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Chapter 23 Key Terms

Terms in this set (42)

Old Regime
the political and social system that existed in France before the French revolution
Estates
three social classes in France before the French Revolution - the first estate consisted of the clergy, the second of nobility, and the third of the rest of the population
Estates General
an assembly of representatives from all three of the estates, or social classes, in France
National Assembly
A French congress 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 drew 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
Declaration of the Rights of Man
A statement of revolutionary ideals adopted by French's National Assembly in 1789
Legislative Assembly
A French congress with the power to create laws and approve declarations of war, established by the Constitution on 1791.
Emigres
People who leave their native country for political reasons, like the nobles who fled France during the peasant uprisings of the French Revolution
Sans-Culottes
in the French Revolution, a radical group made up of Parisian wage-earners and small shopkeepers who wanted a greater voice in the government, lower prices, and an end of food shortages.
Guillotine
A machine for beheading people. used as a means of execution during the French Revolution
Committee of Public Safety
A committee established during the French Revolution to identify "enemies of the republic"
Reign of Terror
the period from mid 1793 to mid 1794 when Maximilien Robespierre ruled France nearly as a dictator and thousands of political figures and ordinary citizens were executed
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
Lycee
A government run public school
Concordat
A formal agreement- especially one between the Pope and a government, dealing with the control of church affairs
Napoleonic Codes
A comprehensive and uniform system of laws established for France by Napoleon
Battle of Trafalgar
an 1805 naval battle in which Napoleon's forces were defeated by a British fleet under the command of Horatio Nelson
Blockade
The use of troops or ships to prevent commercial traffic from entering or leaving a city/region
Continental System
Napoleon's policy of preventing trade between Great Britain and continental Europe, intended to destroy Great Britain's economy.
Guerilla
A member of a loosely organized fighting force that makes surprise attacks on enemy troops occupying his/her country
Peninsular 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
Scoarched-Earth Policy
The practice of burning crops and killing livestock during wartime so that the enemy cannot live off the land.
Waterloo
The village in Belgium near which a battle was fought. The British and the Prussians defeated the French.
Hundred Days
The 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 between 1814-1815 during which the European leaders sought to establish long-lasting peace and security after the defeat of Napoleon
Balance of Power
A political situation in which no one nation is powerful enough to pose a threat to others
Legitimacy
the hereditary right for 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 revolutions
Bourgeoisie
The first group in the third estate which were merchants and artisans. They were well-educated and believed strongly in the Enlightenment ideals of liberty and equality. They paid high taxes and many felt they were entitled to a greater social status
Tithes
Taxes paid to the Church
Bastille
Prison in Paris that fell into the control of the citizens
Comte d'Antaigues
expressed the central idea of popular sovereignty
Jacobin club
the most radical political club where violent speech making was the order of the day. The jacobins wanted to removed the king and establish a republic. One of their prominent leaders was Jean Paul Marat.
Louis XVI
Became king in 1774 who increased the debt by burrowing money to help the American revolutionaries in their war against Great Britian. Weak and indecisive ruler.
Marie Antoinette
Wife of Louis XVI. Member of the Austrian royal family - a long time rival of France. she spent a lot of money on gowns, jewels, and gifts
National Convention
Abolished the monarchy and declared France a republic
Maximilien Robespierre
Tried to wipe out every trace of France's past monarchy and nobility. Changed EVERYTHING from playing cards to names.
Napoleon Bonaparte
defended the delegates of the National Convention. Dissolved the Directory and quickly assumed dictatorial powers. Order and stability under him; set up lycees; created the Napoleonic Code and signed a concordat
Klemens von Metternich
Foreign minister of Austria that distrusted the democratic ideals of the French Revolution. He had three goals at the Congress of Vienna:
1) prevent future French aggression by surrounding France with strong countries
2) restore balance of power
3) wanted to restore Europe's royal families to the throngs they had held before Napoleon's conquest
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