zuai-logo

The French Revolution

Abigail Young

Abigail Young

8 min read

Listen to this study note

AP European History: French Revolution - The Night Before 🇫🇷

Hey! Let's get you prepped and confident for your AP Euro exam. We're going to zoom through the French Revolution, hitting all the key points you need to know. Think of this as your ultimate cheat sheet – concise, clear, and designed to make everything click. Let's do this! 💪

The French Revolution is a HUGE topic on the AP exam. Understanding its causes, phases, and key figures is crucial for both multiple-choice and free-response questions.

🏛️ Causes of the French Revolution

💡 Enlightenment Ideas

  • New Thinking: The Enlightenment sparked ideas about liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty. People started questioning the old order.
  • Challenging Authority: The idea that the nobility was divinely ordained was challenged, leading to resentment among the Third Estate.

💰 French Financial Crisis

  • Debt-Ridden France: France was drowning in debt after the Seven Years' War and supporting the American Revolution.
  • King Louis XVI: A weak and indecisive leader, easily manipulated.
  • Marie Antoinette: Known for her extravagant spending, earning her the nickname "Madame Deficit."
  • Taxation Inequity: The burden of taxes fell heavily on the poor while the rich were mostly exempt.
  • Food Shortages: Bad harvests led to skyrocketing bread prices, causing widespread starvation and anger.
Key Concept

The combination of Enlightenment ideals, financial ruin, and social inequality created a perfect storm for revolution.

King Louis XVI

King Louis XVI: A symbol of the old regime's incompetence.

➡️ Heading to Revolution

⚖️ The Three Estates

  • First Estate: Clergy ⛪
  • Second Estate: Nobility 👑
  • Third Estate: Everyone else (peasants, middle class) – 98% of the population 🧑‍🤝‍🧑🧑‍🤝‍🧑🧑‍🤝‍🧑
  • Estates-General: A meeting called by Louis XVI to address the crisis, but each estate only got one vote.
  • Voting Injustice: The First and Second Estates always outvoted the Third Estate, leading to frustration.

🎾 The National Assembly and Tennis Court Oath

  • National Assembly: The Third Estate formed their own assembly after being continuously outvoted.
  • Tennis Court Oath: A pledge to continue meeting until a new constitution was created.
  • Storming of the Bastille: The National Guard raided the Bastille for weapons and gunpowder, marking a turning point in the revolution.
  • Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen: A constitution ensuring equal rights for men, inspired by Enlightenment ideals.

👩‍👩‍👧‍👧 Women in the Revolution

  • March on Versailles: Women marched to demand bread and the return of the king to Paris.
  • Olympe de Gouges: Wrote The Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Citizen, advocating for women's rights.

Olympe de Gouges

Olympe de Gouges: A pioneer for women's rights during the French Revolution.

Memory Aid

Remember the Estates: Clergy, Nobility, Everybody Else (CNE). Think of it like a pyramid, with the 'Everybody Else' at the bottom supporting the top.

🔄 Phases of the French Revolution

1️⃣ The First Phase: Liberal Reform

  • Constitutional Monarchy: The Constitution of 1791 reduced the king to a figurehead.
  • Increased Participation: Popular involvement in politics grew.
  • Nationalization of the Church: The Catholic Church was brought under state control.
  • Abolition of Hereditary Privileges: The end of special rights for the nobility.
  • Growing Divide: Moderates vs. Radicals (like the Jacobin Club).

2️⃣ The Second Phase: The Reign of Terror

  • Radicalization: Violence escalated, led by Maximilien Robespierre.
  • French Republic: The monarchy was suspended, and France became a republic.
  • Suspicion and Paranoia: The Republic was harsh on anyone suspected of disloyalty.
  • Dechristianization: The Cult of Reason replaced Catholicism, and churches were converted to “Temples of Reason.”
  • September Massacres: Mass executions of nobles and clergy.
  • Execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette: The royals were guillotined.
  • Committee of Public Safety: Led by Robespierre, it eliminated “enemies of the revolution.”
  • The Great Terror: The height of the executions, with around 40,000 deaths.
  • Downfall of Robespierre: He was eventually executed, ending the Reign of Terror.
  • Thermidorian Reaction: Moderates regained control, leading to the White Terror against radicals.
  • The Directory: An ineffective government body that replaced the Committee of Public Safety.

Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror: A period of extreme violence and paranoia.

Exam Tip

Pay close attention to the different phases of the revolution. The AP exam often asks you to compare and contrast the goals and actions of each phase.

Memory Aid

Liberal Reform to Radical Terror: Think of it as a pendulum swinging from moderate change to extreme violence. The Reign of Terror was a reaction to the slow pace of the initial reforms.

🎯 Final Exam Focus

Key Topics:

  • Causes of the Revolution (Enlightenment, financial crisis, social inequality)
  • The Three Estates and the Estates-General
  • Key Events: Tennis Court Oath, Storming of the Bastille, March on Versailles
  • Phases of the Revolution (Liberal Reform, Reign of Terror)
  • Key Figures: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Robespierre, Olympe de Gouges
Exam Tip

Time Management: Don't spend too long on any single question. If you're stuck, move on and come back later.

Common Mistake

Common Pitfalls:

  • Confusing the different phases of the revolution.
  • Not understanding the role of the Enlightenment.
  • Forgetting the social and economic factors that fueled the revolution.

Question Types:

  • Multiple Choice: Focus on specific events, figures, and concepts.
  • Short Answer: Be concise and directly address the question.
  • Free Response: Develop a clear thesis and support it with evidence.
Quick Fact

The French Revolution was not just about France; it inspired revolutionary movements across Europe and the world.

📝 Practice Questions

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions

  1. Which of the following was NOT a major cause of the French Revolution? (A) Enlightenment ideas (B) The success of the American Revolution (C) The extravagant spending of the French monarchy (D) The rise of Napoleon Bonaparte (E) Social inequalities of the estate system

  2. The Tennis Court Oath was significant because it: (A) Marked the end of the French Revolution (B) Established the Reign of Terror (C) Demonstrated the Third Estate's determination to form a new government (D) Led to the execution of Louis XVI (E) Resulted in the storming of the Bastille

  3. Which of the following best describes the Reign of Terror? (A) A period of peace and prosperity under Louis XVI (B) A period of radical violence and executions led by Robespierre (C) A period of liberal reform and constitutional monarchy (D) A period of economic stability and growth (E) A period of international diplomacy and cooperation

Free Response Question (FRQ)

Prompt: Analyze the causes of the French Revolution and the ways in which the revolution changed French society between 1789 and 1799. Scoring Breakdown:

Thesis (1 point):

  • A clear, historically defensible thesis that addresses both the causes and changes.
  • Example: "The French Revolution was caused by a combination of Enlightenment ideals, social inequalities, and financial crisis, leading to radical changes in French society, including the end of feudalism, the rise of republicanism, and a period of extreme violence."

Causes (2 points):

  • Discusses at least two of the following:
    • Enlightenment ideas (liberty, equality, popular sovereignty)
    • Social inequalities of the estate system
    • Financial crisis and debt
    • Weak leadership of Louis XVI
    • Food shortages and high bread prices
  • Provides specific examples and explains the connections to the revolution.

Changes (2 points):

  • Discusses at least two of the following:
    • End of feudalism and hereditary privileges
    • Rise of republicanism and the French Republic
    • Increased political participation
    • Nationalization of the Church and dechristianization
    • The Reign of Terror and its impact
    • The rise of the Thermidorian Directory
  • Provides specific examples and explains the impact on French society.

Evidence (2 points):

  • Uses specific historical evidence to support the analysis.
  • Examples: Tennis Court Oath, Storming of the Bastille, Declaration of the Rights of Man, Reign of Terror, Committee of Public Safety.

Synthesis (1 point):

  • Connects the French Revolution to other historical events or themes.
  • Example: Comparing the French Revolution to the American Revolution or discussing the influence of Enlightenment ideas on later revolutions.

You've got this! Remember to stay calm, read each question carefully, and trust your knowledge. Good luck on your exam! 🍀