Name:
Date:
The French Revolution
Film Guide
At the height of the 18th century, the most glorious kingdom in Europe would face a mighty foe--the power of its own people. One man
would rise to inspire the nation to cast aside a hated King and Queen, and a new republic would be born in blood--the blood of the
French Revolution.
1. The magnificent palace of Versailles, which was the seat of the French monarchy, was located _____ miles west of
Paris.
2. List three words that describe Louis: _________________________, _________________________, and
_________________________.
3. Who did Louis marry in the spring of 1770? _________________________
4. On their wedding night, Marie realized that Louis was not interested in _________________________.
5. Years of mismanagement by the French monarchy had left the French people _________________________ and
_________________________.
6. _____ years after the wedding of Louis and Marie, Louis XV (15th) died and Louis and Marie become the king and
queen of France.
7. Did Louis XVI (the 16th) feel ready to be king? _____
8. In elite salons throughout Paris, people would discuss ideas such as liberty, control of one’s own destiny, and
_________________________.
9. Louis’ decision to send money and troops to fight in the American war for independence plunged France into
_________________________.
10. Marie’s wild hairdos, dresses, jewels, and shoes earned her the nickname Madame _________________________.
11. Louis and Marie were a laughingstock in France because for years they could not produce
_________________________.
12. In France, the rising cost of flour led to a shortage of _________________________, the heart of the French diet.
13. While the people of France were going hungry, what was life like at Versailles?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
14. Who paid the highest taxes in France under Louis XVI? _________________________
Name:
Date:
15. What problems arose in France as a result of the rising cost of bread?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
16. To solve the financial crisis, Louis called a meeting of the _________________________. This was the first time they
were called together in 175 years! By calling them together, Louis was admitting that he alone could not solve
France’s financial difficulties.
17. What problem did the Third Estate have with the Estates-General?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Representation in the Estates-General (1789)
Classes
Representatives in
Votes in Estates-General
Percent of population
300
1
3%
300
1
600
1
Estates-General
First Estate
(clergy)
Second Estate
(nobility)
Third Estate
97%
(everyone else)
18. On June 20, 1789, the Estates-General took two revolutionary actions: First, they declared themselves a new
_________________________. Second, in the Tennis Court Oath, they promised not to disband until they had written
a _________________________ for France. These actions were supported by Paris mobs, who demonstrated
against the king.
19. By early July, Louis gathered _________________________ to overthrow the new National Assembly.
20. To defend themselves, the people formed a new _________________________. Rioters raided armories and took
weapons. To acquire gunpowder, the people stormed the _________________________, a symbol of the Old
Regime.
21. What happened to the governor of the Bastille? _________________________
22. How did the deputies in the National Assembly respond to this violence? ___________________________
Name:
Date:
23. What are the main ideas of the Declaration of the Rights of Man, drafted by the National Assembly?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
24. On October 5, 1789, a group of primarily _________________________ marched to Versailles to protest the
shortage of bread.
25. When the people outside Versailles demanded that the King move to Paris to be closer to his subjects, the King did
not immediately respond. What did the people do as a result?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
26. Did the King eventually move to Paris? _____
27. By the middle of 1791, the National Assembly had written a constitution providing for a limited monarchy, meaning
that the King would have to share power with the National Assembly. On June 21, 1791, the King and Queen
disguised themselves as _________________________ and escaped from Paris. Were they caught and returned to
Paris? _____
28. Describe Robespierre.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
29. The _________________________ was a new killing machine used by the revolutionaries to punish anyone
suspected of plotting to return Louis to the throne.
30. Fearing that members of the extended royal family that escaped to Austria would launch a counter-revolution, the
National Assembly _________________________________________________________.
31. As Austrian and Prussian armies moved toward Paris, French anti-royalist mobs rioted. They accused the king of
being in communication with the enemy. The French legislature then deposed the King and called for election of a
National Convention. It was to govern France and draw up a new, more democratic constitution. Many groups in
France supported the limited monarchy and wanted an end to all the excitement and change. This proved impossible,
however, since too many groups were dissatisfied with the revolution and opposed the limited monarchy. Two such
groups were the radical _________________________, led by Robespierre, and the moderate Girondists.
32. Robespierre soon decided that there was no room for Louis. The National Convention put him on
_________________________ for treason.
Name:
Date:
33. On January 20, 1793, the king was declared _________________________ and _________________________.
34. In his newspaper, _________________________ called for the heads of the enemies of the revolution. On July 13,
1793, Charlotte Corday _________________________ because
____________________________________________________________________________________________.
35. How was Marie punished? _________________________
36. The period of violent repression in France was known as the _________________________.
37. What happened during the Reign of Terror?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
38. When Danton saw the revolution heading down the wrong path and wanted to bring it to a halt, how did Robespierre
respond?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
39. The Great Terror was the last stage of the Reign of Terror. Up to _____ people a month were killed.
40. On June 6, 1794, Robespierre declared a new religious holiday called
__________________________________________________.
41. How did people respond to Robespierre’s new holiday?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
42. What happened on July 27, 1794?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________