The French
Revolution and
Napoleon:1789-1815
1.
2.
3.
4.
On the Eve of Revolution
The French Revolution
Radical Days of the Revolution
Age of Napoleon
6.1 On the Eve of the Revolution
• Describe the Social divisions of France’s old
order
• List reasons for France’s economic troubles in
1789
• Explain why Louis XVI called the Estates-General
and summarize what resulted
• Understand why Parisians stormed the Bastille
Terms, People, and Places
• Ancien Regime
• Estate
• Bourgeoisie
• Deficit spending
• Louis XVI
• Jacques Necker
• Estates-General
• Cahier
• Tennis Court Oath
• Bastille
French Society Divided
• Before the revolution, France is ruled under an
ancien regime, or old order in which the country
is divided into three classes
• The three classes are called the Estate
• The First estate is the Clergy
• The Second Estate is the Nobility
• The Third Estate is the Peasant Class
The Clergy Enjoy Wealth
• Clergy of France still enjoyed great wealth
• Clergy still provided social services
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Orphanages
• Philosophes targeted the Clergy for reform criticizing
the church for involvement in politics
Nobles Hold Top Government Jobs
Second Estate
Third Estate
• Second Estate was the
titled nobility
• Under strict royal control
the Nobles were granted
top jobs in government,
the army and courts
• Nobles hated
Absolutism, resented the
Royal Bureaucracy that
took their Jobs
• Vastly Diverse
• Bourgeoisie-middle class
lawyers, bankers,
doctors, journalist,
merchants
• Bottom was the rural
peasant class
• Also included urban
workers
Life of Privilege
• The top two classes paid
almost no taxes
• Majority of taxation
came from the Third
Estate
• Peasants angered when
Nobles tried to re instate
the manorial dues
• Enlightenment ideas
began to take hold in the
Third Estate calling for
the First and Second to
pay their fair share
Checkpoint
• What was the social structures of the old regime in
France?
1. First estate: Clergy
2. Second Estate: Nobles
3. Third Estate: The majority of the population
Financial Troubles
• France finical troubles came from Deficit Spending
• Deficit Spending – government spends more money that it
takes in
• King Louis XIV lost Seven Years’ War
• Louis XV spent on an extravagant lifestyle
• Louis XVI (dull witted) lost money on the American Revolution
• Louis choose Jacques Necker as his finance minister
• Necker was removed from his job when he imposed taxing the
First and Second Estate
Checkpoint
• What economic troubles did France face in 1789
and how did they lead to further unrest?
• France had a large national debt and soaring
food prices. This caused people to go hungry
and then caused unrest among the people
Louis Calls The Estate General
• With Pressure from the Wealthy and powerful
upper class Louis calls the Estate General
• Estate General – legislative body that
encompasses representatives from all three
classes
• Called to meet at Versailles
• Cahiers – notebooks filled with grievances to be
presented before the Estate General
Delegates take the Tennis Court Oath
• Estates General met May 1789
• First and Second Estate would
always vote together
• Third Estate felt this was unfair
since they represented the
majority wanted a “Head Count”
• After being left out of the votes
the Third Estate convened on the
tennis court next to the palace
and voted themselves to be the
National Assembly
• Tennis Court Oath: declaring they
would not leave until there was a
sound and just constitution
Checkpoint
• What actions did delegates of the Third Estate take when the
Estate General met in 1789?
• They declared themselves the National Assembly representing
the people of France and took the Tennis Court Oath,
swearing to meet until they created a new constitution.
Parisians Storm the Bastille
• July 1789 Violence
breaks out in the streets
of Paris
• Looking of weapons and
gunpowder the people
head to the Bastille
• Bastille – a medieval
prison for political
prisoners
• The captain of the
Bastille denies entry
• Parisians storm the
Bastille and chop off his
head
Checkpoint
• What was the significance of the storming of the Bastille?
• This was a new sense of empowerment of the people.
Section Review 6.1
2. What led to the storming of the Bastille and the beginning of
the revolution?
Inequalities between the Third Estate and the other two estates.
Hunger and poverty, increasing cost. This led to the Third Estate
to attack the nobles and demand a new constitution. In this
tense atmosphere, fear that the royal troops would occupy Paris
led Parisians to storm the Bastille in search of weapons.
Section Review 6.1
3. How did the views of Society differ between the nobles and
peasants in 1789 France?
Inequalities between the Second and Third estate.
Section Review 6.1
• How would your economic reform program benefit France?
Section Review 6.1
5. What issues arose when Louis XVI called the Estates-General
in 1789?
Issues about voting, which led the Third Estate to proclaim itself
the National Assembly and take the Tennis Court Oath
6.2 The Revolution Unfolds
• Explain how the political crisis of 1789 led to popular revolts
• Summarize the moderate reforms enacted by the National
Assembly in August of 1789
• Identify additional actions taken by the National Assembly as
it pressed onward
• Analyze why there was a mixed reactions around Europe to
the events unfolding in France
Terms, People and Places
• Faction
• Marquis de Lafayette
• Olympe de Gouges
• Marie Antoinette
• Émigré
• Sans-culotte
• Republic
• Jacobin
The French Revolution Unfolds
Historians divide the French Revolution into phases
• The moderate phase (1789-1791) The national assembly
turned France into a constitutional monarchy
• The radicle phase (1791-1794) period of escalating violence
which led to the end of the monarchy and the Reign of Terror
• The Directory (1795-1799) a movement away from the radicle
ideas if the revolution
• The Age of Napoleon ( 1799-1815)
Political Crisis Leads to Revolt
• Rumors run wild of soldiers attacking towns and
stealing grains
• This leads to a “Great Fear”
• Peasants motivated by famine and fear attack
nobles
• Peasants destroy manorial records and steal
grain
Paris Commune Comes to Power
• Paris is in turmoil and
• Revolutionaries are
splitting into factions
• Factions – dissenting
groups of people
struggling to gain
power
• Marquis de Lafayette fought along side of
George Washington
was in charge of the
French National Guard
Two Main Factions
Moderates
Radicles
• Largely Middle Class
• Organized the National
Guard against the Royal
troops
• First Wore the Blue
White and Red
• Replaced the Royal
Government in the City
• Could mobilize whole
neighborhoods to
violence
• Had newspapers and
political clubs
Checkpoint
• What caused the French Peasants to revolt against the
Nobles?
• Famine and Fear of Government assault. Rumors that soldiers
were attacking villages and stealing grain
The National Assembly Acts
August 4 in response to the violence the National Assembly
meets and Feudalism is abolished. Nobel's in the Assembly
agree to give up their privileges.
This included• Hunting rights
• Manorial dues
• Special legal status and titles
• Tax exemption
Nobles had lost all this already just made official
Declaration of the Rights of Man
and the Citizen
• Modeled after of the Declaration of Independence
• All men were “born and remain free and equal in rights”
• They enjoyed natural rights to “liberty, property, security, and
resistance to oppression.”
• Insisted governments existed to protect man not control him
• All male citizens equal in French law
• Asserted Freedom of Religion
• Called for people to pay taxes with accordance of their ability
• Set up equality for public office
Women were left out
• Declaration of Rights of Man captured in the phrase “Liberty,
Equality, Fraternity”
• Declaration did not grant women equal rights
• Olympe de Gouges – demanded equal rights for women
• Wrote Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female
citizen
• Argued all men and women were created equal and women
had the same right to hold public office as men
Women March on Versailles
• Marie Antoinette –
Austrian born queen of
France lived in great
extravagance
• Women angered by no
food marched 13 miles in
the rain to Versailles
shouting for bread
• Women refused to leave
unless they met with the
king
• After storming the castle
King Louis agrees to
move to Paris
Checkpoint
• How did the National assembly react to peasant uprisings?
• Voted to give up privileges like manorial rights, and tax
exemption and titles.
National Assembly Presses On
• Church is placed under state control
• Priest and bishops were now elected
• Church of France had no ties to Pope
• Sold Church land to raise money
• The Constitution of 1791 establishes a new government
• Set up a limited monarchy
• Legislative assembly had power to collect taxes create laws
• Members were elected by tax paying males 25 or older
Louis Tries to Escape
• King is basically a
prisoner
• Decided to try to escape
• Disguised as a servant
rode out of Paris in a
carriage
• Someone recognized the
king because his face
was on money
• Many declared Louis a
trader to France because
of his escape attempt
Checkpoint
• What were the provisions of the Constitution of 1791?
• Set up a limited Monarchy, Created a new legislative assembly,
replaced old provinces with 83 departments, abolished
provincial courts and reformed laws
Radicles Take Over
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rulers of European countries thought of it as a threat.
Increased border patrols to stop the “French Plague”
Émigrés - political refugees that flees France
Enlightened Despots turn against France
Catherine the Great burns her letters from Voltaire
Edmond Burke writer that was for the American revolution
wrote
“When ancient opinions and rules of life are taken away we have
no compass to govern us.”
Threats come from Abroad
• King of Prussian and
Emperor of Austria issue
the Declaration of Pilnatz
• Declaration stated that
France would be attacked if
they harmed the monarchs
• People prepared for war
• Working class Sans Culottes
push the revolutions into
the radical phase
• San Culottes – working
class French known for
long pants
National Assembly declares War on Tyranny
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San Culottes demand republic
Draft a second Constitution
Republic – government ruled by the people
Jacobins begin to take power
Jacobin – salon made up of mostly middle class lawyers and
intellectuals
• Declare war on Austria and Prussia and Britain
• The powers expected to win easily but fighting went on from
1792-1815
Checkpoint
• How did the rest of Europe react to the French Revolution?
• Supporters were pleased but the nobles and governments
were against the revolution because of the violence.
6.2 Section Review
2. What Political and Social reforms did the national assembly
institute in the first stage of the revolution?
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Revoked privileges of nobles
Issued Declaration of Rights of Man
Placed church under state control
Wrote a constitution that set up a limited monarchy
6.2 Section Review
3. How was the Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen
similar to the Declaration of Independence?
Both documents emphasized freedom, equality, and natural
rights for men.
The basic principles came from the ideas of John Locke
6.2 Section Review
4. What did the constitution of 1791 do? How did it reflect
enlightenment ideas?
Put Catholic Church under the control of the state
Created a Legislative Assembly whose members would be
elected by tax paying male citizens over 25
Reflected Enlightenment ideas
Ensured equality for male citizens
6.2 Section Review
• Describe what happened to the monarchy.
• The monarchy lost most of its power and was dethroned.
6.3 Terms, People, and Places
• Suffrage
• Robespierre
• Reign of Terror
• guillotine
• Napoleon
• Nationalism
• Marseilles
The Monarchy is Abolished
• War is going poorly for
the French
• Well Trained Prussian
armies are slicing
through France
• Many officers are
deserting because of
loyalty to the king
• Violence is breaking out
because of disapproval
of the King and the war
• The Guillotine is
introduced
The Guillotine
• A new execution
device invented by
Dr. Guillotin
• Thought to be a
more humane form
of execution
• Became a symbol of
terror in France
• First to be guillotined
were the kings
guards at the palace
Tensions lead to Violence
• August 10 1792 Parisians storm the royal palace
of the Tuileries
• They carry the royal guards off to the guillotine
• The Royal Family is forced to flee to the National
Assembly for protection where they are taken
into custody
• Later In response to the Declaration of Pinatz
mobs storm prisons holding nobles and priests
killing about 1,200
Radicals Take Control
• Backed by angry crowds the Radicals take
control of the Assembly and rename it
National Convention
• Declare France a Republic
• Call for equal Suffrage among ALL men
• Suffrage – right to vote
• Jacobins seize control
Death of a King
• The Convention put
Louis XVI on trial and
convicted of treason
• January 1793 Louis is
led to the gallows
and executed by
Guillotine
• October 1793 Marie
Antoinette is also
executed
Checkpoint
• What occurred after the radicles took control of the
Assembly?
• Called for a new legislative body, extended right to vote to all
male citizens, abolished the monarchy, established the
republic, and executed the king and queen
Terror and Danger Grip France
• After the death of the king France goes through
a very dangerous time
• They are at war with Britain, Spain, the
Netherlands and Prussia
• France is also facing internal rebellion from
loyalist
• Food shortages and famine still grip the city
• The Convention is split between the Jacobin
radicals and the moderate Girongins
The Convention creates a New Committee
• The Committee of Public Safety is created to deal
with threats to the revolution
• 12 Person committee with Absolute Power
• Prepared France for war by issuing a levee en
masse
• The carried out all trials and executions
Robespierre “The Incorruptible”
• Maximilien Robespierre a
radical and member of the
Jacobin’s
• One of the leaders of the
revolution, a lawyer by trade
• Called “the incorruptible”
because of his fierce
dedication to the peoples
cause in the revolution
• Was against the death penalty
but evolved into a tyrant
• Believed France could only
achieve a “republic of virtue”
through the use of terror
• One of the Architects of the
Reign of Terror
“Liberty can not be secured
unless criminals loose their
heads”
Reign of Terror
• September 1793 July 1794
• About 300,000 were
arrested during the
Reign of Terror
• About 70,000 were
executed
End of The Reign of Terror
• Members of the Convention feared the Committee of Public
Safety
• Fearing that they were next to be arrested opponents to
Robespierre arrested him
• While in custody Robespierre tries to take his life He is sent to
the guillotine
• After his death the executions slowed drastically
Checkpoint
• Why did Robespierre think the Terror was necessary to
achieve the goals of the revolution?
• Believed it was necessary to go to extremes to continue the
revolution
The Revolution enters the Third Stage
• Moderates are now in charge of the Convention
• Draft a third constitution
• 1795 set up a five man Directory with a two
house legislative system
• Middle class and Bourgeoisie were the dominate
force during this time period
• Peace made with Spain and Prussia
Threats to the Directory
• Directory filled with corruption
• Rising bread prices caused revolt
among the Sans- Culottes
• Returning émigrés with loyal ties to
the monarchy
• Re emergence of the Catholic Church
Checkpoint
• What changes occurred after the Reign of Terror came to an
end?
• Moderates set up the Constitution of 1795 which set up a five
man Directory and two house legislatures
Revolution Brings Change
Nationalism
• Fueled by revolutionary
ideas nationalism
spreads throughout
France
• Nationalism – strong
feeling of pride and
devout loyalty to ones
country
Social Reform
• Religious toleration
• Set up schools
• Organized systems to
help poor and old
soldiers
• Abolished slavery in
colonies
Checkpoint
• What changes occurred in France because of the French
Revolution?
• Monarchy is overthrown, old regime in gone, the state
controls the church
6.3 Section Review
2. What events occurred during the radicle events of the French
Revolution
• Beheading of the monarchs, the Reign of Terror
6.3 Section Review
3. Summarize the goals of the Jacobin
• Get rid of any traces of the old social order, seize the lands of
the nobles, abolish noble titles, also remove the monarchy
6.3 Section Review
4. Why was the committee of Public Safety created
• To deal with threats to the revolution
6.3 Section Review
5. How did the Reign of Terror lead to the Directory
• France was tired of the executions and members of the
National Convention felt their lives were in danger.
• This led to the execution of Robespierre and other radicals.
• This also led to the creation of a new constitution and the
Directory
6.4 The Age of Napoleon
• Understand Napoleon’s rise to power and why
the French strongly supported him
• Explain how Napoleon built and empire and
what challenges the empire faced
• Analyze the events that led to Napoleon's
downfall
• Outline how the congress of Vienna tried to
create a lasting peace
Terms, People, and Places
• Plebiscite
• Napoleonic code
• Annex
• Continental system
• Guerrilla warfare
• Scorched Earth
• Abdicate
• Congress of Vienna
• Legitimacy
• Concert of Europe
Napoleon Rises to Power
• Born in Corsica
• Sent to France to
learn how to be a
soldier
• Favored Jacobins and
republic rule
Victory Clouds Losses
• December 1793
drove the British out
of Toulon
• Scored several other
victories against
Austria
• Forced Austria into a
treaty
• 1798 Fought British
in Egypt
Rise to Power
• 1799 helped to
overthrow the
Directory
• Set up a new three
man governing board
called The Consulate
• Drew up a new
constitution
• Forced Spain to
return Louisiana
territory to France
Napoleon Crowns Himself Emperor
• Declared himself
Council for Life
• Later assumed the
title of Emperor
• Took crown from the
Pope and placed it on
his own head
• Held Plebiscite or
popular vote by
ballot to elect him
self
Checkpoint
• How did Napoleon rise to power so quickly in
France?
• His ambition an military success helped him rise
to power in the absence of any true leaders.
Napoleon Reforms France
• Order, Security, and Efficiency replaced Liberty, Equality,
and Fraternity
• Controlled prices, encouraged industry, built roads, set
up a system of public schools
• Made peace with the Catholic Church with the Concordat
of 1801
• Lasting reforms and laws set up were called the
Napoleonic Code
• The Napoleonic Code Replaced many of the reforms of
the Revolution
Checkpoint
• What reforms did Napoleon introduce during his rise to
power?
• Improved the economy, established a public school
system introduced the Napoleonic Codes which were
included equality, and religious toleration but undid
some of the reforms of the revolution.
Napoleon Builds an Empire
• 1804 -1812 gained a
reputation as a skilled
military leader
• Attacked using a fast
moving army
• By 1812 built a Grand
Empire
• “I grew up on the field
of battle and a man
such as my self cares
little for the life of a
million men”
The Map of Europe is Redrawn
• As Napoleon created
the vast French Empire
he redrew the Map of
Europe
• Annexed land from
Spain, Netherlands
Belgium and Germany
• Dissolved the Holy
Roman Empire
• Created new countries
and inserted relatives
at the rulers
Napoleon Sticks Britain
• Britain was only
country that stood in
the way of total
European
domination
• Set up the
Continental System
which was blockade
against British
Imports to Europe
• Fought Brian in Egypt
to cut off their access
to the Middle East
• Discovered the
Rosetta Stone in
Egypt
• By causing the British
to attack U. S. Ships
Triggered the War of
1812
Checkpoint
• How did Napoleon come to dominate most if Europe by
1812?
• Using a fast moving army he was able to defeat the other
powers of Europe. He tolerated great losses of men in
exchange of victory.
• He would annex lands and install friends or relatives as
rulers
Napoleon's Empire Faces Challenges
Nationalism
Spain and Austria
• Many countries
welcomed the ideas of
Revelation but felt
Napoleon was a
suppressing conqueror
• The resented the
Continental System and
the act of Imposing
French Culture
• Spaniard resisted the
change to the Spanish
Catholic Church
• Conducted Guerrilla
Warfare ageist
Napoleon's Army
• Guerrilla Warfare – using
hit and run tactics
against a superior
Military
Russian Winter Stops The Grand Army
• Invaded Russia
• Russia used a Scorched
Earth Policy in Retreat
• Destroyed all resources
that Napoleon's army
could have used
• Harsh Winter
conditions forced the
Grand Army to Retreat
• 500,000 reduced to
about 20,000
Checkpoint
• What challenges threated Napoleon's empire and what led to
the disaster in Russia?
• Nationalism of individual states and guerrilla warfare in Spain
• Austria seeking revenge on France
• Large expanse of land to cross in Russia as well as the Russian
Winter overcome the scourched earth policy
Napoleon Falls from Power
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After his defeat in Russia forced to Abdicate the throne
Abdicate-to give up
Sent into exile in the island of Elba with 1000 troops
When British administrator leave the island Napoleon
and his troops escape
Upon his return to France he is treated as a hero
France had re instated a monarch King Louis XVIII and
went back on revolutionary reforms
Louis sent troops to stop napoleon and they ended up
joining him
Marched on Paris forcing Louis to flee and reclaimed his
title as Emperor
Battle of Waterloo
• Fearing Napoleons Power Europe raced to raise an army
ageist him
• Napoleon also raised his army of one million strong
• Met in battle at Waterloo
• Was against Arch Duke Wellington first time he met a
commander equal to him in skill
• Wellington knew Napoleons tactics and was able to
defeat him
• Napoleon was again sent into Exile to the island if St
Helena
• Died six years later
Checkpoint
• How did Napoleon impact Europe and the rest of the
world?
• Spread ideas of Nationalism
• Helped expand the American territory with the Louisiana
purchase
• Abolished the Holy Roman Empire and set up Germany
Congress of Vienna
• Chief Goal was to suppress revolutionary
uprisings
• Strived for peace in Europe
• Re instated the legitimate rulers of the countries
• Created the Concert of Europe a system in which
European powers met an periodically discussed
any problems affecting the peace in Europe
Checkpoint
• Explain the chief goal of the Congress of Vienna
• Create a lasting peace in Europe
• Establish a balance of power
• Protect the monarch system