Patten & ValdnerGlobal History Regents Review

French Revolution

Causes of the Revolution

Social Cause of Revolution

• Split into uneven social classes:– 1st Estate– 2nd Estate– 3rd Estate

Economic Cause of Revolution

• France in debt• Deficit spending by Louis XIV• Bad Harvests

Political Causes of Revolution

• King had absolute power & became corrupt

• People wanted freedom

Enlightenment

• Ideals of life, liberty & equality• Inspired by American Revolution

Key Events of the French Revolution

Estates General

• King Louis XVI needed money

• The three estates were called to a vote on raising taxes

• 3rd Estate was out voted

Tennis Court Oath

• The 3rd Estate (peasant & Bougeoisie) met to set up a new government

Storming of the Bastille

• Members of the 3rd Estate stormed the prison (a symbol of the Old Regime)

Declaration of Rights of Man

• A document guaranteeing French citizens their natural rights (Locke)

• France set up a new government

• Limited monarchy– Limited the King’s

power

Committee of Public Safety

(Reign of Terror)• Led by Robespierre• Using the guillotine they killed

400,000 “enemies of the Revolution”

• Including the King & Robespierre

5-Man Directory

• Moderate government set up to restore order after the Reign of Terror

• Inefficient

Napoleon

• Seized power in a coup d’etat

• Set up public schools

• Fair taxes• Napoleonic Codes

– Laws that guaranteed natural rights & equality

Defeat of Napoleon

• Got greedy & tried to take over too much land (Russia)

• Defeated by scorched earth policy & Russian winter

• Defeated at Waterloo by England, Swedan, Prussia, & Russia

Congress of Vienna

• Return Europe to the political system (Monarchy) that existed BEFORE the days of the French Revolution and Napoleon

• “Turn back the hands of Time”

Effects of the French Revolution

• Democratic ideals throughout Europe - People wanted liberty

• Nationalism (feeling of national pride)

• Latin America Independence Movements

Latin American Revolutions

Revolutions Inspired

• American Revolution

• French Revolution

Causes of Latin American Revolutions

Causes of Revolutions

Political Natives has no freedom or power in government

Social Rigid Social Classes

Economic Colonies were angry because they were being exploited by Mercantilism

Toussaint L’Ovuerture• Haiti• Led an uprising

against France (mother country)

• Was successful

Simon Bolivar

• The “Liberator”• Wanted

independence for South America from Spain

• Was successful