French Revolution 1mcclungsocial.weebly.com/uploads/1/6/9/3/16933088/french_revolution… · these are important terms of the French Revolution absolutism: a political system in which

NATIONALISMS O C I A L S T U D I E S 2 0 - 1

McClung

How do these understandings affect nations?

What is a nation?

Examples:

What is a nation state?

Examples:

L ingu is t i cs

E thn ic i t y

Cu l tu re

Re l ig ion

Geography

Re la t ionsh ip to the l and

Po l i t i cs

Definitions

Understandings

of Nations

The french revolution was a major h i s tor ica l e vent that sparked nationalist feelings among a large group of people that had very little feelings of nationalism prior to this event.

The revolution didn’t just appear. The ideas that sparked the revolution existed elsewhere before. In the mid 1600s, the English took power away from their monarch and established a parliamentary monarchy. This was because of ideas of philosophers such as John Locke. John Locke argued that individuals are important and the only power a government should hold is the power to protect the people. John Locke was a founder of classical liberalism. His ideas came from the enlightenment.

The AmericanWar of Independence. The americans had just declared independence from England. While many French were upset at their king for supporting the Americans, they were also inspired by the Americans. The American people had fought off their oppressors and had become a unified people. The had achieved liberty.

The difference between the American war of independence and the French revolution is that the French were fighting tyranny that came from within their own borders. The French were just as determined to achieve liberty.

The French Revolution violently challenged and transformed political, social and cultural norms in European society.  Politically, the governmental structure of the Revolution moved from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy to a republic and finally to an oligarchy.  The Revolution also undercut the traditional social hierarchy of France, by reducing the privileges of the First (clergy) and Second (nobility) Estates.  The Revolution had a dramatic cultural impact in terms of building nationalism and disintegrating a rigid social hierarchy into a modern nation-state in which the social structure was loosened and power passed increasingly to the people and nation-state. The result was French nationalism which soon spread internally among the citizens of France and externally to other European nations.

“Revolt is the right of the people” ― John Locke

T h e T h r e e E s t a t e sThere were three main classes of people in P r e - R e v o l u t i o n a r y France.Based on the historical political cartoon to the right, from the perspective of the third estate, how did they feel about the other two estates?

Based on the graphs below, what is one reason for the revolution?

these are important terms of the French Revolution

absolutism: a political system in wh i ch t he power o f a ru l e r i s unchecked and absolute

emigres: the Royalist fugitives who fled from France during the revolution of 1789, most of them aristocrats or members of the clergy.

Cahiers (des Doleances): A national survey of people' opinions was compiled between the calling of the Estates General and its assembly.

despotism: cruel and unfair rule by a tyrant

egalitarian: believing in equality; a belief that all people are, in principle, equal and should enjoy equal social, political, and economic rights and opportunities

fraternity: brotherly love: feelings of friendship and mutual support between people; brotherhood

Old Regime (aka Ancien Régime ): Political and social system of France prior to the French Revolution. Under the regime, everyone was a subject of the king of France as well as a member of an estate and province. All rights and status flowed from the social institutions (mainly the Church and parlements), divided into three orders: clergy, nobility, and others (the Third Estate). There was no national citizenship.

Parlements: the chief judicial body u n d e r t h e a n c i e n r é g i m e . T h e parlement consisted of a number of separa te chambers : the cent ra l pleading chamber, called the Grand-C h a m b r e ; t h e C h a m b r e d e s Requêtes (to deal with petitions) and the Chambre des Enquêtes ( to handle inquests); the Chambre de la Tournelle (to settle criminal cases); and finally the Chambre de l'Édit

tithe: one tenth of annual produce or earnings paid by peasants for the support of the Catholic Church and clergy.

VocabularyWhat Was A Benefit Of each Estate?

First Estate Privileges

Ma r i e A n to i n e t te

became a symbol for

the rebellion’s hatred.

The people distrusted

her for being Austrian,

and they despised her

for her extravagance.

Second Estate Privileges

Third Estate Privileges

LOUIS XIV

GRANDFATHER OF LOUIS THE 16TH. HE WAS ALSO KNOWN AS THE SUN KING OR LOUIS THE GREAT. FOUGHT MANY WARS. HE RULED FROM WHEN HE WAS 4 YEARS OLD TILL HE WAS NEARLY 77. TOOK POWER AWAY FROM HIS CITIZENS AND CLAIMED IT FOR HIMSELF. INSTILLED THE CONCEPT OF DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS.

LOUIS XV

FATHER OF LOUIS THE 16TH. HE HAD PUT FRANCE INTO DEBT BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THE COSTLY SEVEN YEARS WAR. DURING HIS TIME HE ALSO LOST A LOT OF THE POWER HIS FATHER HAD BUILT.

LOUIS XVI

LOUIS THE 16TH WAS THE KING OF FRANCE DURING THE REVOLUTION. HE MARRIED MARIE ANTOINETTE AT THE AGE OF 15. HE WAS NOT A CONFIDENT RULER .

Vocabulary

more important terms of the french revolution

Tennis Court Oath:

Bastille:

Bourgeoisie:

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen:

Estates General:

Divine Right:

You w ill have to find these out on your own

GEORGES DANTON

WHY IS HE SIGNIFICANT?

JEAN-PAUL MARAT

WHY IS HE SIGNIFICANT?

MAXIMIL IEN ROBESPIERRE

WHY IS HE SIGNIFICANT?Activity: On the next page you will create a

graphic organizer that identifies and

explains the political, historical, social,

economic, and geographic factors that

led to the french revolution.

On the page after that you will create a

graphic organizer that identifies

events and symbols that helped

solidify French nationalism. Explain why they are important.

If you miss some items you can read

your text or go to:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeQ7ig_SCB8

Factor ExplanationsHistorical: supported by facts from history; based on the past, or describing people who lived in the past or events that happened in the past

Social: relating to the interaction of the French people; rank and social order in society before and after

Economic: relating to or affecting financial resources of the monarchy and the state

Geographic: relating to geography or to the geography of a specific region including political borders, the land, vegetation, weather.

Political: the activities of the government; somebody's opposition to a government or support for policies and principles regarded by the authorities as unacceptable, or suffering as a result of expressing such opposition or support; the relationships within a group or organization which allow particular people to have power over others.