NAME________________________________________________________________________
“The French Revolution”
History Channel Film Questions/ Notes
1. What city was the seat of the French monarchy?
2. How old was King Louis the XVI when he married?
3. Who was King Louis bride’s name? How old? From what country?
4. List 2 causes of the poverty in France in the 1780s.
5. What is the Age of Enlightenment?
6. Who is Maxamillian Robespierre?
7. List some of the hardships the peasants faced in 1788 and 1789. .
8. Who is the third estate and why does it have such little say in parliament?
9. What is the “tennis court oath?”
10. What causes the storming of the Bastille?
11. What dangerous precedents are set by the storming of the Bastille?
12. What is the significance of the tri-color French flag?
13. What is the Declaration of the Rights of Man?
14. What is the impact of the newspaper written by Jean-Paul Marat, “the Friend of the People.”
15. How do women play a role in the revolution?
16. How do the King and Queen end up in Paris?
17. What nickname does Robespierre acquire? What role does he play in the revolution?
18. What does Louis do that breaks the final bond between himself and his subjects?
19. Why is Robespierre originally against the death penalty?
20. What was the purpose of the guillotine? Why did the revolutionaries like it as a form of execution?
21. Who are the “sans-culotte”?
22. What do the sans-culotte do at the prisons where aristocrats and clergy are held?
23. What decision is made regarding the fate of Louis the XVI? What crime is he convicted of?
24. What drowns out Louis’ final speech?
25. Who is the most radical, influential voice of the revolution up to this point? Provide examples.
26. Who is Charlotte Corday?
27. What was the impact of Marat’s death?
28. What accusations are brought against Marie Antoinette at her trial?
29. What is her fate?
30. What is the Reign of Terror? Who is the unofficial leader of it?
31. What are some of the “crimes” a person could be found guilty of and executed for under the Reign of Terror?
32. What is the Committee of Public Safety and who was the leader of this organization?
33. In what ways does Robespierre change his political opinions?
34. Why was religion (Christianity) the enemy of the revolution?
35. What was the approximate numbers of executions per month in Paris during the Reign of Terror?
36. What is the motto of the new Republic?
37. Why is Robespierre arrested and executed?
REACT:
The French Revolution forces us to ask the question of how much violence is justified in achieving a “better”
society? Do people have the right to take matters into their own hands, and replace an unjust system with one
they believe to be more just? What are the consequences of this? Discuss this question with classmates and write
your response below.