French Revolution Vocabulary Quiz

Key Terms and Definitions

• August: Refers to decrees issued by the National Assembly during the French Revolution, significant in shaping revolutionary policies.

• Belgium: A country acquired by France through the Treaty of Campo-Formio, reshaping European borders during the late 18th century.

• Jacobins: A radical political faction during the French Revolution known for their influential role in governmental decisions and revolutionary reforms.

• Terror: This term relates to the period known as the Reign of Terror, managed by the Committee of Public Safety, marked by widespread political purges.

• Nobility: Represents members of the Second Estate in French society, who held privileged status and faced significant challenges during the revolution.

Revolutionary Events and Concepts

• Tennis Court Oath: A pivotal event in 1789, where members of the National Assembly pledged not to disband until a new constitution was established, symbolizing unity against royal authority.

• Access: The denial of entry to the National Assembly meeting hall by Louis XVI demonstrated the tension between the monarchy and revolutionary representatives.

• Estates: The advisory assembly to Louis XVI comprised three separate estates: the clergy, nobility, and commoners, playing key roles in the revolution's political landscape.

• Directory: A governing body established in 1795, representing a reaction against the excesses of the Revolution and marked by attempts at stabilizing France after the Reign of Terror.

Influential Figures and Agreements

• Lucien: Brother to Napoleon Bonaparte, involved in the political maneuvers and rise of Napoleonic power.

• Austria: Notable as the birthplace of Marie Antoinette and a primary adversary of France during the Revolutionary Wars, influencing French foreign policy.

• Assignats: A revolutionary form of currency, introduced to help stabilize the economy during the financial crisis of the revolution.

• Law of Suspects: This legislation allowed for the arrest of individuals based on suspicion rather than evidence, contributing to the climate of fear during the Revolution.

• Cult: Referring to Robespierre's Cult of the Supreme Being, which aimed to establish a new civic religion based on deism, reflecting the revolutionary desire for societal transformation.

• Pius: The Pope during the Concordat of 1801, which sought to reconcile the Catholic Church with the French state under Napoleon's regime.

• Babeuf: Known for his conspiracy to overthrow the Directory in 1796, advocating for equal rights and property distribution.

• Sans Culottes: Referring to working-class revolutionaries who played a crucial role in the Paris uprising, characteristic of their distinct fashion and fervent revolutionary spirit.