- 1. The Coming Of The French Revolution by Georges Lefebvre is a seminal work that delves into the intricate socio-political landscape of France during the late 18th century, a period marked by profound upheaval and change. Lefebvre meticulously examines the tensions between the monarchy, the burgeoning bourgeoisie, and the peasantry, highlighting the economic disparities and the growing discontent among the lower classes that eventually led to the eruption of revolution in 1789. His analysis offers a perspective not just on the events leading to the revolution, but on the ideological currents that shaped the aspirations of the revolutionaries. By exploring the role of Enlightenment thought, popular uprisings, and the influence of various political factions, Lefebvre provides a comprehensive overview of how a confluence of factors — economic strife, social injustice, and enlightened ideals — culminated in a dramatic reshaping of French society. The book serves as both a historical account and a deep theoretical examination, making it a crucial resource for understanding the complexities and the motivations behind one of history's most significant turning points.
What year does Georges Lefebvre identify as the start of the French Revolution?
A) 1793
B) 1776
C) 1815
D) 1789
- 2. What event does Lefebvre describe as the first act of the French Revolution?
A) The execution of Louis XVI
B) The convening of the Estates-General
C) The Storming of the Bastille
D) The Women's March on Versailles
- 3. Lefebvre characterizes the peasant revolts of 1789 as what?
A) The Jacquerie
B) The Great Fear
C) The September Massacres
D) The White Terror
- 4. What pivotal action did the Third Estate take on June 20, 1789?
A) The Storming of the Bastille
B) The Tennis Court Oath
C) The Declaration of the Rights of Man
D) The abolition of feudalism
- 5. Lefebvre argues the financial crisis of the monarchy was exacerbated by France's support for which conflict?
A) The American Revolution
B) The Seven Years' War
C) The War of Austrian Succession
D) The Napoleonic Wars
- 6. Lefebvre's interpretation is often categorized as what type of historical analysis?
A) Conservative
B) Postmodern
C) Marxist
D) Psychoanalytic
- 7. How does Lefebvre characterize King Louis XVI's role in the early revolution?
A) A brilliant strategist
B) Indecisive and weak
C) Completely unaware of events
D) A radical reformer
- 8. What document, according to Lefebvre, embodied the revolutionary ideals of 1789?
A) The Constitution of 1791
B) The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
C) The Code Napoleon
D) The Civil Constitution of the Clergy
- 9. Lefebvre argues that the revolution spread from Paris to the countryside through what mechanism?
A) Organized military campaigns
B) Foreign invasion
C) Rumors and panic
D) Royal proclamations
- 10. Lefebvre sees the Civil Constitution of the Clergy as creating what major division?
A) Between bourgeoisie and peasants
B) Between revolutionary and counter-revolutionary forces
C) Between France and England
D) Between Paris and the provinces
- 11. Lefebvre describes the revolution as having how many distinct phases?
A) Five
B) Three
C) Four
D) Two
- 12. How does Lefebvre characterize the Enlightenment's influence on the revolution?
A) Had no significant influence
B) Provided ideological justification
C) Was opposed by all revolutionaries
D) Directly caused the revolution
- 13. What was the 'cahiers de doléances' according to Lefebvre?
A) Revolutionary newspapers
B) Lists of grievances from the Estates
C) Royal decrees
D) Secret police reports
- 14. What does Lefebvre identify as the main achievement of the 1789 phase?
A) Establishment of a communist state
B) Destruction of the feudal system
C) Creation of a European empire
D) Restoration of absolute monarchy
- 15. The Estates-General was summoned for the first time since when?
A) 1756
B) 1614
C) 1648
D) 1701
- 16. According to Lefebvre, which estate bore the heaviest tax burden before the revolution?
A) The Third Estate
B) The Second Estate
C) The Fourth Estate
D) The First Estate
- 17. What was the name of the legislative body formed by the Third Estate in June 1789?
A) Estates-General
B) National Assembly
C) Committee of Public Safety
D) Parliament of Paris
- 18. What oath did delegates of the Third Estate take in a tennis court?
A) To execute the king
B) To establish a republic
C) To overthrow the monarchy
D) Not to disband until a constitution was written
- 19. Which king was on the throne when the revolution began?
A) Louis XIV
B) Louis XV
C) Louis XVI
D) Charles X
- 20. The 'aristocratic revolution' refers to the nobility's resistance to whom?
A) The monarchy
B) The Church
C) The peasants
D) Foreign powers
- 21. What was the main grievance of the Third Estate regarding voting in the Estates-General?
A) Voting by order rather than by head
B) Lack of universal suffrage
C) Women's exclusion
D) Secret ballots
- 22. Lefebvre's analysis gives particular importance to developments in which century?
A) 17th century
B) 19th century
C) 18th century
D) 16th century
- 23. What was the name given to French nobles who fled the country during the revolution?
A) Émigrés
B) Sans-culottes
C) Girondins
D) Jacobins
- 24. Which group does Lefebvre identify as providing popular revolutionary energy in Paris?
A) Royalists
B) Girondins
C) Jacobins
D) Sans-culottes
- 25. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy (1790) sought to reform which institution?
A) The army
B) The monarchy
C) The judiciary
D) The Catholic Church
- 26. Lefebvre's work was first published in what year?
A) 1917
B) 1968
C) 1939
D) 1789
- 27. According to Lefebvre, what undermined the Old Regime's legitimacy?
A) Foreign influence
B) Economic prosperity
C) Military defeats
D) Enlightenment ideas
- 28. Lefebvre emphasizes the importance of what economic factor?
A) Trade tariffs
B) Gold reserves
C) Bread prices
D) Industrial output
- 29. Lefebvre argues the Revolution was fundamentally about what?
A) Religious reformation
B) Personality conflicts
C) Territorial expansion
D) Class conflict
- 30. Which minister's reforms preceded the Revolution?
A) Mazarin
B) Colbert
C) Richelieu
D) Necker
- 31. Lefebvre sees the Revolution as beginning with what?
A) Popular uprising
B) Aristocratic revolt
C) Foreign invasion
D) Royal decree
- 32. Lefebvre's analysis emphasizes which social group as crucial revolutionary actors?
A) The industrial bourgeoisie
B) The clergy
C) The urban proletariat
D) The peasantry
- 33. Which estate does Lefebvre identify as initiating the revolutionary process in 1787-88?
A) The urban workers
B) The peasantry
C) The aristocracy
D) The bourgeoisie
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