University of Phoenix Material

French Revolution and Napoleonic Era Worksheet

1. Essay

Explain, in 1,050 to 1,400 words, how the following ideas and ideals influenced the events and motivated the participants in the French Revolution:

Liberty
Equality
Brotherhood
Hubris
Fiscal irresponsibility
Democracy
Technology

The French Revolution was a quest for liberty, and centered on people who wanted their freedom. They wanted to be treated as equal participants in the community, not as slaves for the royals or nobles. The peasants who represents more than 90% of France’s population, were working for their own families and everyone else as they paid much more in taxes. Brotherhood was the way of everyone coming together
Napoleon did things without thinking of the consequences, and only wanted to make himself happy. Napoleon had a self-centered gratification at the expense of others, as long as he was at the top. One of the primary reasons the French Revolution began was because of the fiscal irresponsibility of the monarchy. The Clergy men paid no taxes and neither did the Nobles, as soon as they were given the name titles they were exempt from paying these for life. Since France was helping America, and still in debt from the previous war, France was in debt. The harvests were bad because of the poor weather conditions, and people began to starve. Since there was a shortage of money and food, people had to work for less and pay more. In order to make back some money, they confiscated all the church properties, to sell to the public to make extra money. Since the King was giving out money, the stock trade went up, there was relief and difficulties seemed to vanish into thin air. But, since it was money the more they printed, the lower the value of each of piece was. People blamed the rich fro saving their gold and silver, factories closed, and unemployment was on the rise. They prosecuted people who were hoarding and being greedy, they said that paper money was as good as gold. The