unit 8

1st Estate

The clergy of the Catholic Church in France, often privileged and wealthy.

2nd Estate

The nobility in France, possessing land and privileges.

3rd Estate

The common people in France, which included the bourgeoisie, urban workers, and peasants.

Bourgeoisie

The middle class in France, including merchants and professionals.

The Old Order

The system of feudalism and absolute monarchy in pre-revolutionary France.

Philosophes

Intellectuals of the Enlightenment who applied reason to reform society.

Financial Crisis

A major economic issue in France due to debt and poor management.

Parlements

Regional judicial bodies in France that held authority over certain laws.

Estates-General

The representative assembly in France, called in times of crisis.

Cahiers

Lists of grievances drawn up by each estate in preparation for the Estates-General.

Abbe Sieyes

A cleric and political writer who supported the Third Estate.

National Assembly

The revolutionary assembly formed by representatives of the Third Estate.

Tennis Court Oath

A pledge made by members of the National Assembly not to disband until a new constitution was established.

Louis XVI

King of France during the French Revolution; executed in 1793.

The Bastille

A fortress in Paris; its storming on July 14, 1789, marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

The Great Fear

A period of panic and riots by peasants amidst fears of noble reprisals.

Declaration of Rights of Man

A foundational document of the French Revolution affirming individual rights and freedoms.

Olympe de Gouges

A feminist playwright who wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman.

Women’s March to Versailles

A march by women demanding bread and the return of the king to Paris.

Civil Constitution of the Clergy

A law that restructured the Catholic Church in France and brought it under governmental control.

Legislative Assembly

The governing body that replaced the National Assembly during the revolution.

Jacobins

A radical political group during the French Revolution advocating for republicanism.

Varennes

A town where Louis XVI was captured while attempting to flee France.

The “Marseillaise”

The national anthem of France, originating from revolutionary songs.

Sans-Culottes

Working-class men and women who pushed for radical revolutionary change.

Paris Commune

The government body that ruled Paris and pushed for more radical measures during the revolution.

George Danton

A leading figure in the early stages of the French Revolution and a key member of the Committee of Public Safety.

National Convention

The assembly that governed France during the most radical phase of the Revolution.

Girondins

A moderate group within the National Convention.

The Mountain

The radical faction of the National Convention that supported the Revolution.

Vendee Rebellion

An uprising in the Vendée region against the National Convention.

Robespierre

Leader of the Committee of Public Safety and key figure during the Reign of Terror.

Committee on Public Safety

The executive government during the revolution tasked with protecting the Republic from internal enemies.

Reign of Terror

A period during the revolution characterized by extreme political repression and mass executions.

Marie Antoinette

The last queen of France before the French Revolution, known for her influence and extravagance.

Republic of Virtue

Robespierre's vision of a morally good society achieved through revolutionary change.

De-Christianization

Policies aimed at reducing the influence of the Catholic Church during the revolution.

Toussaint L’Ouverture

Leader of the Haitian Revolution who inspired freedom and equality.

Thermidorian Reaction

The overthrow of Robespierre and the end of the Reign of Terror.

Directory

The government set up after the fall of Robespierre that ruled from 1795 to 1799.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Military leader who rose to power after the French Revolution and became Emperor of France.

The Concordat of 1801

An agreement between Napoleon and the Pope that recognized Catholicism as the majority religion.

The Civil Code (The Code Napoleon)

A legal code established under Napoleon that ensured civil rights and property rights.

Prefects

Administrators appointed by Napoleon to oversee departments of France.

The Continental System

Napoleon's economic blockade against Britain.

Nationalism

A sense of pride in one's country or nation, often resulting in the desire for independence or self-governance.

The Quadruple Alliance

The alliance of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain formed to counterbalance France.

Congress of Vienna

A conference of ambassadors of European states held to reconfigure the political order after Napoleon.

Klemens von Metternich

A key diplomat and statesman at the Congress of Vienna, known for his conservative views.

Principle of Legitimacy

The idea that rightful monarchs should be restored to power after Napoleon's defeat.

Balance of Power

The distribution of power among nations to prevent any one nation from becoming too strong.

Conservatism

A political philosophy that promotes retaining traditional institutions.

Edmund Burke

An English statesman and philosopher who is considered the father of modern conservatism.

The Concert of Europe

A system of alliances among European powers to maintain peace after the Napoleonic Wars.

Principle of Intervention

The belief that countries have the right to intervene in the affairs of other nations to preserve order.

Karlsbad Decrees

Measures imposed by Metternich to suppress dissent and maintain conservative authority.