The French Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEZqarUnVpo
Causes of the French revolution
 People feel restricted by gov’t
 Three Estates
 Role of Church
 Economic Conditions
 Intellectuals criticizing (The
Enlightenment!)
 Gov’t does not respond to
needs of the people
 Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette
 Higher taxes
 No food for people, famine
Causes of the French Revolution
 Government faces economic
hardships
 Wars of Louis XIV
 Participation in American
Revolution
 Excessive spending of Monarchs
 Famine/lack of food
 Social Classes Unhappy
 Three Estates
 Bourgeoisie
 Sans culottes
 High Taxation
 Estates General
Stages of French Revolution
 Stage One: Removal of the Ancien Regime
AKA Old Regime (1789-1792)
 Create new government
 National Assembly
Stage One Continued
 Storming of the Bastille (July
1789)
 Women’s March to Versailles
Stage One continued
 Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen
 New Constitution
 abolish feudalism (serfdom) and slavery
 Starts moderate but becomes more radical over time
 Declare war against Austria, Prussia
Stage Two: Radicalization 1792-1794
 Maximillien Robespierre - “Reign of
Terror”
 Guillotine
 Abolish monarchy/declares
republic/executes Louis XVI and
Marie Antoinette
 Expansion of French Revolution as an
international war
Stage Three: Thermidorian Reaction
1794-1799
 Attempt to restore order and
create a moderate government
 Reign of Terror ended July 27th &
Robespierre guillotined on July 28,
1794
 The Directory
 Too little too late  leads to rise
of Napoleon Bonaparte (r. 17991815)
Napoleon Bonaparte
 General in French army during the
Revolution
 Comes to power in 1799; coup
d’état crowns himself emperor
in 1804
 Two main goals:
 Improve France internally
 Create a large French Empire in
Europe
Internal Changes to France
 Napoleonic Code
 Civil Equality
 Concordat of 1801
 Religious tolerance
 Widespread education
 high schools and universities
 All citizens pay taxes
 BUT: no freedom of the press
Creating a French Empire
 Placed family members and




friends in key areas (Spain,
parts of Italy and Germany)
Russian Campaign marks the
failure of Napoleon
1814: Exiled to Elba
The Hundred Days: NB
returns for 100 days as leader
of France
1815: Exiled to St. Helena
*Controlled everywhere but Great Britain, Ottoman Empire & Sweden
Consequences of French Revolution
 Congress of Vienna (1815)
 Led by Klemens von Metternich
(Austria)
 “Balance of Power”
 Redraws European borders
 Rise of European Conservatism
(keep status quo)
 Haitian Revolution
 End of successful French
monarchy
 Rise of Nationalism
 Leads to unification of Italy (1860)
and Germany (1871)