The French Revolution and Napolean

What were the Three Estates in pre-revolutionary France?

• First Estate: The Clergy (approx. 130,000 people).

• Second Estate: The Nobility (approx. 350,000 people).

• Third Estate: Everyone else—from peasants to the wealthy bourgeoisie (middle class)—comprising about 98% of the population.

What was the Taille?

France's chief tax, which neither the clergy nor the nobles had to pay, leaving the burden almost entirely on the Third Estate.

What was the Tennis Court Oath?

A pledge by the Third Estate (newly calling themselves the National Assembly) to continue meeting until they had drafted a new constitution for France.

What event occurred on July 14, 1789, and why was it significant?

The Storming of the Bastille. An architectural symbol of the old regime's tyranny, its fall saved the National Assembly and signaled the start of the revolution.

What was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen?

A charter of basic liberties inspired by the American Declaration of Independence and the Enlightenment, proclaiming equal rights for all men and freedom of speech/press.

Who were the Sans-culottes?

Radical members of the Paris Commune who wore long trousers instead of knee breeches to distinguish themselves from the wealthy; the name translates to "without breeches.

What was the purpose of the Committee of Public Safety?

A 12-member group, led first by Georges Danton and later by Maximilien Robespierre, given broad powers to protect France from domestic and foreign threats. 

What was the Reign of Terror?

A period from 1793–1794 during which the Committee of Public Safety executed nearly 40,000 people (including Marie Antoinette) perceived as "enemies of the revolution. “

What was the Directory?

The executive branch of the new government established by the Constitution of 1795; it consisted of a committee of five "directors" and was known for its corruption.

How did Napoleon Bonaparte come to power?

Through a coup d’état in 1799, a sudden overthrow of the government that replaced the Directory with the Consulate.

What was the Napoleonic Code (Civil Code)?

A unified law code that preserved revolutionary gains like equality before the law and religious toleration, though it actually reduced rights for women.

What was the Continental System?

Napoleon’s plan to weaken Great Britain by forbidding his allies and conquered territories from trading with them; the plan eventually failed

What led to the collapse of Napoleon’s Grand Empire?

1. The survival of Great Britain (due to its sea power).

2. Nationalism (conquered people resisting French rule).

3. The disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812.

Where was Napoleon’s final defeat?

The Battle of Waterloo in 1815, where he was defeated by a combined British and Prussian army led by the Duke of Wellington