French Revolution Review

These flashcards contain key vocabulary terms and their definitions related to the French Revolution and its significant political factions and events.

Girondins

A political faction that advocated for a moderate approach to the revolution, opposing radical groups like the Jacobins.

Jacobin Club

A radical political group during the French Revolution, known for their pursuit of equality and centralization of power.

Reign of Terror

A period during 1793-1794 marked by extreme violence and political purges led by the Committee of Public Safety and Robespierre.

Sans-Culottes

Working-class revolutionaries who played a significant role in the radical phase of the French Revolution, advocating for direct democracy.

Coup d'état

The overthrow of a government, particularly notable in the context of Napoleon's seizure of power from the Directory.

Directory

The government of France from 1795 to 1799, characterized by a bicameral legislature and a five-man executive.

National Convention

A governing body during the French Revolution that proclaimed France a Republic and oversaw the execution of Louis XVI.

Committee of Public Safety

An executive government during the French Revolution tasked with protecting the Republic from internal and external threats.

Maximilien Robespierre

A leading figure of the French Revolution and one of the architects of the Reign of Terror, advocating for virtue and terror.

Napoleonic Code

A comprehensive set of laws established by Napoleon in 1804 that reflected revolutionary ideals while also reinforcing patriarchal structures.

What was a primary financial cause of the French Revolution?

France faced immense debt from wars, including the American Revolution, and lavish spending by the monarchy, leading to proposals for tax reforms that were resisted by the privileged classes.

How did the Ancien Régime contribute to social inequality in pre-revolutionary France?

Society was rigidly divided into three Estates, with the First and Second Estates (clergy and nobility) enjoying extensive privileges and tax exemptions, while the Third Estate (commoners) bore the brunt of taxation and lacked political representation.

How did Enlightenment philosophy influence the French Revolution?

Ideas from thinkers like Rousseau, Montesquieu, and Voltaire promoted concepts of liberty, equality, popular sovereignty, and natural rights, challenging the legitimacy of absolute monarchy and aristocratic privilege.

What was the Estates-General and why was it convened in 1789?

An advisory assembly of representatives from France's three Estates, called by King Louis XVI in 1789 to address the severe financial crisis, but it quickly led to disputes over voting procedures.

What was the significance of the Third Estate forming the National Assembly?

On June 17, 1789, representatives of the Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly, asserting their right to represent the nation and signaling a direct challenge to the king's authority.

What was the Tennis Court Oath and its immediate impact?

On June 20, 1789, members of the National Assembly swore not to adjourn until they had drafted a new constitution, demonstrating their resolve and shifting sovereignty from the king to the people.

What was the symbolic importance of the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789?

The attack on the Bastille prison represented a powerful uprising against royal authority and became a symbol of the start of the French Revolution, demonstrating the people's willingness to use force.

What was the 'Great Fear' during the summer of 1789?

A wave of peasant unrest and panic across the French countryside, fueled by rumors of aristocratic plots and banditry, leading to attacks on manor houses and the destruction of feudal records.

What were the core principles asserted in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (August 1789)?

This foundational document proclaimed that all men are born free and equal in rights, including liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression, and established principles of popular sovereignty and due process.

Why did Parisian women march on Versailles in October 1789?

Fueled by severe bread shortages and high prices, thousands of women marched to Versailles demanding action from the king and National Assembly, ultimately forcing the royal family to move to Paris.

What kind of government did the Constitution of 1791 establish in France?

It established a constitutional monarchy where the king retained executive power but his authority was severely limited by a unicameral Legislative Assembly, elected by property-owning male citizens.

What was the significance of the royal family's Flight to Varennes in June 1791?

King Louis XVI and his family attempted to escape Paris to rally counter-revolutionary forces, but their capture eroded public trust in the monarchy and strengthened republican sentiment.

What was the primary role of the Legislative Assembly (1791-1792)?

The first elected body under the 1791 Constitution, it governed France during a period of increasing internal division and the outbreak of war with Austria and Prussia, ultimately failing to stabilize the nation.

What was the Declaration of Pillnitz and how did it impact the French Revolution?

Issued in August 1791 by Austria and Prussia, it warned against harming the French monarchy, intending to deter radicalism but instead fueling French revolutionary fervor and calls for war.

Why did France declare war on Austria in April 1792?

Driven by revolutionary idealism, fears of foreign intervention, and a belief that war would solidify the revolution, France declared war, marking the beginning of the Revolutionary Wars.

What role did the Paris Commune play in the radicalization of the revolution in 1792?

A revolutionary municipal government that gained power in Paris following the August 10, 1792 insurrection, it became a stronghold for Sans-Culottes and a driving force behind the overthrow of the monarchy.

What were the September Massacres of 1792?

A series of killings in which Parisian mobs stormed prisons and murdered thousands of prisoners, including aristocrats, priests, and common criminals, fueled by panic over approaching Prussian armies and fears of royalist plots.

Why was King Louis XVI executed and when?

After being tried by the National Convention for treason, he was found guilty and executed by guillotine on January 21, 1793, formally ending the monarchy in France.

Who were the Montagnards within the National Convention?

A radical faction, primarily Jacobins, who held seats on the highest benches (the "Mountain") of the National Convention and advocated for extreme measures to defend the revolution, dominating the Committee of Public Safety.

What was a key ideological difference between the Girondins and the Montagnards?

Girondins favored a more decentralized, federalist republic and were wary of Parisian popular influence, while Montagnards (Jacobins) advocated for strong central government and were aligned with the radical Sans-Culottes in Paris.

What was the Vendée Revolt and why was it significant?

A major royalist and Catholic counter-revolutionary uprising in western France (1793-1796), driven by resistance to conscription, dechristianization, and growing radicalism in Paris, leading to civil war.

What was Maximilien Robespierre's primary role within the Committee of Public Safety?

As a dominant figure, he articulated the concept of 'virtue and terror,' justifying the use of extreme violence to purify and protect the Republic from its enemies, becoming the architect of the Reign of Terror.

What was the Law of Suspects (September 1793) during the Reign of Terror?

A decree that allowed for the arrest and speedy trial of anyone suspected of being an enemy of the revolution, vastly expanding the reach of the Revolutionary Tribunals and contributing to the scale of executions.

What was the function of the Revolutionary Tribunals during the Reign of Terror?

Courts established to try political offenders, operating with simplified procedures and often leading to swift convictions and executions, designed to eliminate perceived enemies of the Republic.

What was the dechristianization campaign during the height of the Reign of Terror?

A series of policies aimed at eradicating Catholic influence in France, including closing churches, replacing religious holidays with revolutionary festivals, and attempting to establish a 'Cult of Reason.'

What was the Cult of the Supreme Being, promoted by Robespierre?

A deist civic religion intended to replace Christianity and unite French citizens around republican values and a belief in a transcendent being, introduced by Robespierre shortly before his fall.

What was the significance of the 'Levée en Masse' (August 1793)?

A mass conscription order that mobilized all available French citizens for military service or war production, creating an unprecedented national army that successfully defended the Republic against foreign invaders.

What was the Thermidorian Reaction (July 1794)?

The period following the overthrow and execution of Robespierre, marking the end of the radical phase of the revolution, characterized by a backlash against Jacobin excesses, a relaxation of terror, and a move towards more moderate policies.

What was the 'White Terror' that followed the Thermidorian Reaction?

A period of anti-Jacobin violence and persecution by royalists and moderates against former revolutionaries, particularly in provinces, in retaliation for the Reign of Terror.

What was the key feature of the Constitution of Year III (1795) that established the Directory?

It sought to prevent both radical democracy and royalist restoration by establishing a bicameral legislature and a five-member executive body (the Directory), along with property qualifications for voting.

What were some key weaknesses that plagued the Directory government?

It suffered from political instability, corruption, financial inefficiency, and a reliance on the military to suppress both royalist uprisings and renewed Jacobin threats, preventing long-term stability.

How did Napoleon Bonaparte first rise to prominence during the French Revolution?

He gained recognition as a brilliant military strategist, notably suppressing a royalist uprising in Paris in 1795, and achieving significant victories in the Italian Campaign against Austria (1796-1797).

What was the significance of Napoleon's Italian Campaign?

This campaign showcased Napoleon's military genius through swift and decisive victories against Austrian and Sardinian forces, securing French control over northern Italy and greatly enhancing his reputation.

What event officially ended the Directory and instigated Napoleon's rise to power?

The Coup of 18 Brumaire (November 9, 1799) was a military coup d'état led by Napoleon Bonaparte that overthrew the Directory and established the Consulate, with Napoleon as First Consul.

What was the Consulate period (1799-1804) under Napoleon?

A nominally republican government, but effectively an authoritarian regime headed by three Consuls, with Napoleon as First Consul holding the vast majority of power, consolidating control and implementing reforms.

What was the purpose of the Concordat of 1801 between Napoleon and the Pope?

This agreement reconciled the Catholic Church with the French state after the dechristianization period, recognizing Catholicism as the religion of the majority of Frenchmen while maintaining state control over clergy appointments and salaries.

When and why did Napoleon crown himself Emperor of the French?

On December 2, 1804, in a symbolic move to assert his sovereignty over the Church and traditional monarchical claims, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor, establishing the First French Empire.

Beyond revolutionary ideals, what were some lasting impacts of the Napoleonic Code?

It established legal equality for all men (but not women) before the law, protected private property, and influenced legal systems across Europe, while also reinforcing patriarchal family structures.

What was the Peninsular War and its significance for Napoleon?

A costly and protracted conflict in Spain and Portugal where Spanish guerrillas and British forces fought against Napoleon's occupation, draining French resources and becoming a 'running sore' for the Empire.

What was the Continental System, implemented by Napoleon?

A large-scale economic blockade against British trade, aiming to cripple the British economy by preventing European nations from trading with them, but it largely failed and hurt European economies more.

Why was the Russian Campaign of 1812 a disastrous turning point for Napoleon?

Napoleon's invasion of Russia resulted in the catastrophic loss of the Grande Armée due to harsh winter conditions, scorched-earth tactics by the Russians, and long supply lines, severely weakening his empire.

What was the significance of the Battle of Leipzig ('Battle of the Nations')?

This massive battle saw a coalition of Austrian, Prussian, Russian, and Swedish forces decisively defeat Napoleon's army, forcing him to retreat from Germany and signaling the imminent collapse of his empire.

When and why did Napoleon first abdicate his throne?

Following the defeat at Leipzig and the invasion of France by Allied forces, Napoleon abdicated in April 1814 and was exiled to the island of Elba.

What was the primary goal of the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)?

A meeting of European powers that aimed to restore the old order in Europe after the Napoleonic Wars, establishing a balance of power, redrawing borders, and preventing future French expansion.

What was 'The Hundred Days' period (1815)?

Napoleon's dramatic escape from Elba and his brief return to power in France, which reignited conflict with the European monarchies and ultimately led to his final defeat.

What was the final decisive battle that ended Napoleon's rule?

The Battle of Waterloo (June 1815), where a combined force of British and Prussian armies decisively defeated Napoleon's forces, leading to his second and final abdication.

Where was Napoleon exiled after his final defeat, and what was its significance?

He was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, a far more secure location than Elba, where he remained until his death in 1821, ensuring he could not return to power.

What were some enduring legacies of the French Revolution beyond France?

It inspired revolutions and nationalist movements across Europe and Latin America, spread ideals of liberty, equality, and national sovereignty, and challenged the legitimacy of absolute monarchies and aristocratic privilege.

How did Napoleon's conquests impact the future unification of Germany and Italy?

His redrawing of maps, creation of larger states, and imposition of the Napole