FRENCH REVOLUTION

Chris Anderson

Randolph-Henry High School

Introduction France will reach its height during the

same time as the American Revolution French leaders were very rich Most of the people of France were not

rich--instead, the people had very few rights

the people of France saw how the American colonists were able to gain their independence and yearned for a change in France

French Society Divided There were 3 estates (classes) in French

societyFirst Estate—Catholic Clergy

○ 1% of the populationSecond Estate—Nobility

○ 2% of the population○ Served in government positions

Third Estate—97% of the French People○ Only estate to pay taxes○ Included very poor people○ Also included a wealthy, educated middle class

(bourgeoisie)

Growing Unrest

The 3rd estate was unhappy and wanted changeThe bourgeoisie wanted more equality

The nobles were upset at the king’s powerWanted to end absolute monarchy

Louis XIV (14) had spent most of France’s $ before he died

Louis XV (15) increased France’s debt

1774: Louis XVI (16) took the throne at the age of 19

Louis XVI was married to 18-year old Marie Antoinette

Louis attempted to fix the $ troubles by taxing the clergy and nobility

Problem: clergy and nobility REFUSED to pay

1786: French banks REFUSED to loan $ to the government

Louis XV (15) Louis XVI (16)

Marie Antoinette

Calling the Estates-General Louis XVI had to call the Estates-General into

session to get $—first time since 1614 Made of representatives from each estate Louis wanted the Estates to levy new taxes Each estate had only 1 vote The 3rd estate believed its vote should count more

since they made up 97% of the peopleWanted individual votes—each delegate having one

vote instead of each estate having only 1 vote Louis did not like the 3rd estate’s idea Louis kicked the 3rd estate out of the meetings

Meeting of the Estates General

Formation of the National Assembly The bourgeoisie of the 3rd estate starting

meeting on their own Called themselves the National

Assembly Starting gaining lots of support Promised to draft a constitution for

France

Louis ordered the 1st and 2nd estates to join the National Assembly

They met on tennis courts To be a member, had to take the Tennis

Court Oath

People were voicing their unhappiness in the National Assembly

3rd estate wanted equality Louis was afraid and brought troops to

Versailles for protection French people reacted to the troop

movement by attacking the Bastille—French Prison

Fall of the Bastille

The French people saw the Bastille as a symbol of the power and unfairness of the French government

July 14, 1789: French citizens stormed the prison to get weapons to defend the National Assembly from a possible attack

Nearly 100 citizens were killed

News of the attack spread quickly in France

Peasants began arming themselves in the countryside

The peasants began attacking the nobles in the country—Great FearStealing the nobles’ homesKilling the nobles

The nobles in the National Assembly were refusing to give up their privileges to the 3rd estate

The peasant uprisings in the countryside convinced the nobles they could not stop the 3rd estate reforms

August 4, 1789: nobles give up their privileges The same day, the N. A. starts passing massive

reformsElimination of feudal duesElimination of tithesNobles agree to be taxedAny male citizen could hold public office

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

Drafted in late August 1789 Inspired by the Decl. of Independence

and U. S. Constitution Stated:

All people are equal in the eyes of the lawFreedom of speech, press, and religionProtection from unlawful arrest and

punishment **Who was excluded from the

Declaration?**

Louis XVI refused to accept the Declaration (Who had real power?)

Citizens feared Louis would attack the N. A.

Citizens wanted Louis to move from Versailles to Paris

Oct. 1789: a mob of “women” stormed the palace at Versailles

Guards were overrun Louis agrees to move to Paris

The N. A. also moved to Paris when Louis moved

The N. A. needed money to run France N. A. seized Cath. Church lands

Resell the lands to get $A way to take power away from the Church

1790: N. A. passed the Civil Constitution of the ClergyRequired the clergy to take an oath to the N.

A.Church split in France

Constitution of 1791

1791: a Constitution was drafted Monarch stayed with limited power Unicameral (one house) legislature

Elected by males who paid taxes Not popular with most people

The End of Louis XVI Louis saw much of the violence of the revolution June 1791: Louis and his family dressed as

commoners and tried to flee to Austria (ruled by Marie’s bro.)

Royal family was recognized Louis was arrested and placed under house

arrest in Paris Louis forced to accept a limited monarchy Many in France did not trust Louis People called for a republic

The revolt against Louis spread in Europe

Austria and other nations worried revolution would spread to them

Austria tells France to re-instate Louis 1792: N. A. declared war on Austria Austria gets help from other European

nations—especially Prussia War with Austria=not good for France

Angry citizens attack Louis at his palace Louis fled to the N. A. for help N. A. refused to help N. A. stripped away ALL of Louis’ power

—he was no longer king N. A. set out to create a Republic in

France

War with Austria and Prussia was not good for France

Prussia had taken the French fort at VerdunAllowed a direct route to Paris

George Jacques Danton issued a cry for help to the French people

Thousands answer the cry 1 week later, France won a major

victory, and French morale was boosted

Georges Jacques Danton

As war raged, the N. A. was trying to form a Republic between 1792 and 1795

The National Assembly will change its name to the National Convention

The N. C. wrote France’s 1st democratic constitutionUnicameral legislatureALL men could voteMetric system adoptedA new calendar adopted

September 22, 1792 was considered the starting date of the French Republic

Death of a King

A box of secret letters between Louis XVI and foreign monarchs was found by the N. C.

Dec. 1792: Louis was placed on trial He was killed by the guillotine The people were happy to see their king

die

Execution of Louis XVI

French Political Parties Three political parties will develop when

the members of the N. C. start to argue with each other over the future of the French Republic

Mountains Girondists Plain

Mountains Radicals

Rich Paris Citizens Extreme Radicals (Jacobians)

Saw themselves as the defenders of the people

Leaders:Maximillien Robespierre

Georges-Jacques DantonJean-Paul Marat

Robspierre Jean-Paul Marat

Girondists

Moderates Most were from the Southwest of France Felt the Revolution had gone far enough Wanted to protect the rich middle-class

from radical attacks

Plain Sat between the Mountains and Girondists Consisted of members who did not want to

choose sides the Plain made up the majority in the

Convention 1793: they will give support to the

Mountains the Plain will help the Mountains become

even more radical, open to extreme, and violent change

Spreading the Revolution Europe was watching France and was

worried European monarchs were worried that

revolution would spread to them Jan. 1793: Great Britain, Spain,

Netherlands, and Sardinia joined with Austria and Prussia against France

N. C. in France wanted to end royal power everywhere in Europe

N. C. ordered French troops into to Europe to free Europe from royal power

France did not fair well trying to end monarchies in Europe

France will surrender in their fight to spread revolution

N. C. worried that other nations may try to invade France

N. C. created the Committee of Public Safety

Committee of Public Safety Saw need for more French troops Instituted conscription (draft)

All men between 18 and 45 were called into the military

Citizens were to manufacture goods for the war effort

the Mountain party will win control over the National Convention

They will arrest the Girondist members who did not agree with the Mountain’s policies and ideas

members supporting the Girondists will rebel against the Mountains

one Girondist supporter--Charlotte Corday--killed a Mountain leader (Marat)shortly after, Charlotte was executed by the

guillotine other Girondist supporters would also be

executed for not following the Mountains

The Death of Marat by J. L. David

Charlotte Corday

Reign of Terror

The Mountains (led by the Jacobins) set out to crush all of their opposition—Reign of Terror

Lasted 1 year (July 1793-July 1794) Suspects received quick, unfair trials Many innocents were wrongfully accused Marie Antoinette will die from the Reign

of Terror 17,000 will be executed by the guillotine

Spring 1794: Danton (leader of the Jacobins) decided to end the Reign of Terror

A fellow party member (Robespierre) disagreed

Robespierre had Danton killed The terror lasted 4 more months Robespierre’s followers arrested and

had Robespierre killed

The Directory

1795: A new constitution was draftedOnly men who owned land could voteControl given to the wealthy middle class

A council of 5 men called directors was created

The council would share power with a 2-house legislature

Directory=not popularForced to put down many uprisingsOn verge of bankruptcy

The people began to look to the military to lead France instead of the Directory

French Revolution Video--Lady Gaga

Napoleon

One military leader was becoming very popular—Napoleon

Rose quickly to the rank of general 1795: helped the Directory put down an

uprising 1796: married Josephine de

Beauharnais

Napoleon

Josephine de Beauharnais

Led the French army to victory over the Austrians in Italy

Became the leading general in France after defeating Austria

Fought the British in Egypt 1799: Comes back to France Participates in a coup de’etat and takes

power from the Directory He will then set out to create an empire

Napoleon in Egypt

The Consulate

Napoleon supported the French constitution when he came to power

Napoleon will name himself Consul and take all power for himself

He will set out to create a dictatorship that will take rights away from the people

Restoring Order Napoleon’s main objective: Bring Order

to France Restructured the government

Replaced elected officials with appointed officials

Education placed under the control of the national government

Changed the financial system of FranceCreated the Bank of FranceALL citizens had to pay taxesHigh prices and inflation were brought under

control

Napoleonic Code

Napoleon rewrote French law Placed the state above the individual All men equal before the law Some rights were limited:

Freedom of speech and the press were limited

Censorship of books, plays, and pamphletsWomen had fewer rights

Napoleonic Code

Napoleon and the Church 1801: Concordat of 1801 Napoleon acknowledged Catholicism as

the official religion of France France will tolerate other religions Napoleon could appoint bishops as long

as he paid them The Pope agreed to all of the terms

Building an Empire

Napoleon wanted to create an empire for himself

Napoleon was successful in creating a peace with many of his enemies before he will try to create his empire

1804: Napoleon names himself as emperor of France

in a grand ceremony, the French people witnessed the end of the revolution

Pope Pius VII was called to crown Napoleon as the emperor of France

Napoleon took the crown from the pope and placed it on his own head

this act illustrated the power that Napoleon had over the people of France, and the world

Coronation of Napoleon

Napoleon will send out his army to obtain his quest for an empire

Great Britain was Napoleon’s greatest enemy

The rest of Europe easily fell to Napoleon, except Great Britain

1805: Napoleon attempted to invade Great Britain, but failed

Oct. 1805: French navy is defeated at Trafalgar by British admiral, Lord Nelson

Lord Nelson

Napoleon tried to use economic warfare against the British—Continental System

All nations controlled by France would end trade with Great Britain

No British goods were allowed to enter Europe through French controlled ports

Continental System

GB responded saying all ships going into Europe had to stop at a British port 1st

This squabble hurt the United States since we were trading with both nations

Napoleon’s Continental System FAILED

Napoleonic Europe 1812: Napoleon controlled nearly ALL of

Europe Made his brother (Joseph) king of Naples

and Spain Made his son (Napoleon II) king of Italy His bro. Louis was made king of Holland Napoleon got rid of the Holy Roman

EmpireTurned the HRE into the Federation of the

Rhine (a loose collection of German States)

Many of the nations controlled by Napoleon did not like sending taxes to France and fighting in Napoleon’s wars

Many in Europe started feeling nationalism

Nations wanted to rule themselves, not be under Napoleon’s control

Many nations under Napoleon’s control started to rebel

Trouble Ahead Spain will be the 1st nation to rebel against

Napoleon Spain tries to bring their king back 1812: Spain will overthrow Napoleon,

becoming independent Spain received some aid from Great Britain Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington) led

the British troops Prussia will then revolt against French

control

The Duke of Wellington

Downfall of Napoleon’s Empire

When Russia joined against Napoleon, the empire was doomed

Alexander I—leader of Russia 1811: Alexander Broke the Continental

System by reinstating trade with GB Napoleon=angry, decides to invade

Russia

Alexander I

May 1812: Napoleon led 600,000 soldiers in an invasion of Russia

Russia will NOT fall to Napoleon Russians retreated into the interior of

Russia, burning everything—drawing the French deeper into Russia

Sept. 14, 1812: French in sight of Moscow

Sept . 16, 1812: Moscow is set ablaze by the Russians

The long Russian winter has set in on the French

Napoleon ordered a retreat As the French retreated, the Russians

attacked the French Napoleon was furious at being attacked

on his retreat All of Europe began sending troops out

against Napoleon

Napoleon’s 1st Defeat Oct. 1813: Napoleon is defeat at

Leipzig, Germany March 1814: allied European powers

march into ParisForce Napoleon to surrender and step down

as emperor A king is placed in power in France

(Louis XVIII) Napoleon is sent into exile on the island

of Elba (just off the coast of Italy)

France will be reduced to its 1792 size Many in France wanted Napoleon to return

March1, 1815: Napoleon will return to France

Troops sent to stop him, join with him Napoleon’s return is called the Hundred

Days Napoleon says he is not out to gain new

territory Nations in Europe still fear his power

Napoleon’s final defeat European nations began to ally against

Napoleon again These nations were led by the British

Duke of Wellington 1815: Napoleon is defeated at Waterloo Napoleon is arrested Placed under house arrest on the island

of St. Helena in the Atlantic 1821: Napoleon will die on St. Helena

Waterloo

Napoleon’s legacy

He spread ideas of liberty to Europe New constitutions were created in the

areas he conquered Last remnants of feudalism were

destroyed in Europe His reforms helped to modernize many

nations He helped end absolute monarchy in

Europe