French Revolution
1789-1815
France: A Little Background Information
• The 4 C’s
• Clovis
• united Frankish tribes
• war and religion (Christianity)
• Charles Martel
• protected the Kingdom
• Charlemagne
• expanded into an empire
• war & religion
• Treaty of Verdun
• divided empire into 3
•
(France, Germany + Lorraine)
• Capetians rule 300years
• made monarchy stronger
• Estates general established
• (consisted of 3 groups: Clergy-Nobility-Rest of population)
3 Estates
First Estate
Second Estate
Third Estate

•Clergy
(Church)
•Nobility
•Rest of Population
•Provided Social
Services
•Top jobs in Gov’t, Army, •98% Population
Courts & Church
•Included Middle Class
(lawyers, journalists,
•Did Not Pay Taxes
professors, skilled
artisans)

•Controlled 10% land
•Collected tithes
•Rural Peasants
•Did Not Pay Taxes
•City Workers
•Responsible for taxes
Characteristics of Absolutism
Basic Principle
Monarch rules by divine right
Political
Ruler = unlimited power; individuals are subjects
loyalty and obedience.
Social
Ruler
upper classes
dominate lower classes. Ceremonies symbolize
ruler’s power.
Economic
Ruler encourages industry and trade to strengthen
the economy.
Cultural
Ruler dominates cultural life either as patron of arts or
by censorship.
1.Why were members of each Estate unhappy?
• 1st Estate Clergy:
• Enlightenment undermined religion and social order.
• 2nd Estate Nobles:
• resented Absolutism
• the rising middle class felt threatened
• Jacques Necker (king’s financial advisor) suggested taxation for
nobles.
• 3rd Estate:
• privileges enjoyed by the other estates
• Peasants suffered
• from poor wages
• heavy taxes
• poor harvests
• lack of rights.
2.What were causes of the financial crisis that
gripped France?
• DEFICIT SPENDING (large debt from):
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Expensive wars
Extravagant spending
Poor harvests
Economic recession
• (not enough $ to buy stuff)
3. Why did Louis XVI call the Estates General in
1789, which hadn’t been summoned in
175yrs?
• Verge of Bankruptcy,
• bread riots
• nobles denouncing the throne.
• King asked each estate to prepare cahiers (notebooks
listing grievances)
• All insisted on reform
4. What were the results of
this decision?
• Bastille Stormed
• July 14, 1789
• Symbol of Freedom
• French Revolution begins
• National Assembly formed
• Tennis Court Oath
5.What role did the people of Paris play in
the French revolution?
• Paris = capital
• revolutionary center of France.
• Revolutionary factions
•
National Guard and the Paris Commune competed for power in
Paris.
• Parisians marched on Versailles
• for bread
• insisted the royal family accompany them back to Paris.
6. What were the results?
•
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
•
Declared all men were equal and had natural rights to:
•
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liberty
property
security
resistance to oppression.
Civil Constitution of Clergy
• Made bishops and priests elected and salaried officials
• ended papal authority over French Church. (under state control)
•
Constitution of 1791
• set up a limited monarchy
• new legislative Assembly
7. Why did some people
support the revolution?
• start of a new age for justice and equality
8. Why did other people
oppose the revolution?
• Fear
• violence
• Declaration of Pilnitz
• European powers support monarch
Radical Days
• 1792-August 10-> King and Queen are imprisoned.
• Monarchy
• abolished
• France = Republic
• 1793-> Mountain=Jacobins (Radicals) vs. Girondins
• Jacobins Take over
• Robespierre, Marat, Danton
• Committee of Public Safety formed (12 members)
• Absolute control
• Reign of Terror begins
• King Louis XVI executed January
• Queen Marie Antoinette executed October
1. Why did revolutionaries fear that the
Revolution was in danger?
• Leaders driven to preserve and extend revolution
• France was at war w/ much of Europe.
• Peasants were revolting. (Sept. massacres)
• Sans-Culottes demanded relief from food shortages
and rising prices.
• Counterrevolution
2. What did revolutionaries do
in response?
• Set up Committee of Public Safety (enemies=death)
• Committee of Public Safety = Reign of Terror
• Results:
• Over 17,000 killed
• Changes in daily life (clothes), arts (classical), and women’s
rights (divorce easier, inherit property, no politics)
• Church shut down
• Robespierre killed
• 1794-> Reign of Terror ends
• 1795-> Directory in control
• Third Constitution drafted
• 5 man directory
• 2 house legislative elected by male citizens of property.
• held power until 1799
Napoleon (1799-1815)
• Rise to power-> Rapid
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Born on island Corsica
Early fame based on military victories.
Overthrew Directory (coup d’etat)
Set up Consulate (3 men) He’s #1
Eventually named himself Emperor
What did he do?
•
Napoleonic Code
• Reflected Enlightenment principles
• Undid some revolutionary reforms (women)
•
Centralized Power
• ALL men could vote (no elections after 1804)
• Plebiscites (ballots for voting)
•
Created Nation-wide Public School System
• Primary, secondary, lycees (military), technical schools.
• Stressed obedience + military values
• Science and Math promoted
•
Increased Currency (money)- stabilized economy
• Sold Louisiana (827,000 square miles to America (T.Jefferson) for $15
million=60 Francs
And there’s more…
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Improved relations w/Church
•
Instituted censorship of press
•
Encouraged + strengthened military forces
•
United in his empire almost whole of Europe (not since Roman Empire +
Charlemagne)
• Annexed lands (added Austria+ Italy)
• Made Alliances (nepotism=family)
• Abolished the Holy Roman Empire, renamed Confederation of the
Rhine.
Fall of Napoleon
• 1799-1815-Engaged in costly warfare causing bankruptcy
• 1805 Battled Britain (in war and economy)
• Battle of Trafalgar (water)
• Continental System=France
• Blockade=Britain
• Lead to War of 1812 w/America
• 1805 Battle of Austerlitz (France vs. Austria & Russia)-France wins Austria +
N. Italy
• Annexed lands revolted-guerilla warfare in Spain.
• 1809 Battle of Wagram-Austria wants revenge-lost
• 1812 Battled Russia• 600,000 French soldiers left for 1,000 trek to Moscow-20,000 returned
• Defeated by Russia (scorched earth tactic)
• 1813 Battle of Nations (Leipzig) Russia, Britain, Austria + Prussia defeat
France.
Fall of Napoleon
• 1814 Napoleon abdicates (gives up power)
• Exiled to Elba
• Louis XVIII named ruler (Louis XVI’s brother)
• 1815 Napoleon returns for 100 days (March)
• Battle of Waterloo
• defeated by Britain, Russia, Prussia + Austria in 1
day
• 1821
• Banished and dies @ St. Helena
Congress of Vienna
• Create a lasting peace: BALANCE OF POWER
• Countries + Representatives
• Austria-> Prince Clemens von Metternich
• Russia-> Alexander I
• Britain-> Lord Robert Castlereaugh
• France-> Prince Charles Maurice de Tallyrand
What did they do?
• Redrew map of Europe
• Surround France w/ strong countries
• Protect Monarchy (legitimacy) in France, Spain,
Portugal and Italian city-states
• Set up Quadruple Alliance (Austria, Russia, Prussia +
Britain)
• Balance of Power (Concert of Europe) met to discuss
problem within Europe to keep the peace
#1 Monarchy-Old Order/Estates General
Phases of the French Revolution
Moderate Phase
National Assembly
1789-1791
Feudalism abolished
Issued declaration of rights
“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”
Reorganized Church (took back land)
Established constitutional monarchy (1791)
Included legislative assembly-replaced old provinces w/ 83 departments
Abolished guilds
Ended Church interference
Radical Phase
National Convention
“Sans-Culottes”
1792-1794
Radicals (Jacobins) take control of legislative assembly and set up national Convention
Abolish Monarchy
Declares France a Republic
Suffrage for all male citizens
Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette executed (1793)
Committee of Public safety set up
Robespierre=Reign of Terror
Guillotine=40,000 executed
Directory
1795-1799
Moderate constitution of 1795
Five-man Directory established (2 legislative bodies elected by male citizens w/ property
Dictatorial
Riots suppressed
Corrupt leadership
Chaos threatened
Napoleon
1799-1815
Overthrows Directory
Consulate set up (Napoleon #1)
N= Consul for life
N=Emperor of France
Economic reform
Religious reform
Napoleonic code Established
Military victories create French Empire
French defeat in Battle of Nations= Napoleon’s abdication and exile.