The French Revolution: Crash Course

What was the economic and social situation in France leading up to the French Revolution in 1789?

• France was prosperous due to successful wars and good harvests.

• France was an absolute monarchy, financially stable, and its people were well-fed.

• France was bankrupt from wars, had bad crop yields, and its countryside was filled with beggars.

• France had a thriving middle class that paid most of the taxes, while the aristocracy was struggling.

What was Marie Antoinette's reported response when told that the French peasants had no bread?

• "Let them eat cake."

• "Let them eat brioche."

• "They should simply work harder."

• "The poor should be given more grain."

What action did the Third Estate take after protesting their voting power in the Estates General?

• They immediately stormed the Bastille.

• They formed the Jacobin Club to gain political power.

• They retreated to a tennis court and declared themselves the National Assembly.

• They appealed directly to the King for equal voting rights.

Which of the following rights was guaranteed by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen?

• The divine right of kings.

• Protection of property, trial by jury, and free speech.

• The right of the aristocracy to maintain feudal privileges.

• The right to elect priests by their parishioners.

What was a significant outcome for women during the early stages of the French Revolution?

• Women were granted universal suffrage.

• The Declaration of the Rights of Woman explicitly stated women's equality with men.

• Women were appointed to all major political offices.

• All women were immediately given the right to serve in the army.

What significant political change occurred in France in 1792?

• The French monarchy was abolished.

• A new emperor was crowned.

• France became a constitutional monarchy.

• The Estates-General was reinstated.

What was the primary characteristic of the period known as "The Terror" during the French Revolution?

• A period of economic prosperity and stability.

• Widespread executions of perceived enemies of the revolution.

• The establishment of a new, democratic constitution.

• A time of peace and reconciliation among factions.

What was the main argument presented by Mary Wollstonecraft in "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman"?

• Women should be granted the right to rule.

• Women needed education and legal protection to achieve equality.

• Women should return to traditional domestic roles.

• Women were naturally superior to men.