The French Revolution Begins Chapter 19 Section One

What Caused the French Revolution?

During the 1700’s, 1______was one of Europe’s most powerful countries. French kings ruled with 2______power. 3______were also privileged and wealthy. However, most people were very 4______.

The French people were divided into three 5______. The First Estate was made up of the Catholic 6______. Clergy is another word for 7______officials. The clergy did not pay 8______, and received money from church lands. The Second Estate was the 9______. They filled the highest posts in 10______and 11______. Nobles did not pay taxes and lived in 12______at the king’s court.

Everyone else in France belonged to the 13 ______Estate. This estate was divided into 3 groups. At the top of the Third Estate was the 14______, which means middle classes. The next level of the Third Estate were the city workers. The lowest level of the Third Estate were the 15______.

Members of the Third Estate had no voice in government, but paid all of the country’s 16______. As the bourgeoisie learned about Enlightenment ideas such as 17______and 18______, they began to 19______the privileges of the nobles and clergy.

The French King is Overthrown

In 1788, (20)______shortages and rising 21______caused the people of France to become very upset. The French government was almost 22______(out of money). During this time, 23______was the king of France. He asked the 24 ______and the 25______to pay taxes, but they refused. Louis called a meeting of France’s legislative body. This group was called the 26 ______. Louis asked them to meet at his palace, which was named 27______. The Estates-General was made up of 28______from all three estates. The representatives of the Third Estate were frustrated because the nobles and the clergy refused to give up their privileges. The Third Estate decided to meet separately, and the declared themselves to be the 29______. They began to work on a 30______for France. The king did not like this, so he began to gather his 31______at Versailles. On July 14, 1789, a large crowd stormed a hated royal fortress called the 32 ______. The peasants rose up against the 33 ______. The National Assembly passed laws that ended the 34______of the nobles and clergy. In 1791, King Louis XVI and his wife tried to flee to 35______. They did not get very far. They were captured at a town east of 36______.

The Reign of Terror

The Struggle for Power

After Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were captured, the radicals who formed the National Convention, France’s new 1______, belonged to a group called the Jacobin club. Once in power, the Jacobins split into 2______groups. These groups argued about the 3______of France. One group, the 4______, believed the revolution had gone far enough. They wanted to protect the interests of the 5______class. The other group was called the 6______. They saw themselves as the 7______of the people and defenders of the 8______.

The 9______soon controlled the convention. They used their power to get rid of the former 10______. In 1792, Louis XVI was beheaded on the 11______, which was a new machine designed to quickly execute people.

Who was Robespierre?

Soon after the king’s execution, the National Convention set up the 12______to run the country. A lawyer named 13______soon controlled this group. Robespierre’s Committee took 14______steps to end the growing unrest in France. They sentenced to death by 15______anyone who they thought were disloyal to the revolution. In all, about 15______people died, including Queen Marie Antoinette. This period became known as the 16______(3 words). Robespierre tried to create a “Republic of Virtue”. He thought the revolution would inspire people to become good 17______. The Committee opened new schools, taught new 18______skills to the peasants, and worked to keep prices under control. He even tried to create a new 19______that worshipped a “Supreme Being”. The Committee also raised a new 20______. All single men between 18-25 were 21______, which means required to join up. This new army was made up of about a 22______soldiers, and France was able to win many military victories. Military generals became important in French 23______. Eventually, the French people grew tired of all of the killing and wanted to end the “Reign of Terror”. Robespierre refused, so government leaders had him 24______. New moderate, middle class leaders created a new government led by a five-man council called the 25______. By 1799, France was again experiencing food shortages, rising prices, bankruptcy, and attacks by other countries. The Directory began to ______support. The French people began to look for a ______who could restore order.

The Rise of Napoleon

Although the 1______lost support in France, The French 2______was winning victories in other lands. One General, 3______, especially captured the people’s imagination.

Napoleon Bonaparte was born on the island of 4______in 1769. His military talent helped him rise to the rank of 5______by the age of 24.

In 1799, when he was 30 years old, Napoleon was battling the 6______in Egypt. He heard about the troubles the Directory was having back in France. He quickly returned to France and took part in a 7______. A coup d’etat is when top government leaders are replaced by a new group of leaders, often by force.

Napoleon soon became the most powerful man in the country of 8______. He reorganized the government. He created a new legal system known as the 9______.

Napoleon did not remain true to the ideas of the 10______. People were 11______, but freedom of 12______and 13______were limited. In 1804, Napoleon crowned himself 14______, and France became an empire.

Napoleon’s Empire

Napoleon was not satisfied with being emperor. He wanted to build France into a great empire, which means he wanted to take over all of the other countries in Europe and put them under French control. By 1807, he had succeeded – France controlled lands all across Europe, from the Atlantic Ocean to 15______.

Napoleon Fights British

Two forces helped to bring Napoleon’s empire to an end. One was 16______, which means the people’s desire for 17______. The people of the other European countries that Napoleon had captured did not like Napoleon’s rule or the French 18______that were forced on them. The other force was the combined military strength of 19______and 20______. These were the only two European countries that Napoleon had not conquered.

Napoleon hoped to invade Britain. However, the British navy under the command of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson destroyed the French fleet at the Battle of 21______.

Napoleon Invades Russia

In the summer of 22______, Napoleon’s Grand Army invaded Russia. Russia’s army refused to fight, but instead drew Napoleon’s army deep into Russia. When winter arrived, Napoleon’s forces were unprepared for the harsh winter. They were forced to retreat, and most of Napoleon’s men did not return alive. Napoleon was then captured, and exiled to the island of 23______. However, he 24______, and returned to France in 1815. His army was finally defeated at 25______by international forces led by The Duke of Wellington. Napoleon was captured again, and sent to live on the island of 26______in the South Atlantic Ocean for the rest of his life.

The Congress of Vienna

European leaders met in the Vienna, Austria in September 1814. Their goal was to return Europe to the way it was 27______the French Revolution. The leader of the conference was Austria’s foreign minister, 28______. The leaders wanted to create a 29______(3 words). They believed that such a balance would stop any one nation from controlling 30______.