Vocabulary List for the French Revolution & Latin American Independence – Honors

bourgeoisie - the middle class; the owners of the factories and businesses

conservative - wanting to limit change; in favor of keeping things as they are

egalitarian - having to do with the idea that all humans are equal, particularly in social and political matters

Estates General - a meeting of the three traditional classes of French society, the Church, the nobility, and the commoners

faction - a party or group (as within a government) that is often contentious or self-seeking

fraternity - brotherhood

legislate - to write law

moderate - opposed to extremes; preferring to stay within reasonable limits

monarch - a king or queen

National Assembly - a congress of the representatives of the French population who were democratically elected

nationalism - loyalty and devotion to a country or ethnic group that places emphasis on promoting the interests, cultural and social values, or religion of one group above all others

radical - someone who hopes for extreme changes in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions

reactionary - someone who would like to turn the clock back to some previous better time

salon - A gathering of political and cultural elites, usually at someone's house.

The Terror - the period during the French Revolution when Robespierre and the Committee of Public safety used the guillotine and non-legal arrests and violence to push forward their radical plans

social contract - The belief that government’s right to power comes from a set of rules, either written or understood, between the rulers and the ruled. This set of rules also determines the relationships between citizens and creates the boundaries for behavior of citizens within any given territory.