Key Events and Terms of the French Revolution

These flashcards cover key terms, individuals, and events related to the French Revolution and its impact on government and society.

Old Regime

The old system in France where the king had all the power and most people were treated unfairly.

Estate

One of the three social classes in France (clergy, nobles, or common people).

Louis XVI

The king of France who made poor decisions and could not fix the country’s money problems.

Marie Antoinette

The queen of France who was disliked for allegedly wasting money while others were poor.

Estates-General

A meeting of the three estates that highlighted the unfairness of the government system.

National Assembly

A new government body formed by the Third Estate to represent the people of France.

Tennis Court Oath

A promise made by the Third Estate to continue meeting until France had a constitution.

Great Fear

A period when peasants panicked and attacked noble estates out of fear of losing their rights.

Legislative Assembly

The lawmaking body created by the Constitution of 1791 with the power to make laws and declare war.

émigré

Nobles and others who fled France during the Revolution, aiming to restore the Old Regime.

sans-culotte

Working-class Parisians who advocated for more radical changes and influenced events through protests.

Jacobin

A radical political group that supported extreme measures to protect the Revolution.

guillotine

A device used for executions during the Revolution, especially during the Reign of Terror.

Maximilien Robespierre

A leading Jacobin who became head of the Committee of Public Safety and ruled as a dictator.

Reign of Terror

The period from 1793 to 1794 when thousands were executed to eliminate enemies of the Revolution.

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

The slogan that summed up the goals of the Revolution, expressing freedom and unity among citizens.

Faction

A group within the Legislative Assembly similar to modern political groups, ranging from radicals to conservatives.

Radical

A political group seeking major changes, similar to some factions in the Legislative Assembly.

Moderate

A faction seeking limited change, analogous to moderate groups in current political systems.

Conservative

A group wanting to maintain existing conditions, reflecting the desires of some members of the Legislative Assembly.

Terror

A term Robespierre used to justify extreme control and mass executions during the Revolution.

Committee of Public Safety

A governing body headed by Robespierre, aimed at protecting the Revolution during crises.

Counter-revolution

The action or movement against the Revolution, which Robespierre feared and sought to eliminate.

Symbol of Rebellion

The storming of the Bastille became a symbolic representation of the uprising against monarchy.

Women’s March on Versailles

An event where women marched to demand food and force the king and queen to return to Paris.

Constitution of 1791

The document that established the Legislative Assembly and limited the powers of the king.

Execution

The process of carrying out a death sentence, prominently through the guillotine during the Revolution.

Robespierre

Became a dictator because France faced war, internal rebellion,and fear of counter-revolution. As head of the Committee of Public Safety, he claimed that terror was necessary to protect the Revolution, which allowed him to justify extreme control and mass executions.