7.4 The French Revolution - Q -

• History
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

AGE 7. The Time of Wigs and Revolutions

7.4 The French Revolution

Practise Questions

1a. About society: What system had been used
since the Middle Ages?

1. the feudal system
2. mercantilism
3. the estates system
4. absolute monarchy

1b. What was new in the estates system in the 18th century?

1c. What kind of group was the bourgeoisie?

1d What did the Bourgeoisie and the Nobility have in common?

1. they were both wealthy and prosperous
2. they both worked for their income
3. they both had to pay taxes
4. they both had political influence

2. What kind of change did the bourgeoisie demand?

1. They demanded the same power and privileges as the people from the first and second estate.
2. They wanted better working conditions.
3. They wanted the first and second estate to reduce their spending and luxurious lifestyle.
4. They demanded a better salary for their hard work.

3a. The third estate had many grievances. But not all third estate groups had the same grievances. Choose which groups were most affected by the following problems:


1. not enough land

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3b. no influence in politics

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3c. low wages

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3d. bad harvests

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3e. high taxes

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3f. very difficult to get a noble title

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

4a. Which estates do the people in the source represent?

A cartoon about the Three Estates, published in the 1780s.

1. A : clergy B: nobility C: commons
2. A: commons B: clergy C: nobility
3. A: nobility B: commons C: clergy
4. A: nobility B: clergy C: commons

4b. What do you think the stone on top of
the figure lying on the ground is
supposed to mean? (1 word)

5. write down 2 elements from the source
that explain why many common people
hated queen Marie-Antoinette

6. Explain how the winter of 1788 / 89 symbolised the distance that had developed between the farmers and the nobility.

7. Imagine that you’re a member of the third estate who is attending the Estates-General. You have to give a speech to the Estates-General about how you would change the situation in the country.
What would be the essence of your speech?

8a. The bourgeoisie, a group that included doctors and lawyers was part of:

1. 1st estate
2. 2nd estate
3. 3rd estate
4. 2nd and 3rd estate

8b. Which statement is true?

Statement I: The bourgeoisie had the same power as the clergy and nobility.
Statement II: Members of the bourgeoisie did not have to pay taxes.

1. Both statements are true.
2. Both statements are false.
3. Statement I is false and statement II is true.
4. Statement I is true and statement II is false.

9. What was the main reason for king Louis XVI to call the meeting of the Estates-General in 1789?

10a. Which third estate group was mainly represented in the Estates General?

1. city workers
2. peasants
3. aristocrats
4. bourgeoisie

10b. The third Estate hoped to make some changes in the Estates General. Which of these is NOT something the Third Estate wanted to achieve?

1. a more honest voting system
2. to abolish privileges of the first & second estate
3. more equality in society
4. equal taxes for cityworkers, peasants and bourgeoisie

11a. Which estate is mainly represented on the painting?

11b. How can you see that the clergy is joining the third estate?

11c. Why did the Third Estate call themselves "National Assembly"?

12. Why did the Great Fear take place? (2 reasons)

13. After 'Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen’ Louis XVI was
no longer king of France

1. true.
2. false.

14. Which statement is true?

Statement I: The violence of the French Revolution was limited to the streets of Paris.
Statement II: The French Revolution put an end to the Ancien Régime.

1. Both statements are true.
2. Both statements are false.
3. Statement I is false and statement II is true.
4. Statement I is true and statement II is false.

15. The French Revolution is seen as a very important event in world history. What would you consider to be the most important legacy from the French Revolution?

16. When did the situation in October 1789 escalate seriously?

1. When angry and hungry protesters destroyed Paris again and the French king sent troops to the city.
2. When King Louis XVI decided to restore the old political situation in France.
3. When the king of France made clear he didn’t want to go to Paris to accept the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
4. When angry protesters decided to go to the Palace of Versailles for a dramatic confrontation with King Louis XVI and his court.

17. After the March on Versailles:

1. the king was in fact a prisoner
2. France became a Republic
3. the king was sentenced to death.
4. the estates system was abolished

18. Robespierre thought that everyone who did not agree with the ideals of the revolution should be executed. Explain why his view is contradictory to the ideas of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

19. Which statement is false?

1. The Reign of Terror was replaced by the Directoire.
2. Robespierre was a member of the Directoire.
3. Robespierre was executed on the guillotine.
4. The Directoire was followed by the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte.

20. What was the main reason for the French to use the guillotine as an execution method?

1. The guillotine was the most painful method to execute ‘traitors’.
2. The guillotine was used so all the French people could see the execution very clear.
3. The guillotine used decapitation as a quick and painless method of execution.
4. The guillotine sent a message to the people what would happen if they didn’t listen.

21. How did the rest of Europe react to the events during the French Revolution? Use the keyword First Coalition War.

22a. What was the main reason for Napoleon to have a good relationship with the pope?

22b. Which message did Napoleon carry out by taking the crown from the Pope and crown himself?

23. Put the events in the correct chronological order

Reign of Terror

Directoire 

Napoleon seizes 

power

National Assembly

absolute monarchy

Louis XVI

24a. Write down two ways Napoleon extended his power between 1804 and 1815.

24b. Write down how Napoleon extended his influence in Europe between 1804 and 1815.

25. "Napoleon betrayed the French Revolution"

Write 1 sentence to support and 1 sentence to oppose this statement.
You can start your answers with: "True, because...." and "Not true, because..."

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