The French Revolution and Napoleon Flashcards
How did the French Revolution change the balance of power in Europe?
The french revolution established a new political order, Napoleon Bonaparte gained and lost an empire, and European states forged a balance of power.
Why were members of the Third Estate dissatisfied with life under the Old Regime?
They were dissatisfied with the fact they had little political power and they were
taxed a lot.
How did Louis XVI’s weak leadership contribute to the growing crisis in France?
The crisis grew because he let problems and debt get out of control.
Why did the Third Estate propose a change in the Estate-General’s voting rules?
They proposed a change so that way they could control the meetings.
How did the women’s march mark a turning point in the relationship between the king
and the people?
It was a turning point because the king had to bow to keep the people happy.
What were the three classes of French society?
The three classes of French society were the First Estate, the Second Estate, and the Third Estate.
What three factors led to the revolution?
The three factors are that Enlightenment spread ideas that everyone should be equal, the French economy was failing, and the King was a weak leader.
Why did the National Assembly form?
The National Assembly formed because they claimed to represent all the people, and this was the beginning of representative government in France.
Who led the events that happened during the Great Fear?
The Great Fear mainly happened because people were angry about high bread pieces. (prices?)
What major reforms did the National Assembly introduce?
They introduced the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
How did differences of opinion on how to handle such issues as food shortages and debt
affect the Legislative Assembly?
The differences split them into three groups, known as the radicals, moderates, and the conservatives.
What did the September Massacres show about the mood of the people?
It showed that they were scared and quick to act violently.
How did Robespierre justify the use of terror?
He said that terror is similar to justice.
Why did members of the National Assembly turn on Robespierre?
The French wanted economic stability and peace.
What new laws came into being?
Laws such as all special rights for the First and Second Estate were taken away and another law gave men equal rights.
In what ways did the émigrés and sans-culottes have opposing goals?
The émigrés were nobles and others that had fled France, they wanted great change. Sans-culottes wanted even better change, that’s what made them different.
What happened to the king?
The king was declared a common citizen, tried for treason and convicted, and then was beheaded by the guillotine.
How long did the Reign of Terror last?
Not long, it started in 1793, when Robespierre started to rule, and ended in July 1794, when he was put to death.
How was Napoleon able to become a dictator?
He was able to become dictator because he had huge control over an army, and political chaos led to them needing a strong leader.
Why do you think Napoleon crowned himself emperor?
He wanted to show that no one could control him.
By 1805, how successful had Napoleon been in his efforts to build an empire?
He was super successful and he was able to take control of most of Europe.
How could the growing feelings of Nationalism in European countries hurt Napoleon?
Because feelings of nationalism make people fierce and persistent against Napoleon.
Why do you think the French people welcomed back Napoleon so eagerly?
They thought that if they had Napoleon on their side, they would gain great power because of him.
In what ways was the Congress of Vienna a success?
It was a success because it created a new balance of power and a time of peace.
How did the French Revolution affect not only Europe but also other areas of the world?
Everyone wanted independence, so people’s ideas about power and authority led
them to do wild things.
How many estates existed in France?
Three estates existed.
Name and define the three estates
First Estate: Catholic clergy
Second estate: Rich nobles
Third estate: peasants, urban workers and middle class.
Definition of Old Regime
The political and social system that existed in France before the French Revolution.
Definition of Estate
One of the three social classes in France before the French Revolution.
Who was Louis XVI?
He was King of France from 1774 to 1792; his unpopular policies helped trigger the French Revolution. Deposed but the National Convention, he was executed by guillotine.
Who was Marie Antoinette?
She was the Queen of France, the wife of King Louis XVI. She was queen during the French Revolution and was disliked by many French citizens. She was found guilty of treason and guillotined.
Estates-General
an assembly of representatives of all three of the estates, or social classes, in France.
National Assembly
a french congress was established by representatives of the Third Estate on June 17, 1789, to enact laws and reforms in the name of the French people.
Tennis Court Oath
a pledge made by the members of France’s National Assembly in 1789, in which they vowed to continue meeting until they had drawn up a new constitution.
Great Fear
a wave of senseless panic that spread through the French countryside after the storming of the Bastille in 1789.
Legislative Assembly
a french congress, with the power to create laws and approve declarations of war, established by the constitution of 1791.
émigré
a person who leaves their native country for political reasons, like the nobles and others who fled France during the peasant uprising of the French Revolution.
Sans Culotte
in the French Revolution, a radical group made up of Parissieness wage-earners and small shopkeepers who wanted a greater voice in government, lower prices and an end to food shortages.
Jacobin
members of a radical political organization.
guillotine
a machine for beheading people used as a means of execution during the French Revolution.
Maximilian Roberspierre
Leading figure of the French Revolution; he was known for his intense dedication to the Revolution. He became increasingly radical and led the National Convention during its most bloodthirsty time.
Reign of Terror
the period from mid-1793 to mid-1794 when Robespierre ruled France nearly as a dictator and thousands of political figures and ordinary citizens were executed.
Napoleon Bonaparte
General, emperor of France. He seize power in a coup d’etat in 1799. He led French armies in conquering much of Europe, placing his relatives in positions of power. Defeated in the Battle of Waterloo, he was exiled to the island of Elba.
Coup d’etat
a sudden seizure of political power in a nation.
plebiscite
a direct vote in which a country’s people have the opportunity to approve or reject a proposal.
lyceé
a government-run public school in France.
concordat
a formal agreement. Especially one between the Pope and the government, dealing with the control of the Church affairs.
Napoleonic Code
a comprehensive and uniform system of laws established in France by Napoleon.
Battle of Trafalgar
an 1805 naval battle in which Napoleon’s forces were defeated by a British fleet under the control of Horatio Nelson.
blockade
the use of troops or ships to prevent commercial traffic from entering or leaving a city or region.
Continental System
Napoleon’s policy of preventing trade between Great Britain and Continental Europe intended to destroy Great Britain’s economy.
guerrilla
a member of a loosely organized fighting force that makes surprise attacks on enemy troops occupying their country.
Peninsula War
a conflict, lasting from 1808 to 1813, in which Spanish rebels with the aid of British forces, fought to drive Napoleon’s French troops out of Spain.
Scorched Earth Policy
the practice of burning crops and killing livestock during wartime so that the enemy cannot live off the land.
Waterloo
A village in Belgium. The site of Napoleon’s last battle in 1815.
Hundred Days
a brief period during 1815 when Napoleon made his last bid for power, deposing the French king and again becoming Emperor of France.
Congress of Vienna
a series of meetings in 1814-1815, during which the European leaders sought to establish long-lasting peace and security after the defeat of Napoleon.
Klemens von Metternich
Austrian statesman and diplomat. He was the Austrian representative at the Congress of Vienna.
Balance of Power
A political situation in which no nation is powerful enough to pose a threat to others.
Legitimacy
The hereditary right of a monarch to rule.
Holy Alliance
a league of European nations formed by the leaders of Russia, Austria and Prussia after the Congress of Vienna.
Concert of Europe
a series of alliances among European nations in the 19th Century, devised by Prince Klemens von Metternich to prevent the outbreak of revolution.
