French Revolution and Napoleon

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and events from the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon.

Estates-General

A general assembly representing the three estates of the French realm: clergy, nobility, and commoners.

National Assembly

The revolutionary assembly formed by the representatives of the Third Estate in France.

Tennis Court Oath

A pledge made by members of the Third Estate not to disband until a new constitution had been established.

Bastille

A medieval fortress and prison in Paris, stormed by revolutionaries on July 14, 1789, marking the beginning of the French Revolution.

The Great Fear

A period of panic and riot by peasants in France that occurred from July to August 1789.

Reign of Terror

A period from July 1793 to July 1794 during the French Revolution characterized by extreme violence and mass executions.

Guillotine

A device used for carrying out executions by beheading, prominently used during the Reign of Terror.

Maximilien Robespierre

A leading figure of the French Revolution, associated with the Reign of Terror, who ultimately became a dictator.

Georges Danton

A leading figure in the early stages of the French Revolution, known for his oratory skills.

Coup d'état

A sudden overthrow of a government, often involving the military.

Napoleon Bonaparte

A military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and became Emperor of France.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

A fundamental document of the French Revolution that outlines individual rights and the principles of democracy.

Monarchy vs. Democracy

The political conflict between the traditional royal authority and the emerging system of democratic governance during the French Revolution.

Storming of the Bastille

An event that symbolized the revolution against the monarchy and led to the establishment of the National Assembly.

Jacobin

A member of the radical revolutionary faction that dominated the French Revolution and was known for its austere policies.

Marie Antoinette

The last Queen of France before the French Revolution, married to King Louis XVI, and executed during the Reign of Terror.

Republic of Virtue

The ideological framework that emerged during the French Revolution advocating for civic virtue and morality.