Chapter 19 Terms

July 4, 1776

The second continental congress approved the Declaration of Independence, which was written by Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson

(1743-1826). He was a delegate from Virginia at the Second Continental Congress and wrote the Declaration of Independence. He later served as the third President of the United States.

Continental Army

The army created by the Second Continental Congress in 1775 to defend the American colonies from Britain. It was led by George Washington

Loyalists

American colonists who remained loyal to Britain and opposed the war for Independence. They made up around 15-30% of the population, they were strongest in New York and Pennsylvania and were usually wealthy, older, and politically moderate.

Patriots

American colonists who fought for independence from Great Britain during the Revolutionary War.

Articles of Confederation

It was the nation's first constitution, which was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1781 during the Revolution. It did little to provide for a strong central government. The document was limited because states held most of the power, and Congr

Constitution

Was approved by the stated by a slim margin in 1788. Gave the power for the government to levy taxes, raise a national army, regulate domestic and foreign trade, and create a national currency. Was divided into 3 branches. It included bill of rights which

Marquis de Lafayette

French soldier who served under George Washington in the American Revolution (1757-1834). Joined the army with GW to "strike a blow against England", which was France's old enemy. He returned to France with ideas of individual liberties and notions of rep

First Estate

Consisted of the clergy, numbered about 130,000 people. Church owned around 10% of the land. Clergy were exempt from the Taille, France's chief tax. Clergy were also radically divided, since the higher clergy, stemming from aristocratic families, shared t

Taille

An annual direct tax, on land or property, that provided a regular source of income for the French government. The Clergy were exempt from paying this.

Second Estate

Was the nobility, composed of no more than 350,000 people who owned about 25-30% of the land. They held many of the leading positions in the government, military, law courts, and higher church offices. Much heavy industry was controlled by nobles either t

Nobility of the Robe

New nobles who purchased their titles from monarchs and in turn became high officials in the government and remained loyal to the king. It enabled commoners to attain noble rank.

Nobility of the Sword

Claimed to be descendants of the original medieval nobility. They sough to expand their privileges at the expense of the monarchy, to defend liberty by resisting the arbitrary actions of monarchy, and to maintain their monopolistic control over positions

Third Estate

The commoners of the society, constituted the majority of the French population. Divided by vast differences in occupation, level of education, and wealth. Peasants alone were 75-80% of the total population, they were the largest of Third Estate, they own

Old Order

France's social and political structure that places the king at the top and three estates below him.

Charles de Calonne

Became Controller-General of Finance. Took office 3 November, 1783. To gain support he convened an "assembly of notables" early in 1787. Forced to call the Estates General, which had not met since 1614. His five reforms were to cut government spending, cr

Estates- General

France's traditional national assembly with representatives of the three estates, or classes, in French society: the clergy, nobility, and commoners. The calling of the Estates General in 1789 led to the French Revolution.

Society of Thirty

A club composed of people from the Paris Salons, they were "Lovers of Liberty," and embraced enlightenment and American ideas of individual liberties, republicanism, and popular sovereignty. Lafayette returned from his duties during the American Revolutio

National Assembly

French Revolutionary assembly (1789-1791). Called first as the Estates General, the three estates came together and demanded radical change. It passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man in 1789.

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.

Bastille Prison

On July 14, 1789, citizens of Paris attacked the Bastille Prison and set its prisoners free during the French Revolution. This act marks the beginning of the French Revolution which ultimately leads to the Reign of Terror. Ultimately leading to Napoleon B

National Guard

People's army of the revolution during those early days of the Revolution. Led by Marquis de Lafayette. It was like a private volunteer police force that served as the muscle of the revolution in the summer of 1789.

Great Fear

The panic and insecurity that struck French peasants in the summer of 1789 and led to their widespread destruction of manor houses and archives.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

Adopted on August 26, 1789. This was the new constitution that the National Assembly wrote that gave all citizens free expression of thoughts and opinions and guaranteed equality before the law and rights.

Olympe de Gouges

She was a playwright and pamphleteer. A proponent of democracy, she demanded the same rights for French women that French men were demanding for themselves. In her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen (1791), she challenged the practi

Women's March to Versailles

On October 5, 1789, rumors spread in Paris that the royals were hoarding all the grain. A hungry mob of 6,000 largely working-class women decided to march on the Palace of Versailles, taking with them pieces of cannon and other weaponry. They forced the r

Legislative Assembly

A French congress with the power to create laws and approve declarations of war, established by the Constitution of 1791.

Jacobins

Radical republicans during the French Revolution. They were led by Maximilien Robespierre from 1793 to 1794. Responsible for the Reign of Terror and the Execution of the King.

Varennes

City at which Louis XVI was apprehended while trying to escape from France to the Austrian Netherlands.

Declaration of Pillnitz

An August 27, 1791, warning from King Fredrick William II of Prussia and Emperor Leopold II of Austria announcing that they would intervene militarily in France if any harm came to King Louis XVI, who had just been captured trying to escape with his famil

Paris Commune

The revolutionary municipal council, led by radicals, that engaged in a civil war (March-May 1871) with the National Assembly of the newly established Third Republic, set up after the defeat of Napoleon III in the Franco- Prussian War.

Sans- culottes

In the French Revolution, a radical group made up of patriot wage-earners, and small shopkeepers who wanted a greater voice in government, lower prices, and an end of food shortages. They were ordinary patriots without fine clothes.

Georges Danton

French revolutionary leader who was the minister of justice, and stormed the Bastille and who supported the execution of Louis XVI. Leader of the Committee of Public Safety. Was guillotined by Robespierre for his opposition to the Reign of Terror (1759-17

Girondins

They were moderates in the National Assembly. They favored having a king and wanted an absolute monarchy like England. They were the first people to control the National Assembly. (Called this because their leaders came from the Gironde department, locate

Mountains

(Called this because their seats were on the side of the convention hall where the floor slanted upward). Represented the interests of the city of Paris and owed much of its strength to the radical and popular elements in the city. They won at the beginni

Committee of Public Safety

Created by the National Convention, 12 people, had almost absolute power, battled to protect the revolution, and prepared France for war by ordering all citizens to join the war-effort, responsible for executing up to 40,000 French deemed as traitors to t

Maximilien Robespierre

He was a lawyer and a member of the National Convention. Led the Mountain side of the National Convention. Had the Mountains join forces with the sans-culottes, as well as joining the Committee of Public Safety. Helped France's financial situation through

Reign of Terror

This was the period in France where Robespierre ruled and used revolutionary terror to solidify the home front. He tried rebels and they were all judged severely and most were executed.

De-Christianization

During the Terror, The Catholic Church was linked to real or potential counter-revolutions. Religion was linked with the Ancient Regime, and Superstition, and so the Committee of Public Safety enacted measures to reduce its influence. IT included: New Cal

French Revolutionary calendar

part of the de-Christianization; adoption of a new republican calendar on October 5, 1793. Years no longer numbered from birth of Christ but from September 22, 1792 (date of birth of French Republic). Calendar was 12 months of three ten day weeks called d

Toussaint L'Ouverture

Was an important leader of the Ha�tian Revolution and the first leader of a free Haiti. In a long struggle again the institution of slavery, he led the blacks to victory over the whites and free coloreds and secured native control over the colony in 1797,

Thermidorean Reaction

Reaction to end of Terror. Because of the success of the French army (now 800,000 strong) many in France no longer willing to put up with Terror atmosphere - no longer a national emergency. Also, Robespierre and the Committee had antagonized all significa

Directory

Group of five men who were given control of France between Robespierre and the Assembly. Overthrown by Napoleon.

Council of Elders

Composed of married or widowed members over the age of 40, which would accept or reject the proposed laws. Was the upper house in the national legislative assembly established by the constitution of 1795

Council of 500

Was the Lower house in the national legislative assembly established by the constitution of 1795. Their function was to initiate legislation

Napoleon Bonaparte

General; Emperor of France; he seized power in a coup d'�tat in 1799; he led French armies in conquering much of Europe, placing his relatives in positions of power. Defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, he was exiled on the island of Elba.

Josephine de Beauharnais

Napoleon's first wife. After failing to give birth to an heir, Napoleon divorced her in favor of the younger Archduchess Marie Louise.

First Consul

Napoleon Bonaparte; became the First Consul of the Republic after disbanding the Legislative assembly; New constitution approved his position in December, 1799.

Civil Code

Napoleonic Code; this code preserved most of the gains of the revolution by recognizing the principle of the equality of all citizens before the law, and ect.

Prefects

Hired by Napolean and were responsible for supervising all aspects of local government in France

Battle of Austerlitz

Battle that took place in the heart of Europe, Napoleon defeated a combined force of Russia, Prussia, and Austria-Hungary making him the master of Europe, Napoleon has Pratzen Heights - higher ground, Napoleon faked a retreat and so old military leaders o

Grand Empire

Built by Napoleon and composed of three parts: an ever-expanding France, a number of dependent satellite kingdoms, and the largely independent but allied states of Austria, Prussia, and Russia

Battle of Trafalgar

An 1805 naval battle in which Napoleon's forces were defeated by a British fleet under the command of Horatio Nelson.

Continental System

Napoleon's policy of preventing trade between Great Britain and continental Europe, intended to destroy Great Britain's economy.

Nationalism

A political creed which was the emphasis on "brotherhood" and solidarity against other peoples.

Great Retreat

Massive pullback of napolean's troops to france after they gave up trying to catch and fight the russians; most troops died on the way back due to fierce winter storms and temperatures.

Elba

This island in the Mediterranean Sea off of Italy where Napoleon was initially exiled after he abdicated the throne for the first time. He promised to never leave, but does so and regains power in France for a short period called the Hundred Days.

Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo, fought on 18 June 1815, was Napoleon Bonaparte's last battle. His defeat put a final end to his rule as Emperor of the French. Waterloo also marked the end of the period known as the Hundred Days, which began in March 1815 after Na

Saint Helena

British island in the South Atlantic. Napoleon's final home after the Battle of Waterloo until his death in 1821.