French revolution Unit questions + anatomy of a revolution

What is revolution?

A process through which radical, long-lasting changes are made to a society’s structure over a short time.

What were the major aspects of the old regime in France?

Absolute monarchy, a rigid social hierarchy of three estates, and a feudal system

What were the main causes of the revolution?

Inequalities of the old regime, Enlightenment ideals, short-term financial crisis (heavy debt, high unemployment, mass poverty), food shortages, and Louis XIV's poor leadership.

What were the different phases of the French Revolution?

1. Old Regime

2. Moderate phase

3. Radical Phase

4. Reactionary Phase

Key events and Governments of each Phase - Phase 2: Moderate phase

• Meeting of the Estates General

• National Assembly

  • Representative democracy

  • Declaration of the Rights of Man

• Tennis Court Oath

• Storming of the Bastille

• Great fear

• March on Versailles

• Civil Constitution of the Clergy

• Flight to Varennes

• Foreign intervention

Key events and Governments of each Phase- Phase 3: Radical phase

• September Massacre

• National Convention

  • Mountains, Girondins, Plains

• Marat, Danton, Robespierre 

• Consolidated power

  • Guillotine

• Execution of Louis XVI

• Radical reforms

• Committee of Public Safety

• Reign of Terror

• Thermidorian reaction 

Key events and Governments of Phase 4: Reactionary phase

Constitution of 1795

Less democratic

Napoleon Coup

The Directory

How was the use of violence and terror during the French Revolution justified, and how did it shape the course of the revolution?

Violence and Terror were justified by the claim that they would save the ideals of the Revolution, and it shaped the bloody turn it would take by allowing the killing of thousands 

What were the main consequences of the French Revolution?

• Death toll ~400k in France and ~5m in Europe

• Ended Absolutism 

• Spread ideas of revolution to differnt European countries 

• Led to Napoleon 

• Militarized nationalism 

• Equal taxation

What was Brintons 1st phase

Failure of the old Regime:

• The old system begins to fail

• Class division

• Financial crisis

• Incompetent ruler 

• Ineffective Government

• Skeptisism

• Attempts by government fail

What was Brinton’s 2nd Stage

Moderate stage:

• Protests increase and get more dramatic

• The government tries and fails to stop the revolution

• Moderates take over

• For the revolution and attempts at reform

• Does not last long

What is Brinton’s 3rd phase 

Radical stage -

• Civil/foreign conflict/war begins

• War goes poorly

  • People question and fears increase

• Radicals overthrow moderates 

• People look for more extreme measures

• Power becomes centralized

• Religious-like devotion, propaganda, use of violence, terror

What is Brintons 4th phase

Reactionary Stage:

• Radicals are overthrown 

• Elements of the old system return

• (often) Dictator rises to power

  • Restores pre-revolutionary  customs

  • Increased nationalism

• Revolution calms down

  • Sense of stability

During what phase of Brinton’s analogy does the fever of the revolution get most intense 

Gets most intense during the radical stage

When does the fever of revolution break?

The fever breaks after the radical stage during the Reactionary stage

How is a society at the begining of a revolution compared to the end?

The ending society is extremely similar to the starting society