French Revolution:

Absolute Monarchy

A system of government where the king has complete control and power.

Louis XVI

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

Three Estates

The three social classes in France: clergy, nobility, and the Third Estate.

First Estate

Clergy of the Catholic Church; paid few taxes and had privileges.

Second Estate

Nobility; wealthy landowners with special rights and low taxes.

Third Estate

Common people of France who paid most taxes but had little power.

Estates-General

Assembly representing the three estates; met in 1789 to address France’s financial crisis.

National Assembly

Government formed by the Third Estate to represent the people of France.

Tennis Court Oath

Promise by the National Assembly not to disband until a constitution was written.

Storming of the Bastille

July 14, 1789 event where revolutionaries attacked a prison symbolizing royal tyranny.

Enlightenment

Intellectual movement promoting reason, natural rights, and equality.

Natural Rights

Basic rights all people are born with, such as life, liberty, and property.

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that government power comes from the people.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

Document stating all men are free and equal with protected rights.

Jacobins

Radical political group that supported extreme revolutionary change.

Robespierre

Leader of the Jacobins during the Reign of Terror.

Reign of Terror

Period when thousands were executed to protect the revolution.

Guillotine

Execution device used during the French Revolution.

Republic

A government without a king, led by elected officials.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Military leader who took power in 1799 and later became emperor.