The Coming of the French Revolution

From Absolutism

to Revolution

A. The Old Regime

1. 1770’s, France of Middle ages still survived

2. Divided into three estates – large, rigid social classes

3. King Louis XVI besieged w/ calls for reform

B. The Estates1. First Estate = Clergy of the Catholic Church

a. Owned 10 % of French land Provided education and relief to the poor

b. 2/5 of income in taxes

2. Second Estate = wealthy Nobles

a. 2 % of the population

b. owned 30 % of the land

c. paid almost no taxes

3. The Third Estate

1. 98% people divided into three groups:

a. Bourgeoisie well educated merchants and artisans

b. Workers in cities

i. Paid low wages

ii. hungry

iii. Mobs riot in bad economic times

c. Peasants- 80% population

i. Paid most of the taxes, wanted change

C. Beginning of the Revolution

1. 1789 - meeting of Estates General =

2. Members of 3rd Estate demanded more power

a. formed National Assembly

3. June 17, 1789- delegates of 3rd estate vote to establish National Assembly

a. ***first act of the revolution

4. Delegates establish the Tennis Court Oath

D. The Storming of the Bastille

1. Louis XVI tries to make peace w/ 3rd estate by ordering other 2 estates to join them in Nat’l Assembly

2. Rumors of foreign troops coming to kill French citizens

a. causes agitation and panic

3. July 14, 1789 - a mob overtakes the Bastille - a French prison- to get gunpowder

4. The Bastille falls to the control of the citizens and the revolution has begun

Symbol = Royal Oppression

E. Reforms of the Assembly1. August 27th, 1789- Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man

a. pg. 513

2. Assembly looks at relationship between Church and government-

a. Church land taken by state

b. priests/clergy must be elected by the people

3. Other Changes made by the Assembly

a. limited constitutional monarchy

b. September, 1791- National Assembly constitution gives power to the new Legislative Assembly

c. Legislative Assembly power to create laws and approve or prevent any war declared by the king

F. The National Convention

1. 1791 - new government elected- The National Convention

2. Radical groups began to form, mobs became common (more real power than government)

3. Sept. 1791- the National Convention abolishes the monarchy declares France a republic

4. All male citizens are given the right to vote and hold office

I like our Republic Badge. It might last at least a

year! Ooh la la…I like that sash you are wearing, too!

G. Death of Louis XVI

1. 1793 - Louis XVI is tried and convicted of treason 2. He is sentenced to death at the guillotine

H. Struggle for power

1. Threats from foreign armies and domestic mobs struggle for power

2. Maximilien Robespierre gains power

3. Robespierre wipes out all traces of the monarchy and religion

a. Sunday removed from calendar too religious (religion = old fashioned)

5. All churches closed

That cross is soooo

last week…

I. Reign of Terror

1. Summer 1793- Robespierre-leader Committee of Public Safety

2. Committee would decide enemy of the states

a. Enemies put to death

3. Robespierre becomes dictator

a. his rule Reign of Terror

J. Victims of the Terror

1. Most famous victim = Marie Antoinette

2. Even those who helped establish the revolution - not being “radical enough”

I am so beautiful…and I am rich! I am a

Hapsburg. What? Who is that knocking?

You say they want bread…they don’t

have any?Well, then, let them

eat cake! Silly things.

K. End of the Reign of Terror1. By July 1794 - no one was safe from Robespierre

2. National Convention turns on Robespierre

a. sentenced to death (beheading) - July 28, 1794

Oh, no! Everyone

can see my pantaloons!

4. The Directory a. legislative body b. five man executive c. could not make voting safe5. Napoleon Bonaparte put in charge of France’s armies

L. 1795 - New government

B. Napoleon’s France

They say I have what is known as “The Short Man’s

Complex.”

You wanna go, huh? Do ya?

C. Military Commander1. Brigadier General

2. Napoleon married Josephine

3.Gained command of French army in Italy defeated Austrians

4. Widespread popularity

5. Made First Consul- consolidated power

a. Coup d’etat = Stroke of State

I found the crown of France lying on the

ground, and I picked it up with my

sword.

b. Made peace between France and the Church

c. Made peace with British

d. 1803 Sold France's Louisiana territory to the U.S.

e.1804 set foundation for much of Europe's legal system Napoleonic Code

f. Bank of France

g. Public education (HS+)

h. Constitution approved by people

6.1804Napoleon crowned himself Emperor

And I made all the tall men with pointy hats sit lower than me…

Now what? Huh?! You wanna go?

7. Napoleonic Warsa. 1805, planning invasion of England when Russian & Austrian armies marched towards France

b. Napoleon's forces defeated them at Austerlitz i. British fleet had destroyed Napoleon's navy at Trafalgar.

c. Expanding Empire Confederation of the Rhine in Germany and the Grand Duchy of Warsaw in Poland

i. By now, Napoleon controlled almost all of Western Europe with the exception of Spain

d. Continental Systemi. Destroy economy of Britain all European ports were to refuse British shipmentsii. Failed and in trying to force Spain to comply began the Peninsular War (Brother Joseph)

e. Napoleon marries againi. 1810, Josephine two children previously None by Napoleon

ii. Annulled and married the 18-year-old Austrian archduchess Marie Louise. iii. 1811 son!!!

f. Beginning of the Endi. Czar Alexander I withdrew Russia from the Continental System

ii. 1812, Napoleon's Grand Army entered Russia in order to punish Alexander

iii. Scorched-earth policy

iv. Great Military DISASTER!!

D-d-d-d-do y-y-you w-w-w-wa-an-n-na gggo?

Huh? Dddoo y-y-ya?

iii. Affairs in France unstable

iv. Napoleon rushed back to Paris defeated by coalition of European forces at Leipzig 1814

Napoleonic Europe Late 1812

Napoleonic Europe East 1812

Peninsular War Late 1812

f. Congress of Vienna

i. Met to punish Napoleon

* military controls

* war debt = indemnity

* Balance of power

* Concert of Europe

Europe after Congress of Vienna

g. Exile!!!i. Elba

ii. Escape!!!

* raised a new army in the period = Hundred Days

iii. June 1815, Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo

iv. Exile…again Saint Helena in the South Atlantic

v. Died in 1821

I wish my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine, in the midst of that

French people which I have

loved so much. . . . I die before my time, killed by the English oligarchy

and its hired assassins.

D. France back to Monarchy

1. King Louis XVIII

Up to WWILouis XVIII Charles X (not popular) Louis Philippe (“citizen king”) – Revolution of 1848 Second Republic Louis-Napoleon (nephew) used a coup d’etat for Second French Empire = Emperor Napoleon III Crimean War (Russia vs. France, G.B., Ottoman Turks) [Florence Nightingale] Franco-Prussian War (Otto von Bismarck)

*** France gave up Alsace and Lorraine

Third Republic