French Revolution Vocab Flashcards
Ancien Regime
(“Old Regime” in English): feudal conditions that existed in France before the French Revolution
Autocratic
having absolute control over people as in autocratic rule
the people have no say in their government because the ruler has complete control over the people’s lives.
Bourgeoisie
The upper middle class, including; merchants, industrialists, and professional people.
- Interested in the ideas of the Enlightenment.
- Leaders of the Revolution
Clergy
the officials of a religious organization
Conservatism
a belief that society should remain the way it has been traditionally
Constitutional Monarchy
a monarch whose power has been limited by a constitution
Dictatorship
a form of government in which one person has complete control over the country and its citizens
Egalitarianism
a belief in human equality, especially worth respect to social, political, legal, and economic rights and privileges.
Enlightenment
the Age of Enlightenment; an 18th-century movement in European philosophy that advocated reason as the prim are base of authority.
Feudal
the political, social, and economic structure of medieval society that remained in parts of Europe into the 1700s
French Revolution
(1789-1799) a political and social upheaval in France that ultimately spread through Europe.
Ideology
a theory or concept about the way in which society should be organized
Individualism
belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal independence.
Liberalism
a political philosophy that all citizens should have government-guaranteed freedoms and equality
Nobility or Aristocracy
a small privileged class of people who were noble (high social rank) by birth.
