The Enlightenment
This English philosopher argued that all people are born with "natural rights" to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness
Who is John Locke?
Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, this 1776 document stated that the colonies were breaking away from King George III.
What is the Declaration of Independence?
This social class made up about 97% of France's population but paid almost all of the country's taxes.
What is the Third Estate, or the peasants?
He was the commander of the American Continental Army and later became the first U.S. President.
Who is George Washington?
This popular slogan summarized the biggest complaint American colonists had against British tax policies.
What is "No taxation without representation"?
Montesquieu believed government power should be divided into three branches, an idea known as this.
What is the separation of powers? (Accept "checks and balances").
This 1773 protest involved colonists dumping 342 chests of British tea into a harbor to protest taxes without representation.
What is the Boston Tea Party?
This heavily feared machine became the official symbol of the revolution, used to execute thousands of "enemies of the republic."
What is the guillotine?
This absolute monarch was the King of France when the French Revolution broke out; he was later executed.
Who is Louis XVI?
These were the three core words of the French Revolution's motto (English or French terms accepted).
What are Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity? (Liberté, égalité, fraternité).
This French thinker used sharp wit and satire to fight for freedom of speech and religious tolerance.
Who is Voltaire?
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson directly borrowed John Locke’s Enlightenment idea of "natural rights," changing the wording slightly to these three unalienable rights.
What are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness?
This radical phase of the revolution, led by the Committee of Public Safety, resulted in roughly 17,000 executions.
What is the Reign of Terror?
This radical leader masterminded the Reign of Terror before he was eventually arrested and guillotined himself.
Who is Maximilien Robespierre?
This term refers to an intellectual movement in the 1700s that emphasized reason, science, and individualism over tradition.
What is the Enlightenment?
Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote that citizens enter into this unspoken agreement, giving up some freedom in exchange for government protection.
What is the Social Contract?
The Treasury Secretary was later shot by Aaron Burr
Who is Alexander Hamilton?
After the King was executed, this military dictator took power from the rebels.
Who was Napoleon?
This brilliant military general took advantage of the chaos in France to launch a coup d'état and crown himself Emperor.
Who is Napoleon Bonaparte?
This French term refers to the wealthy middle class—like merchants, doctors, and lawyers—who belonged to the Third Estate.
What is the bourgeoisie?
This 28-volume set of books, edited by Denis Diderot, was created to gather all human knowledge and spread Enlightenment ideas worldwide.
The Encyclopedia
This branch of government interprets the laws passed by Congress.
What is the Judicial Branch or the Court system?
The revolution officially began on July 14, 1789, when an angry mob stormed this medieval fortress and prison in Paris.
What is the Bastille?
This French queen was widely hated for her lavish spending and allegedly saying "Let them eat cake"
Who is Queen Marie Antoinette?
The sudden, forced, and typically illegal overthrow of a government, usually carried out by a small faction from within the state's own military or ruling establishment.
What is a coup d'état ?