French Revolution: Key Terms and Definitions

Key Terms of the French Revolution

  • Absolute Monarchy: A system of government in which the King or Queen has all the power.
  • Ancien Régime: The social and political system in France between the 15th and the late 18th centuries, and similar systems in other parts of Europe during this time.
  • Enlightenment: An 18th-century intellectual movement that believed in reason, science, and knowledge, and proposed a new, more liberal way of organizing society.
  • Manorialism: A medieval system of organizing the economy,
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Final Exam Preparation: Key Concepts and Topics

Your final exam will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions, 5 short answer/identification questions, and one long essay. You will have choices among the questions. You may prepare a 3×5” card to bring to the final, which you can use for the long essay question ONLY.

Terms/Concepts from Lectures and Class Discussions

Economic Means/Models of Economic Management

Understand the economic spectrum, including the extremes, and various economic models. Be familiar with aggregate and distributive aims.

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French Revolution: Causes, Stages, and Legacy

French Revolution: Causes

The French Revolution, starting in 1789, was precipitated by a combination of economic and social crises. The French monarchy faced a severe financial crisis, exacerbated by court costs and expenses from supporting the independence of the United States. Crop failures led to rising prices and widespread popular discontent. The bourgeoisie, a wealthy but politically marginalized class, embraced Enlightenment ideals and sought greater political influence.

Proposed Solution

A

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Primo de Rivera’s Dictatorship and the Monarchy’s Fall

Primo de Rivera and the Fall of the Monarchy

On September 13, 1923, Primo de Rivera launched a military coup against the constitutional government. His intentions with this coup were to solve the serious problems suffered by Spanish society, to rid the country of the “old politics,” and to destroy despotism. The coup was supported by the business communities, the major national banks, and the Church. Neither Republicans nor Socialists opposed it. Only the Anarchists and Communists were against it.

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Spain’s Restoration: Events, Constitution, and Political Turmoil

The Tragic Week and Its Aftermath

The events of the Tragic Week unfolded in Barcelona between 26 and 30 July 1909. It started when Antonio Maura called up reservists to fight in Morocco. The result was street protests, a general strike, and the burning down of the city’s religious institutions. Martial law was imposed throughout Spain, and wide-scale arrests and executions followed. There was a protest movement throughout Western Europe. The impact of the First World War (1914-1919) in Spain can

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19th-Century Labor Movements: Origins and Ideologies

Key Movements and Organizations

Ned Ludd: Name associated with protests involving the destruction of machinery and raw materials, often used to sign threats or claims of responsibility.

Grand National Consolidated Trades Union: Founded in 1834, it united more than half a million workers, both agricultural and industrial.

Chartism: A mass political movement demanding rights such as universal suffrage.

AIT (First International): Founded at a rally held on September 28, 1864, in London. Exiles played an

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