The French RevolutionThe French Revolution

I. The Old Order• French Society Divided

• First Estate – Catholic clergy (1% of the pop.)• archbishops, bishops, abbots, etc.

• Exempt from taille• Gave government a “fare gift” of 2% of their income

• Second Estate – Nobles (2% of the pop.)• nobles

• paid no taxes

• held positions of power in

government

• Third Estate – (97% of the pop.)• peasants, sans-culottes, bourgeoisie• peasants paid ½ their income to

landlords• Sans-culottes income lagged behind

food prices and rent• Bourgeoisie were lawyers, office

holders, doctors, writers, manufacturers, etc.

• Lacked social and political rights of nobles

I. The Old Order (continued)

• Growing Unrest• Third Estate called for change

• Nobles resented the king’s absolute power

• Financial problems (higher prices/fees)

• Louis helped the American colonies in their Revolution

• Banks would not lend more money

to the crown

• Crop failures in 1787 and 1788 raised prices even more

I. The Old Order (continued)

I. The Old Order (continued)• Calling the Estates Together

• Louis XVI was forced to call the Estates-General• Had not met since 1614

• Nobles wanted to gain control of the government• Third Estate wanted a joint meeting

• formed the National Assembly and promised to draft a Constitution (Tennis Court Oath)

• A Call to Revolt• Third Estate wanted social/representative

equality

• The Fall of Bastille

• Spreading violence against upper classes

I. The Old Order (continued)

II. Constitutional Government• End of the Old Order

• Nobles gave up feudal dues and agreed that all males could serve in govt., military, church office

• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizen

• French Constitution (August of 1789)• All people are equal before the law• Freedom of speech, religion, and press

• King Louis XVI forced to return to Paris

• A New France• The Assembly sold off church land

to pay debt• The Church was placed under

government control• Constitution of 1791 – one-house

assembly• Most moderates were happy with the

Constitution results• Left, center, right wing ideas• Unrest begins

II. Constitutional Government

III. The Decline of Monarchy• Louis decided to flee to Austria, but was

discovered and arrested• Louis was forced to accept the limited

monarchy proposed by the National Assembly• French Revolutionists declared war on Austria• The “September Massacres” – killing of nobles

IV. Dawn of a New Era• The French Republic

• The National Convention met from 1792-1795• Political power placed in the legislature

• Death of Louis XVI (Jan. 1793)• Was beheaded for conspiracy against liberty• No turning back, the republic would remain• Jacobins (sans-culottes) and Girondists

• Spreading the Revolution• Leaders were determined to

overthrow all royalty• Bring liberty, equality, and fraternity

to all• Strong opposition from their

enemies• Conscription was implemented

(men 18-45)

IV. Dawn of a New Era

Factions in the New Government• The Mountain (Jacobins) – most radical; support

came from middle and lower classes

• Girondins – moderates; support came from provinces and those who resented the Paris mob

• The Plain – swing voters; originally supported the Girondins, but later changed to the Mountain

• Radical Leaders• Jean-Paul Marat – advocated

violence, leader of the sans culottes (considered the most radical)

• Georges-Jacques Danton –came to be known as the “compromiser” (opposed Revolutions excesses)

• Maximilien Robespierre – became more radical as the Revolution progressed (led the National Convention)

Factions in the New Government

Quotes – Maximilien Robespierre

• Any law which violates the inalienable rights of man is essentially unjust and tyrannical; it is not a law at all.

• Pity is treason. • The secret of freedom lies in educating people,

whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant.

• The king must die so that the country can live.

IV. Dawn of a New Era (cont.)• The Reign of Terror (July, 1793 – July, 1794)

• Those suspected of treason were hunted down and punished (often times the victims were innocent)

• 85% of the 40,000 were commoners• The Committee of Public Safety & Robespierre• Church was turned into a “temple of reason”• By mid 1794, many favored a restoration of monarchy

• The Directory (1795 – 1799)• 1795: the Convention wrote a new constitution• Executive council of 5 directors was set in place• Used the army to put down uprisings by both the

royalists and radicals• Ineptness and financial

difficulty led to the end of the Directory

IV. Dawn of a New Era (cont.)

Napoleon Bonaparte

V. Napoleon Takes Over• Had become a military hero while

protecting the Directory (1795, age 26)

• Was promoted to general, gained command of French forces in Prussia

• Napoleon defeated the Austrians and forced them to relinquish most of northern Italy

• Returned to Paris (from Egypt) in 1799 and joined revolutionary leaders in a coup d’état

• Established a dictatorship; concentrated power• Replaced elected officials with men he appointed• Created the Bank of France; required all to pay taxes

• Gradually brought inflation and high prices under control• Approved by the popular vote (plebiscite)

V. Napoleon Takes Over

VI. Napoleon Builds an Empire• Napoleonic Code: clear and consistent laws

• Placed the state above the individual; allowed censorship

• The Concordat of 1801: recognized Catholicism as the official religion of France

• Treaty of Amiens (1802): • Between Great Britain and France

• Battle of Trafalgar: an attempt to invade England• Admiral Lord Nelson defeated the French Navy

• Economic Blockades:• Ordered all European nations to stop trade with

Britain• Britain proclaimed all ships must first port in G.B.• French Economy worsened

VII. Downfall of the Empire• Confederation of the Rhine – German States• Spaniards and Wellington (Wesley)

• 1812: Spain overthrew French occupiers with the help of the English

• Failed invasion of Russia – harsh winter• 400,000 of 600,000 French soldiers died

• Napoleon forced into exile (Elba)• King Louis XVIII was restored to the throne

• Hundred Days (March – June, 1815)• Napoleon’s return was met with both

acceptance and opposition• Was defeated at Waterloo by Wellington

VII. Downfall of the Empire

Peace in Europe• Congress of Vienna

• Compensation, Legitimacy, and balance of power• Redrawing maps (France relinquished most)• Restoring Monarchies (divine right was necessary)• Buffer States – neutral territories around French

territories

• Changing Forces• Reactionaries: opposed

change (traditional)• Liberalism: accepted new

ideas (change)• Alliances: representatives

were to meet regularly

• Concert of Europe• Two alliances met regularly• Helped avoid major European

conflicts

Peace in Europe