French Revolution Flashcards
Versailles
Palace of the French kings; extravagant spending to host parties and keep it in top shape
“L’etat, c’est moi.”
Louis XIV
“Après moi, le deluge.”
Louis XV in reference to whoever ruled after him would have to clean up his (financial) mess
Marie Antoinette
Called Madame Deficit because her luxuries were thought to be contributing the the country deficit
She was out of touch with the common people
Ancien regime
Old order
Where there was absolute monarchy, the estates general, no individual rights, and the three estates
This was abolished during the revolution
The estates general
The French legislative assembly during the old order
Hadn’t been called for 175 years until Louis XVI in 1789
Was eventually abolished
Tennis Court Oath
Oath taken in a tennis court to never separate and to meet until they had made a good constitution
Taken by the National Assembly (third estate)
National Assembly
Formed in 1789
Comprised of the Third Estate
Did three important things: wrote a Declaration of the Rights of Man, took over the lands of the Church, and began writing a constitution
Storming of the Bastille
Bastille- medieval fortress used as a prison
Parisians stormed the Bastille, a symbol of oppression and the old order
French celebrate Bastille Day
La Marseillaise
French national anthem
Originally composed in city of Marseille during the revolution
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Written by the National Assembly
Upheld natural rights, freedom of religion, taxes levied
Modeled after American Dec. of Ind.
Émigrés
Nobility who left France because of the uprisings
Spread horror stories of the revolution in France
The tricolor
Worn to show support for the revolution
Red, white, and blue
Once titles were done away with, people began calling each other these instead:
Citoyen (citizen)
Citoyennes (citizeness)
French dynasty (1643-1793)
Bourbon dynasty
“Liberte, Eqalite, Fraternite”
Slogan of the French Revolution
The National Assembly
Wanted a constitutional monarchy
Wrote the declaration of the rights of man
Took over and sold church lands to pay off debt
Ended papal authority
Wrote the Constitution of 1791
The Legislative Assembly
Created under the Constitution of 1791
Limited monarchy with a legislative assembly to make laws, collect taxes, and decide on issues of war and peace
The national convention
Republic
Reps elected to carry out peoples policies
Universal manhood suffrage
All men have the right to vote
Conscription
The draft of French men into the army, making the French army one of the biggest and most patriotic
Counterrevolutionary
Those against the revolution
Conservative
Sat on the right side
They didn’t want change
Radical
Sat on the left side
Wanted change and were willing to do crazy things to do it
The Reign of Terror
Promoted by Robespierre
Guillotine killed thousands
Fast trials, no mercy
Anyone thought to be against the revolution was killed
Maximilian Robespierre
Leader of the national convention during the Reign of Terror
The guillotine
Weapon of mass executions used during the reign of terror
The directory
Third stage of revolution
Constitution of 1795
In power for 4 years
Weak but dictatorial
