a king or queen who has the unchecked authority to do whatever he or she wants without any restrictions
absolute monarch
to remove or prohibit books, art, films, or other media that the government finds offensive, immoral, or harmful
censor
an improvement
reform
the belief that kings and queens have a God-given right to rule, and that rebellion against them is a sin
divine right of kings
1/10 of a person's income, paid to support a church
tithe
in France, everyone who was not a member of the nobility or clergy; included everyone from the poorest of the poor to the wealthy middle class
Third Estate
the wealthy members of French society, such as landlords, who were also part of the Third Estate; people who were neither peasants or nobles
bourgeois
the title given to the prince who is next in line to inherit the French throne
dauphin
to allow someone to do what they want; to spoil someone
indulge
a belief or feeling of superiority
arrogance
the money paid by a borrower for the use of someone else's money
interest
an assembly made up of representative from France's Three Estates
Estates-General
a group of people chosen to speak on behalf of a larger group
delegation
a machine designed to behead people quickly with little pain
guillotine
tyranny; rule by a leader who has total and often oppressive power
despotism
the ideas and styles found in the works of ancient Greece and Rome
classicism
a law passed during the French Revolution that allowed the arrest of people suspected of opposing the Revolution
Law of Suspects
a member of a violent, extreme group
Jacobin
a supporter of the king or queen
an extreme shortage of food that results in widespread hunger
famine