Here’s your study guide with key points and smart questions you can ask your teacher: ⸻ Key Points: Bourbon Dynasty & Causes of the Revolution • The Bourbon Dynasty was a powerful royal family; Louis XVI was its final king in France. • Marie Antoinette was unpopular due to lavish lifestyle during poverty. • Economic crisis followed the American Revolution; nobles exploited peasants. • Louis XVI tried to tax nobles but had to call the Estates General. • The 3 Estates: 1st (Clergy), 2nd (Nobility), 3rd (Everyone else – 97% of population). • Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly after being shut out — took Tennis Court Oath. Revolution Begins • Storming of the Bastille: Key symbolic act of revolution. • The Great Fear: Rural violence and feudal document destruction. • Declaration of the Rights of Man: Liberty, equality, fraternity — no mention of the king. • Accomplishments: nationalization of church lands, rational laws, constitutional monarchy. Rise of Radicalism • Royal family tried to flee → caught → Declaration of Pillnitz by Austria & Prussia. • Assembly divided: Jacobins (left), Girondins (center), Monarchists (right). • September Massacres: Marat incited violence. • Universal manhood suffrage adopted. • King tried and executed in 1793; Marie Antoinette followed. Crisis and Terror • France faced foreign invasions, internal uprisings, and economic collapse. • Committee of Public Safety formed; Levée en masse = total war. • Reign of Terror: mass executions of “enemies.” • Radical reforms: new calendar, metric system, dechristianization. • Ends with Thermidorian Reaction: backlash; White Terror killed radicals. Minority Rights • Jews emancipated individually (not as a nation). • Free Blacks and mixed-race citizens got rights; Toussaint Louverture led Haitian Revolution. Rise of Napoleon • Military genius; used speed and terrain. • Coup d’état in 1799 formed Consulate with Napoleon as First Consul. • Reforms: Amnesty, Concordat, Napoleonic Code, stability. • Became Emperor via plebiscite (vote). Napoleonic Wars • Austerlitz: defeated Austria & Russia. • Dissolved HRE → Confederation of the Rhine. • Trafalgar: lost naval battle; led to Continental System (economic war). • Failed invasion of Russia led to downfall. • Brief return during 100 Days, ended at Waterloo and final exile to St. Helena. ⸻ Smart Questions to Ask Your Teacher: 1. What are the most testable differences between the National Assembly and the Estates General? 2. Can you explain how the Tennis Court Oath changed the course of the revolution? 3. How was the Declaration of the Rights of Man revolutionary at the time? 4. What were the major effects of the storming of the Bastille beyond symbolism? 5. Why was Lafayette chosen to lead the National Guard? 6. What does “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” leave out, and is that important? 7. Why did the Reign of Terror spiral out of control — was it a necessary step? 8. How did the Levée en masse impact France’s society beyond just the military? 9. Why did Napoleon have so much support despite ending a democratic revolution? 10. How did the Continental System fail, and what were its consequences? 11. In what ways did the revolution succeed — and where did it fall short? 12. What should I know about the impact of the Haitian Revolution on France? Would you like this turned into a printable study sheet or quiz?