French Revolution

1
French Revolution
2
The French Revolution and Napoleon

• Background 1700s France considered most
  advanced country in Europe
• Center of Enlightenment
• Large pop., prosperous foreign trade
• Unrest caused by high prices, taxes, and
  questions raised by Rousseau and Voltaire

3
I. Social OrderOld Regime

• Feudalism still there from the Middle Ages
• 1st Estate Clergy 1 of population most
  privileges/no taxes owned 10 of land in France
• 2nd Estate nobles-military 2 of
  population/some rights and some taxes
• 3rd Estate Bourgeoisie (merchants, artisans,
  educated)middle class, /no rights/all taxes 97
  of population (peasants)

4
I. Reasons for resentment and discontent

• Privileges for the upper estates
• Heavy taxes
• Deficit spending-spend more than you take in
  debt
• Poor harvests
• Failures of reforms

5
Forces of Change

• Enlightenment Ideas
• New ideas spread fast w/3rd Estate
• Began questioning structure of society equality,
  liberty, and democracy
• Success of American Revolution is an inspiration
• Rousseau and Voltaire discussed

6
The Estates-General

• Voting processeach estate gets 1 votenormally
  1st and 2nd estates vote together, always
  outnumbering the 3rd estate
• National Assemblyformed by the Third Estate to
  represent the people of France (First deliberate
  act of revolution3 days after forming locked out
  of meeting room)
• Tennis Court Oath National Assembly vowed to
  write a constitution for France (eventually some
  member of the other estates joined them and
  estates-general disbanded

7
French Revolution

• Louis XVI tried to make peace and ordered nobles
  and clergy to join 3rd Estate N.A.
• A rumor started that foreign troops were coming
  to massacre the French people
• People gathered weapons
• July 14, 1789 Mob wanted gun powder _at_ the
  Bastillethis is known as Storming of the
  Bastille-prison fortressoverwhelmed kings
  soldierssymbolic act of Revolution

8
Great Fear

• Rebellion Spread
• Wave of senseless panic rolled through France
• Peasants broke into nobles manor houses and tore
  papers binding them
• Oct. 1789 about 6000 women rioted over price of
  bread
• Marched on Versailles, broke in, killed 2 guards,
  demanded King and Queen come to Paris, did and
  did not return
• Signaled the change of power and radical reforms
  to come

9
Stages of the Revolution

• Moderate Phase National Assembly (limited
  const. monarchy)
• Radical Phase Reign of Terror
• return to moderation Directory against
  extremism
• Dictator Age of Napoleon

10
Moderate Phase-National Assembly

• Declaration of the Rights of Man
• Similarities to the American Declaration of Ind.
• All men equal
• Natural rights
• Equal above the law
• Specific rights listed(did not apply to women)
• Right to hold public office
• Freedom of religion
• Taxes based on income for everyone
• Slogan Liberty, equality, fraternity

11
Accomplishments of Women

• Forced Louis XVI, wife and son to move back to
  Paris!!!!

12
Constitution of 1791

• Type of government limited constitutional
  monarchy
• Power of the new Legislative Assembly make
  laws, collect taxes, decide on issues of war and
  peace

13
War in Europe

• War in Europe will distract the focus
• War with
• Austria
• Prussia
• Britain
• Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria
  (April 1792) Prussia joined Austria Louis,
  Marie Antoinette and children imprisoned
• Legislative Assembly dissolved their assembly,
  new election

14
The Radical Phase--Revolution

• Leaders
• San-culottes working class (wanted more voice
  in govt, lower food prices and end food
  shortages)
• Jacobins middle class intellectuals radical
  change wanted to remove king and establish a
  republic influenced Louis fatetried for
  treason, death by guillotine
• Seating arrangements
• Conservativesright, Moderatesmiddle,
  Radicalsleft

15
1792 Radicals Take Over The Legislative Assembly

• They called for the creation of a new legislative
  body

16
National Convention Controlled By Jacobins

• Granted suffrage to all males
• France A Republic (people elect rulers)
• No more Monarchy!
• A new constitution needed
• Louis XVI tried for treason
• Convicted/Sentenced to death
• Marie Antoinette put to death
• Louis XVII died in prison

17
National Convention Divides

• Jacobins
• Radicals

• Girondists
• Conservatives

18
National Convention Created Committee of Public
Safety(directed war effort)

• 12 Member Committee
• Led by Robespierrea Jacobin
• Started the REIGN OF TERROR
• Attempt by the Jacobins to crush all opposition
• July 1793-July 1794 during Robepierres
  ruledecided who were enemies of the Republic
• Enemies were generally those who challenged his
  leadership
• 3,000 in Paris, 40,000 total, 85 peasants

19
National Convention Turned Against the Committee

• July 1794members of the National Convention knew
  they were not safe from Robespierre, so they
  turned on himdemanded Down with the tyrant!
• Robespierre Executed

20
Third StageModerates Take Over the Govt

• A new constitution written
• Established the Directory(executive council)
• 5 Men in Power
• 2 house Legislature, but elected only by male
  property owners

21
Directory

• Weak
• Dictatorial
• Faced Growing Discontent

22
People Turned To A Military Hero

• Napoleon Bonaparte
• Overthrew the Directorycoup detat
• Established the Consulate
• 3 Man Governing Body
• Wrote a new constitution
• (actually a dictatorship)

23
1804Napoleon Emperor

• To make people feel involved he offered
  PLEBICITES (pop. Vote)
• Successful reforms made him popular
• Napoleonic Code (French Law under Napoleon-pg575)

24
Napoleon Abroad

• Plan to dominate EuropeContinental
  System(Napoleons first mistake)
• Struggled with Britain and France
• Seized neutral trading shipsespecially from the
  U.S.
• Led to War of 1812
• Napoleon placed economic blockades on Britain,
  but failed to recognize smugglers as a problem
• Britain will respond with its own blockadestop
  any ship search and taxU.S. will be angry
• Battle of Trafalgar

25
Continental System cont

• As Napoleon moved eastward, the ideas of
  liberalism and revolution spread with
  himphilosophy encouraging political reform
• Many rulers across Europe will resent Napoleon
• Strong resistance from Spain during the
  Peninsular Campaignthey used Guerilla-warfare
  against the French
• Peninsular War Portugal ignoring Continental
  System Napoleon sent army through Spain to
  invade Portugal
• Spanish towns protested, Napoleon threw out king
  and put his brother on the throne

26
Peninsular War

• Catholic Nation
• Guerillas sent to ambush the Frenchlasted 5
  years
• Napoleon lost 300,000 men!
• (Second Mistake!!!)

27
Invasion of Russia(third mistake)

• Breakdown in alliance with Russia
• Alexander I refused to stop selling grain to
  Portugal
• Both wanted Poland
• Napoleon decided to invade Russia
• Problem Grand Armymen from all over Europe
  with little loyalty to Napoleon
• Russians used scorched-earth policy as they
  retreated further into Russia
• Napoleon over-extended his supply lines
• Extremely harsh Russian winter

28
Battle of Borodino

• Seesaw battle
• Alexander I retreated
• Napoleon took Moscow, but it was already burning
• Napoleon waited for peace offering
• Too late to advance/retreatOctober
• Napoleon turned back, snow in November
• Russian raiders attacked Napoleons army
• 10,000 left to fight when returned to Russia

29
Napoleons Downfall

• Fourth Coalition British, Russia, Prussia and
  Sweden joined to fight Napoleon
• Austria joined (Napoleons wifes country)
• All main powers of Europe
• Battle of Leipzig tore Napoleons new army up!
• Paris takenMarch 1814 by Russian czar and
  Prussian king
• Surrendered April 1814
• Napoleon exiled to ElbaMediterranean Island
• Louis XVIII (brother to Louis XVI) placed on
  throne

30
Napoleon Returns!

• New king unpopular, inspired Napoleon
• Fear of a return to the Old Regime rekindled
  loyalty to Napoleon
• Louis XVIII fled
• Napoleon battled against foreign enemies in
  Waterloo, Belgium 1815
• Napoleon defeated
• He abdicated again
• Exiled againto St. Helena (South Atlantic
  island)
• Died in 1821

31
Napoleons legacy

• Napoleonic Code
• Constitution
• Elections, but with limited suffrage
• More property ownership
• More access to education
• Spread ideas of the revolution

32
European PeaceCongress of Vienna 1814

• Chief Goal to create lasting peace by
  establishing a balance of power
• 8 months long
• 5 great powers
• King Frederick William III of Prussia
• Czar Alexander I of Russia
• Emperor Francis I of Austria
• British foreign minister
• French foreign minister

33
Prince Klemens von Metternich

• Foreign minister of Austria
• 3 goals to maintain a balance of power and
  stability
• Prevent future French aggression by surrounding
  France with strong armiescontainment (p 216)
• Created the Concert of Europepeacekeeping
  organization (kept peace in Europe until WWI
  1914)
• Restore Europes royal families to
  thronesleaders promoted legitimacy

34
Revolution in Latin America

• Ferdinand VII restored to Spanish throne by
  Congress
• Clashes erupted quickly
• Peninsulares born in Spain, in colonies wanted
  to restore their power and control
• Creoles retain and expand powers they had
  seized Revolts broke out against king in Spanish
  America
• Mexico remained loyal to Ferdinand
• Spanish king tightened control of Spain and
  Americas

35
Revolution in Latin America cont

• Mexico revolted out of anger and threw off
  Spains control
• Portugal revolted and got independence!