The French RevolutionThe French Revolution

I. The Old OrderI. The Old Order• French Society Divided– First Estate – Catholic clergy (1% of the pop.)– Second Estate – Nobles (2% of the pop.)– Third Estate – bourgeoisie (97% of the pop.)

• Growing Unrest– Third Estate called for change– Nobles resented the king’s absolute power– Financial problems (higher prices/fees)

• Banks would not lend more money to the crown

– Crop failures 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

II. Constitutional GovernmentII. 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 govt. control– Constitution of 1791 – one-house assembly

• Most moderates were happy with the Constitution results• Left, center, right wing ideas• Unrest begins

III. The Decline of MonarchyIII. 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 Natl. Assembly• French Revolutionists declared war on Austria• The “September Massacres” – killing of nobles

IV. Dawn of a New EraIV. Dawn of a New Era• The French Republic– The Natl. 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)

Factions in the New GovernmentFactions 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)

QuotesQuotes

– Maximilien Robespierre– 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. • To punish the oppressors of humanity is clemency; to

forgive them is cruelty.• The king must die so that the country can live.

IV. Dawn of a New Era (cont.)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

Napoleon Bonaparte

V. Napoleon Takes OverV. 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)

VI. Napoleon Builds an EmpireVI. 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 EmpireVII. 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

Peace in EuropePeace 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