Was it called this during the war? Or was it renamed in 1789?
And more specifically when did "Revolution" becoming an accepted term for political upheaval. It seems like a silly term for starting something new. Revolution implies returning to a starting point, which is the exact opposite of what famous revolutionaries wanted.
I found a bit of an answer here: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=revolution
I doubt anyone will see this.