with the Catholic church forced clergy to be civil servants
Appointed prefects spied on people, collected taxes, spread propaganda
Legal codes asserted male rights over women
Workers needed a permit to get a job
Newspapers were censored
Artists were paid to glorify Napoleon