French Revolution Flashcards
What was the Great Fear?
a wave of senseless panic that spread throughout the French countryside after the storming of the Bastille
What was an estate?
A social class
What is a guillotine?
a machine used for beheading people
Who was Maximilien Robespierre?
Jacobian leader who slowly gained power and eventually led the Reign of Terror
Define coup de’état
“blow to the state”; a sudden seizure of political power in a nation
What was the Napoleonic Code?
a comprehensive and uniform system of laws established for France by Napoleon
What major event happened near the town of Waterloo?
a battle fought by the Prussians and British against Napoleon to end his return to power, also known as the Hundred Days
What was the Congress of Vienna?
a series of meetings, in which the European leaders sought to establish peace in France after the defeat of Napoleon
Why was the Estate system unfair in France?
The majority of the population, the Third Estate, had to pay all of the taxes; they were getting poorer and poorer while up in the top two estates, people were more than fine
Why was the fall of the Bastille important?
It sparked the idea of a French revolution against the monarchy
What were two political reforms that resulted from the French Revolution?
The Congress of Vienna and the Holy Alliance?
What was the Holy Alliance?
an alliance between Austria, Russia, and Prussia that wanted peace (through Christianity?)
What was Robespierre’s idea or goal during the Reign of Terror?
He wanted to strike fear into citizen’s heart to make them obey by killing many, many people
What were a couple examples of how Napoleon bettered the community of France during his reign?
He introduced a new tax system, a national banking system, and public schools (lycée)
Who was Prince Klemen von Metternich?
a major leader of the Congress of Vienna
