Social Studies 9 – Crossroads: A Meeting of Nations
Chapter 3: Revolution in France
Section 1: Introduction & The Regions of France (p. 56-58)
A) Write a complete definition for each of the following on a separate piece of paper.
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lavishly
feudal system
illiterate
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privileged
philosophes
absolute monarch
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democracy
social reasons
geographic reasons
B) Answer the following questions using complete sentences on a separate piece of paper:
1) Complete “Testing a Hypothesis Using Maps” on pages 57 and 58.
Section 2: French Society in the Seventeenth Century (p.59-61)
A) Write a complete definition for each of the following on a separate piece of paper.
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tithe
bias
artisan
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inflation
monopoly
tariff
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toll
infrastructure
B) Answer the following questions using complete sentences on a separate piece of paper:
1) Why was life hard for a peasant in the seventeenth century?
Hard work on their land and their lord’s land, not educated, and victims of epidemics and famine.
Aristocrats hunted on their land and often trampled crops when doing so. 1 mark
2) What was city life like in France in the seventeenth century?
Most were poor, food was expensive and continued to rise due to inflation, beggars, vagrants and
thieves were common. 1
3) Who were the Bourgeoisie? What economic restrictions were placed on the Bourgeoisie?
Middle class. Monopolies were held by some, guilds held special privileges, and tolls and tariffs on roads
and canals made trade difficult.
1
Section 3: Louis XIV: The Extravagant Sun King (p. 62-63)
A) Write a complete definition for each of the following on a separate piece of paper.
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to simulate
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Calvinist
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deficit
B) Answer the following questions using complete sentences on a separate piece of paper:
1) Was Louis XIV a good king or a bad king? Support your answer with information from the chapter.
Bad because he spent so much money, got involved in many wars and persecuted Protestant Huguenots,
became involved in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire. 1
Good, his Dance Master invented Ballet.
Section 4: The Reign of Louis XVI (p. 64-67)
A) Write a complete definition for each of the following on a separate piece of paper.
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revolutionary
faculties
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mediocrity
scandal
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portfolio
B) Answer the following questions using complete sentences on a separate piece of paper:
1) Imagine that you are Louis XVI’s personal advisor on the state of the country. In a letter addressed to
Louis outline the problems facing France and provide the king with possible solutions to these problems.
(Minimum 150 words.)
2) Were Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette fit to rule a country? Why or why not?
No, Louis was unprepared to rule the country, he did little to improve conditions for the middle and
lower class. Marie was also a poor leader as she spent a lot of money, she chose unfit government
leaders and fired people when they were doing a good job. 1
Section 5: New Ideas (p. 68-71)
A) Write a complete definition for each of the following on a separate piece of paper.
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Catalyst-something that helps other things to change
Bigotry-prejudice
Censored-something one is forbidden to see
Reason-the ability to think critically and draw logical conclusions
Romantic-someone who has an unrealistic view of life and the expects “story book” endings
skeptic-one who questions or raises doubts
salon-a meeting of intellectuals to discuss exciting ideas
B) Answer the following questions using complete sentences on a separate piece of paper:
1) What was the Enlightenment?
A time period when science and intelligence were of the highest importance and Christianity was viewed
as old fashioned and superstitious. It was when a belief if it could not stand up to reason or if it could
not be demonstrated by an experiment was discarded.
2) Who were the main Philosophes responsible for the Enlightenment and what ideas did each
contribute? Voltaire was against the church and for freedom of thought and believed that an absolute
monarch was for the most part good for society but he hated injustice. Rousseau believed that society
needed a social contract in which everyone agreed to abide by certain rules. Montesquieu believed that
the ruler had to work with elected parliaments.
Section 6: The Revolution Begins (p. 72-79)
A) Write a complete definition for each of the following on a separate piece of paper.
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republican government-a gov’t in which all power rests with the citizens who vote to elect their
leaders
cockade-an ornament worn on top of a hat
chateaux-mansions and great estates of the rich
mercenary-paid soldiers
constitution-a document that sets out the major laws and principles of a government
émigrés-People who leave a country for another
bloc-a group
B) Answer the following questions using complete sentences on a separate piece of paper:
1) How did the American Revolution influence the French Revolution?
French soldiers had backed the American Colonists rebels in their fight against Britain and came back to
France with the ideas of a democracy in a republican government and freedoms of the individual which
were outlined in the American Declaration of Independence.
2) How did Louis treat people who spoke out against him?
Critics of the government were imprisoned or occasionally killed.
3) What was the Estates General? What happened at the Estates General held in 1789?
A form of French government including the First estate the clergy, the second estate the aristocrats and
the third estate the middle class. In 1789 the Estates General was called to meet by Louis they were to
try and solve some problems.
4) What was the National Assembly and what did it hope to accomplish with the Tennis Court Oath?
The Third estate (middle class) broke away from the other estates and formed the National Assembly
and the Tennis Court Oath was the meeting in the Royal Tennis Court where they agreed to continue to
meet until a new form of government was made.
5) Why was the Bastille attacked? What was the result?
Mobs in Paris attacked the prisons to free political prisoners and Louis brought in mercenary soldiers to
calm things down, a bigger mob then attacked the Bastille and freed 7 prisoners and cut of the
governors head and then a new army the National Guard was formed in Paris.
6) Explain the Great Fear.
Peasants in the country side where afraid the aristocrats would crush them so they attacked their homes
and killed them and burned the feudal documents.
7) Compare the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (p. 78) with the English Bill of Rights
(p. 47). How are they similar? In what ways do they differ?
Similar
Different
8) Why did the Legislative Assembly fail to create a workable government in 1791?
There were 3 groups who all wanted something different.
9) Who were the Radicals and what did they want?
The Jacobins and they wanted major changes in the country-they wanted a republic
Section 7: A Revolution Devours Its Own Children (p. 80-83)
A) Answer the following questions using complete sentences on a separate piece of paper:
1) Who were the Girondists and what changes did they want?
They were the moderate political club who did want sweeping changes but were viewed as too
conservative by the radical Jacobins and the Girondists lost the power struggle for control of the
government to the Jacobins.
2) Who were Marat, Robespierre, and Danton? (At least one sentence for each person.)
Marat was the leader of the sans-culottes (poor, radical, violent city people). He was good at writing
pamphlets and was very radical and was murdered in his bathtub.
Danton was a Jacobin who led the French Revolution government, was beheaded.
Robespierre was also a Jacobin who first was a leader in controlling the National Assembly but
eventually would be a dictator and control France before being beheaded.
3) Why was the king referred to as “Louis Capet” when he was executed?
All titles were taken away from Aristocrats during the Revolution including King Louis XVI.
Section 8: The Reign of Terror (p. 84-85)
A) Write a complete definition for each of the following on a separate piece of paper.
Speculator-someone who tries to profit from a
sudden increase in price of a profit
B) Answer the following questions using complete sentences on a separate piece of paper:
1) What was the Reign of Terror? A time during the revolution when the revolutionary government had
extreme power and were killing thousands for speaking against the revolution and the Jacobins.
2) Was life in the Reign of Terror better or worse than life had been under Louis XVI? Use examples
from the chapter to support your answer.
Life was better because under the Reign of Terror because at least the poor had representation in the
gov’t, also the price of food was decreased which would be better than under Louis. Life was better
under Louis because you did not have to worry about being guillotined for disagreeing with the
government.
3) What eventually happened to Marat, Danton, and Robespierre? Be specific.
Marat was killed in this bathtub by a Girondists, Danton and Robespierre were guillotined.
4) What was the Directory and how can its creation be seen as a sign of the failure of the French
Revolution? The Directory was a new middle class controlled government where people of property
could vote and elect members to government. It is seen as a failure of the French Revolution because it
limited people from electing or joining the government.
Section 9: Review
1) Outline the importance, achievements, or significance of the following:
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Louis XIV
Louis XVI
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Madame Roland
Marie Antoinette
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Montesquieu
Napoléon Bonaparte
2) Complete the attached crossword puzzle.
3) Create an illustrated time line of the French Revolution. Your time line must contain at least ten
entries accompanied by a picture and caption. Specific details will be discussed in class.