french revolution

Ancien Regime

The rule of the king, nobles, and clergy in France

Louis XVI

Final ruler of France who ruled during the french revolution, he poorly managed the country and its finances, leading the 3rd estate to revolt. Then he lost his head after trying to flee the country with his wife.

Unfair taxation

when the poor were taxed heavily and the rich were taxed little to no a all. This was one of the many causes of the french revolution.

The Great Fear

he Great Fear (French: la Grande Peur) was a wave of panic that swept the French countryside in late July and early August 1789. Fearful of plots by aristocrats to undermine the budding French Revolution (1789-1799), peasants and townspeople mobilized, attacking manorial houses.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

A Document written by marquis de lafayette and Thomas Jefferson guaranteeing freedom and equality, this was based off of the American Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

National Assembly

Governmental body of the Third Estate. The National Assembly acted as a body that would represent the needs of the French people. Moreover, it passed laws, questioned the king on its own authority, and created the first constitution for the French.

Jacobins

Radical Group that controlled the National Assembly by 1793, run by robespierre, who believed that for the revolution to truly be great, the king must be erradicated.

Maximilien Robespierre

Dictator who ordered 40,000 executions by guillotine, most importantly, the execution of Marie Antoinette and Louis the 16th

Storming of the Bastille

The Storming of the Bastille occurred in Paris, France, on 14 July 1789, when revolutionary insurgents attempted to storm and seize control of the medieval armoury, fortress and political prison known as the Bastille.

Tennis Court Oath

Pledge by the Third Estate for a constitution taken in an indoor tennis court after Louis 16th throw them out of the estates general.

Palace of Versailles

Residence of the king and queen

Marie Antoinette

the Queen fo france and wife of Louis 16th, who was sent to her death during the revolt after her husband.

Political Spectrum

Range of political opinions during the French Revolution, including the left (the liberalists who believed the king wasn’t fit to rule), the middle (fence riders), and the right (the conservatives who believe in the king and his almighty power)

Effects of the French Revolution

Fall of monarchy, rise of civil laws, societal changes

Success of French Revolution

Achieved liberty and equality, but not fraternity

Neocolonialism

The use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, especially former dependencies.

EX: The American invasions of Vietnam and Afghanistan (as well as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan)

French Directory (1795)

The Directory was the governing five-member committee in the French First Republic from 26 October 1795- 10 November 1799, when it was overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte in the Coup of Brumaire and replaced by the Consulate.

Estates general

The political and financial situation in France had grown rather bleak, forcing Louis XVI to summon the Estates General. This assembly was composed of three estates – the clergy, nobility and commoners – who had the power to decide on the levying of new taxes and to undertake reforms in the country.

Committee of public safety

The Committee of Public Safety was created by the National Convention in 1793 with the intent to defend the nation against foreign and domestic enemies, as well as to oversee the new functions of the executive government. Members were elected and served for a period of one month.

The reign of terror

The Reign of Terror or simply The Terror was a period of about 11 months during the French Revolution, led by Maximilien de Robespierre. During this time, French people who did not support the revolution were executed at the guillotine. The Reign of Terror was announced on 5 September, 1793.