“Liberty, equality, fraternity”
Picture: Storming of Bastille; July
14, 1789
Problems in France
• Social division: France was divided
in to three estates or social
classes
*First estate: Catholic Church
*Second estate: Nobility
(aristocrats)
*Third estate: everyone else
(98% of the population)
• The third estate was divided into
sections including the bourgeoisie
(the wealthy who paid almost all
the taxes in France), workers and
peasants (most of whom were
starving)
• The bourgeoisie believed strongly
in Enlightenment ideas.
Problems continued
• King Louis XVI inherited a HUGE
amount of debt. (the French helped
the Americans during the Revolution)
• The king and queen spent a lot of
money on (Queen Marie Antoinette
was known as Madame Deficit,)
• Bankruptcy forced Louis XVI to call
the Estates General (like the English
parliament) to approve tax reform
that would tax the 2nd estate
(nobility).
• Third estate created a legislative
body known as the National
Assembly to pass laws in the “name
of the French people”, effectively
ending the French monarchy
Beginning of the Revolution
• Storming of Bastille- starving peasants
stormed the prison of Bastille on July 14,
1789. This is celebrated as French
“Independence” Day.
• This began the “Great Fear” during
which thousands of peasants broke laws
with no fear of punishment
• National Assembly wrote the
Declaration of the Rights of Man, the
first French constitution which stated
“men are born and remain free and equal
in rights”
• They reformed many things including
nationalizing the Catholic Church,
allowing non aristocratic soldiers to rise
in the army ranks and others.
• Louis XVI was forced to approve a new
governing body known as the
Legislative Assembly.
Revolutionary
playing cards.
Kings and queens
have been
replaced with
images of
“liberty, equality
and fraternity”,
the slogan of the
Revolution.
Revolution Disagreements
• People were torn about the Revolution.
3 parts of the Legislative assembly
(Radicals – wanted revolutionary
changes, Moderates, and Conservatives
– favored constitutional monarchy).
• The radicals sat on the left side of the
hall and the conservatives sat on the
right side.
• Emigres (extreme right) were nobles
who wanted the old government back.
• Sans-coulettes (extreme left) hoped for
a government that strictly followed
Enlightenment ideals.
Sans-coulettes
End of the Revolution
• After a failing war with Prussia and
Austria, the radical Jacobin Club
executed Louis XVI using the guillotine.
• Maximillien Robespierre created the
Committee of Public Safety to punish non
revolutionary French citizens. During the
Reign of Terror, the Committee of
Public Safety was responsible for the
death of thousands of French. (No one
was safe.) They killed the former Queen
Marie Antoinette. Eventually, they also
killed Robespierre.
• The French created a government known
as the Directory and wrote ANOTHER
constitution (the upper middle class held
power).
English political
cartoon of the
French
Revolution.
How do you think
the English
viewed the French
Revolution?
Napoleon Bonaparte
• Named general by the Directory.
• Because the French army no longer
promoted people based on aristocratic
birth, Napoleon moved up quickly
through the ranks.
• When the Directory failed, Napoleon
led a coup d ‘etat (blow of the state)
and took control of the government.
• Napoleon wanted to be approved by
the people and led a plebiscite, or
vote of the people to confirm his rule.
(The people voted for Napoleon
because they wanted strong
leadership.)
Napoleon Attempts to Fix France
• Sets up the lycees system
(public school) and a fairer tax
code.
• Wrote the Napoleonic code of
laws
• Signed a concordat with the
Pope to regain Catholic
support of the government
• Crowned himself as emperor
• Hoped to add land to the
French “empire”
• Sold the Louisiana territory to
Thomas Jefferson (for money
to wage war).
Napoleon as emperor
• Annexed the Austrian Netherlands
• Took over part of Italy
• Austria, Prussia and Russia signed treaties that
gave Napoleon free reign
• Lost only one major battle, the Battle at
Trafalgar. General Nelson of Britain divided the
French Navy and attacked the smaller ships.
This forced Napoleon to give up his invasion of
Britain.
• Created the Continental System, a blockade
that attempted to starve out Britain. (it failed)
Britain actually organized its own blockade.
Napoleon as emperor
• Attempted to invade Russia. Russia practiced a
scorched earth policy in order to starve the
French troops. Thousands of Napoleon’s men
starved or froze to death and he was forced to
retreat severely weakened.
• When he returned from Russia, he was forced
to give up his throne and was exiled. He later
escaped (legend says he walked from the
coast of France to Paris collecting troops along
the way) and took control again for the
Hundred Days.
• He was defeated for the last time at the battle of
Waterloo (he was defeated by the British with
the help of Prussia). He was then sent to
another island where he died.
Effects of Napoleon
• European conservatives became very
concerned about maintaining a “balance
of power”
• Prince Metternich of Austria called the
Congress of Vienna to end French
aggression, it strengthened the countries
around France, restored European
monarchies and created a balance of
power.
• Prussia, Austria and Russia created the
Holy Alliance & signed the Concert of
Europe promising to help other nations if
trouble (or revolutions) ever broke out.
• Most of all, it created greater feelings of
Nationalism in countries with foreign
rulers.