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This guided notes sheet is designed to run along with the crash course video. It will solidify the important points from the video that studnents will have to study.

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I used this as an extra credit assignment for students to do when they were done with everything. It worked out perfectly for my students that love to rush through everything. The fast-talking in the video made the students have to listen for the answers.

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Crash Course World History #29 (The French Revolution) worksheet

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This is a zip file that contains a Microsoft Word worksheet (along with a PDF version) to accompany the crash course video for World History #29. Answer key is included as well.By purchasing this file, you agree not to make it publicly available (on websites, etc.) or to share with any other teacher...

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John Green gives a simplified snappy and brief introduction into the French Revolution. This will serve as an attention grabber that students may refer back to for a quick refresher.

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The French Revolution: Crash Course European History #21

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Students may pull information from their worksheets or the curated resources to fill out the vocab cards. This format will ensure that they will retain the important vocabulary from the unit and overall perform better on the unit exam.

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Lecture is a necessity for so with that being said, this power point is tool that will allow the students to learn the more intricate details related to the French Revolution. It teaches the key battles, people, places, and major events. It is crucial for this to be taught as it is one of the most important developments to ever befall the human race.

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Jeopardy is always a fan favorite when it comes to review games! It will serve as an engaging tool to prepare students for the unit exam. Students will form teams of two and compete for the largest sum of points.

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This Cause of the French Revolution was shared with the American Revolution, This cause of the Revolution was thanks to irresponsible spending by King Louis XVI on things such as wars and his Royal Court, Ideas like these 3 from the Enlightenment surely contributed to the idea of revolution, This Estate walked out of the Estates-General Meeting and formed the National Assembly.

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I expect this concise ted talk to help reiterate the important points that students may need to hear phrased differently. There will be no associated handout so they may give full attention to the video.

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What caused the French Revolution? - Tom Mullaney

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This timeline worksheet will provide a visual element to organize events in one place. I feel it is helpful when events can be fit into a chronological story and it also allows some freedom as to how students choose to format their timeline. They will have the chance to color code or add any creative flair they would like.

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This will serve as one resource students may utilize for their timeline projects. The History Channel is a longtime reliable source that provides accurate and appropriate information for young students to pull from.

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Causes of the French Revolution

As the 18th century drew to a close, France's costly involvement in the American Revolution, combined with extravagant spending by King Louis XVI, had left France on the brink of bankruptcy.

Not only were the royal coffers depleted, but several years of poor harvests, drought, cattle disease and skyrocketing bread prices had kindled unrest among peasants and the urban poor. Many expressed their desperation and resentment toward a regime that imposed heavy taxes-yet failed to provide any relief-by rioting, looting and striking.

In the fall of 1786, Louis XVI's controller general, Charles Alexandre de Calonne, proposed a financial reform package that included a universal land tax from which the aristocratic classes would no longer be exempt.

Estates General

To garner support for these measures and forestall a growing aristocratic revolt, the king summoned the Estates General ( les états généraux) - an assembly representing France's clergy, nobility and middle class - for the first time since 1614.

The meeting was scheduled for May 5, 1789; in the meantime, delegates of the three estates from each locality would compile lists of grievances ( cahiers de doléances) to present to the king.

Rise of the Third Estate

France's population, of course, had changed considerably since 1614. The non-aristocratic, middle-class members of the Third Estate now represented 98 percent of the people but could still be outvoted by the other two bodies.

In the lead-up to the May 5 meeting, the Third Estate began to mobilize support for equal representation and the abolishment of the noble veto-in other words, they wanted voting by head and not by status.

While all of the orders shared a common desire for fiscal and judicial reform as well as a more representative form of government, the nobles in particular were loath to give up the privileges they had long enjoyed under the traditional system.

Tennis Court Oath

By the time the Estates General convened at Versailles, the highly public debate over its voting process had erupted into open hostility between the three orders, eclipsing the original purpose of the meeting and the authority of the man who had convened it - the king himself.

On June 17, with talks over procedure stalled, the Third Estate met alone and formally adopted the title of National Assembly; three days later, they met in a nearby indoor tennis court and took the so-called Tennis Court Oath (serment du jeu de paume), vowing not to disperse until constitutional reform had been achieved.

Within a week, most of the clerical deputies and 47 liberal nobles had joined them, and on June 27 Louis XVI grudgingly absorbed all three orders into the new National Assembly.

The Bastille

On June 12, as the National Assembly (known as the National Constituent Assembly during its work on a constitution) continued to meet at Versailles, fear and violence consumed the capital.

Though enthusiastic about the recent breakdown of royal power, Parisians grew panicked as rumors of an impending military coup began to circulate. A popular insurgency culminated on July 14 when rioters stormed the Bastille fortress in an attempt to secure gunpowder and weapons; many consider this event, now commemorated in France as a national holiday, as the start of the French Revolution.

The wave of revolutionary fervor and widespread hysteria quickly swept the entire country. Revolting against years of exploitation, peasants looted and burned the homes of tax collectors, landlords and the aristocratic elite.

Known as the Great Fear ( la Grande peur), the agrarian insurrection hastened the growing exodus of nobles from France and inspired the National Constituent Assembly to abolish feudalism on August 4, 1789, signing what historian Georges Lefebvre later called the "death certificate of the old order."

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

IIn late August, the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen ( Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen), a statement of democratic principles grounded in the philosophical and political ideas of Enlightenment thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

The document proclaimed the Assembly's commitment to replace the ancien régime with a system based on equal opportunity, freedom of speech, popular sovereignty and representative government.

Drafting a formal constitution proved much more of a challenge for the National Constituent Assembly, which had the added burden of functioning as a legislature during harsh economic times.

For months, its members wrestled with fundamental questions about the shape and expanse of France's new political landscape. For instance, who would be responsible for electing delegates? Would the clergy owe allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church or the French government? Perhaps most importantly, how much authority would the king, his public image further weakened after a failed attempt to flee the country in June 1791, retain?

Adopted on September 3, 1791, France's first written constitution echoed the more moderate voices in the Assembly, establishing a constitutional monarchy in which the king enjoyed royal veto power and the ability to appoint ministers. This compromise did not sit well with influential radicals like Maximilien de Robespierre, Camille Desmoulins and Georges Danton, who began drumming up popular support for a more republican form of government and for the trial of Louis XVI.

French Revolution Turns Radical

In April 1792, the newly elected Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria and Prussia, where it believed that French émigrés were building counterrevolutionary alliances; it also hoped to spread its revolutionary ideals across Europe through warfare.

On the domestic front, meanwhile, the political crisis took a radical turn when a group of insurgents led by the extremist Jacobins attacked the royal residence in Paris and arrested the king on August 10, 1792.

The following month, amid a wave of violence in which Parisian insurrectionists massacred hundreds of accused counterrevolutionaries, the Legislative Assembly was replaced by the National Convention, which proclaimed the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the French republic.

On January 21, 1793, it sent King Louis XVI, condemned to death for high treason and crimes against the state, to the guillotine; his wife Marie-Antoinette suffered the same fate nine months later.

Reign of Terror

Following the king's execution, war with various European powers and intense divisions within the National Convention brought the French Revolution to its most violent and turbulent phase.

In June 1793, the Jacobins seized control of the National Convention from the more moderate Girondins and instituted a series of radical measures, including the establishment of a new calendar and the eradication of Christianity.

They also unleashed the bloody Reign of Terror (la Terreur), a 10-month period in which suspected enemies of the revolution were guillotined by the thousands. Many of the killings were carried out under orders from Robespierre, who dominated the draconian Committee of Public Safety until his own execution on July 28, 1794.

Did you know? Over 17,000 people were officially tried and executed during the Reign of Terror, and an unknown number of others died in prison or without trial.

Thermidorian Reaction

The death of Robespierre marked the beginning of the Thermidorian Reaction, a moderate phase in which the French people revolted against the Reign of Terror's excesses.

On August 22, 1795, the National Convention, composed largely of Girondins who had survived the Reign of Terror, approved a new constitution that created France's first bicameral legislature.

Executive power would lie in the hands of a five-member Directory ( Directoire) appointed by parliament. Royalists and Jacobins protested the new regime but were swiftly silenced by the army, now led by a young and successful general named Napoleon Bonaparte.

French Revolution Ends: Napoleon's Rise

The Directory's four years in power were riddled with financial crises, popular discontent, inefficiency and, above all, political corruption. By the late 1790s, the directors relied almost entirely on the military to maintain their authority and had ceded much of their power to the generals in the field.

On November 9, 1799, as frustration with their leadership reached a fever pitch, Napoleon Bonaparte staged a coup d'état, abolishing the Directory and appointing himself France's " first consul." The event marked the end of the French Revolution and the beginning of the Napoleonic era, during which France would come to dominate much of continental Europe.

Photo Gallery

Sources

French Revolution. The National Archives (U.K.)
The United States and the French Revolution, 1789-1799. Office of the Historian. U.S. Department of State.
Versailles, from the French Revolution to the Interwar Period. Chateau de Versailles.
French Revolution. Monticello.org.
Individuals, institutions, and innovation in the debates of the French Revolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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French Revolution: Timeline, Causes & Dates | HISTORY

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The French Revolution began in 1789. Soon, the Bastille was stormed and the monarchy eliminated. After the Reign of Terror, France established a new government.

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This is the best resource for students to safely do independent research on the topic. The digestible UI and verifiable source is perfect for students to work independently and build timelines.

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1789 is one of the most significant dates in history - famous for the revolution in France with its cries of 'Liberté! Egalité! Fraternité!' that led to the removal of the French upper classes. The French Revolution didn't just take place in 1789. It actually lasted for another six years, with far more violent and momentous events taking place in the years after 1789. However, here we examine the British reaction to the events in France during this famous year - were the British government extremely worried or did they see it as merely a few minor disturbances?

Looking at primary source material from 1789, including a London newspaper report, together with both official and personal letters sent from Paris, you will be asked to assess and investigate the reaction. The significance of 1789 is now well known, but did anybody at the time even dare to suggest how important it was?

Let's look at the evidence to find out. Use this lesson to find out from contemporary sources how the British government reacted to news of the French revolution.

Tasks

1. Look at Source 1. This is an extract from the London Gazette from Saturday 18 July to Tuesday 21 July, 1789.

What evidence is there that the population of Paris were worried?

What was wrong with the official police force?

2. Look at Source 2. This is an extract from the London Gazette from Saturday 18 July to Tuesday 21 July, 1789.

Why were the people outside the Bastille so outraged when the Governor gave the order to fire on them?

Some were then allowed in - on what condition?

What happened to the 40 who went into the Bastille?

What happened to the Governor?

3. Look at Source 3.This is an extract from the London Gazette from Saturday 18 July to Tuesday 21 July, 1789.

According to the source, people lined the streets - how does the source describe their behaviour?

How pleased were people with the King's promises? How were people behaving?

What evidence in the source suggests further trouble could easily break out?

4. Look at Source 4. This is a letter from a Mr Jenkinson from Paris, dated 15 July 1789.

Examine Mr. Jenkinson's description of the storming of the Bastille - is there any reason to doubt his claims? Give your reasons

Why, according to this source, did the King 'recant all his former words' and agree to the people's demands?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of this evidence?

5. Look at Source 5. This is an extract from a confidential report from the British Ambassador.

How have the recent events affected newspapers?

Why does the ambassador have little to report?

6. Look at Source 6. This is another extract from the report seen in Source 5.

What is wrong with the account of the storming of the Bastille?

What reasons does the ambassador suggest for the quick and easy take over of the Bastille?

What reasons are given to 'lament' the death of the Marquis de Launay?

What does the small number of prisoners actually inside the Bastille suggest about the reign of King Louis XVI?

7. Look at Source 7. This is a further extract from the report seen in Source 5 and 6.

How many members of the royal family have fled?

What does the ambassador say is 'scarcely possible to imagine'?

What main reason is suggested for wanting these people to return?

8. Look again at Sources 1-7. Using all the available sources, decide which of these descriptions best fit each source:

Serious revolution, leading to real danger for Britain

A Paris-based revolt that the King was forced to agree to

Minor disturbances, of no real consequence at all

Explain the reasons for your decisions.

9. Using all your previous work, write a detailed paragraph explaining how seriously the British took the events of July 1789.

Use your source evidence effectively and think about the following issues:

What had been the reaction to the King's promises following the storming of the Bastille?

How serious and long lasting did the ambassador suggest the problems were?

Background

The French Revolution began in 1789 and lasted until 1794. King Louis XVI needed more money, but had failed to raise more taxes when he had called a meeting of the Estates General. This instead turned into a protest about conditions in France. On July 14 1789 the Paris mob, hungry due to a lack of food from poor harvests, upset at the conditions of their lives and annoyed with their King and Government, stormed the Bastille fortress (a prison). This turned out to be more symbolic than anything else as only four or five prisoners were found.

In October 1789, King Louis and his family were moved from Versailles (the Royal palace) to Paris. He tried to flee in 1791, but was stopped and forced to agree to a new form of government. Replacing the power of the King, a 'legislative assembly' governed from October 1791 to September 1792, and was then replaced by the 'National Convention'. The Republic of France was declared, and soon the King was put on trial. The Revolution became more and more radical and violent. King Louis XVI was executed on January 21 1793. In the six weeks that followed some 1,400 people who were considered potential enemies to the Republic were executed in Paris.

Many historians now regard the French Revolution as a turning point in the history of Europe, but also in North America where many of the same ideas influenced the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The famous slogan 'Liberty, Equality and Fraternity' called for every person's right to freedom and equal treatment. Across France and the rest of Europe the consequences of the Revolution were huge. There were many new developments including the fall of the monarchy, changes in society with the rise of the middle class, and the growth of nationalism.

Teachers' notes

This lesson encourages students to investigate the British reaction to the outbreak of the French Revolution. To begin with, students consider three extracts from the contemporary newspaper, the London Gazette. They are subsequently compare these extracts to some private correspondence from the time and a three extracts from a confidential report from the British Ambassador. In the light of all of the evidence students, are asked to decide how seriously the British government took the events of 1789. They should be encouraged to evaluate the tone, attitude and perspective contained in all these extracts as they work through the questions. Why were these accounts produced? Who would have seen them? What is their value to the historian?

All documents are provided with transcripts. Students can work through the questions individually or in pairs and report back to the class.

Sources

Image : La Prise de la Bastille - Jean Pierre Hovell 1789

Sources 1-3 : The London Gazette - ZJ 1/85

Sources 4-6 : Extracts from a confidential report from the British Ambassador, 30th July 1789 FO 27/32

External links

Locating privilege and inequality in pre-Revolutionary France
Take a look at this clip from the BBC Learning Zone.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/obl4he/frenchrevolution/26_chronology_of_the_french_revolution.html
UCL Art Museum: Explore a huge range of visual sources on the French Revolution

Connections to curriculum

AQA History A level:
France in Revolution, 1774-1815

Edexcel History A level:
France in Revolution 1774-1799

OCR History A level:
The French Revolution and the rule of Napoleon 1774-1815

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French Revolution - The National Archives

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1789 is one of the most significant dates in history - famous for the revolution in France with its cries of 'Liberté! Egalité! Fraternité!' that led to the removal of the French upper classes. The French Revolution didn't just take...

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An all encapsulating study guide will prepare students to have all the right tools to study for the exam. All of the previous resources and work sheets will have built a concrete picture of the French Revolution and what it meant for the rest of the world moving forward.