THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
(1789-1815)
AND NAPOLEON
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BACKGROUND
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Spirit of 18th Century
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devoted to destruction and reformation of
existing institutions
most notable manifestations: the attacks of
French writers upon church and state
Agrarian conditions - peasantry mostly free
but highly taxed; not downtrodden, but
well-off enough to wish to better
themselves
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BACKGROUND
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Rise of the middle class
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generally excluded from politics; growing richer;
read and listened to philosophies
Unwieldy and inefficient machinery of
government
irresponsible and unsuited to needs of state
 taxation was inequitable
 no representative assembly
 Letters de Cachet - imprisoning without habeas
corpus: served as anti-government propaganda
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BACKGROUND
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Ever-growing deficit
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proved impossible of reduction
May 1789: Louis XVI convened meeting of
Estates General (represented 3 estates of
French society - Nobles, Clergy and Commons)
Commons assumed title of National Assembly
and undertook to reform government by
formulating a constitution for a constitutional
monarchy
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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5 May 1789
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Meeting of Estates General
National Assembly formed by Commons
Members of Nobles and Clergy invited to
join
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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23 Jun 1789
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King ordered assembly to
meet in 3 houses
King requested nobles &
clergy join 3rd estate
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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14 Jul 1789
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Concentration of troops near Paris
Rumors of kings intention to dissolve National
Assembly
Necker was dismissed
Storming and destruction of the Bastille
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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4 Aug 1789
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Voluntary surrender by representatives of nobles
of all feudal rights and privileges to occur over
period of years
27 Aug 1789
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Declaration of Rights of Man, a bill of rights
compounded from English and American
precedents and from political theories current
with the philosophies
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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5-6 Oct 1789 - Outbreak of the mob of
Paris
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Liberal monarchical constitution: king could
not declare war and conclude peace without
consent of chamber
Ecclesiastic estates declared public property
and notes issued under security of public
lands
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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14 Jul 1790
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Constitution accepted by king
Abolished hereditary nobility, titles, and coats
of arms
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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Power of clubs grow
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Jacobins under Robespierre
Cordeliers under Danton, Marat, Desmoulins,
Hebert
Feuillants - moderate monarchists separated
from Jacobins - Lafayette and Bailly
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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14 Sep 1791
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King accepts constitution
Annexation of Avignon and Benaissin to
France
30 Sep 1791
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Dissolution of Assembly
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LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY
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1 Oct 1791
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Legislative Assembly, 745 members elected by
active citizens
still represented primarily middle class
7 Feb 1792
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Alliance of Austria and Prussia against France
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NATIONAL
CONVENTION
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War of First Coalition against France
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20 Apr 1792 - France declares war on Austria increases revolutionary excitement in Paris
2-7 Sep 1792 - September massacres at Paris
20 Sep 1792 - Battle of Valmy - French, defeated
Prussians
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NATIONAL
CONVENTION
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21 Sep 1792
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National Convention convened
Abolition of Monarchy - France declared a
Republic
Dec 1792 - Trial of Louis XVI
21 Jan 1793 - Execution of Louis XVI
1 Feb 1793 - War declared against Great
Britain, Holland, Spain
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NATIONAL
CONVENTION
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Reign of Terror - Robespierre gradually came to
dominate the whole government
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23 Aug 1793-Levy of males; 14 armies raised
16 Oct 1793 – Execution of Marie Antoinette Nov
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NATIONAL
CONVENTION
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Mar 1794 - Robespierre succeeded in
crushing rival powers
27 Jul 1794 - Fall of Robespierre
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NATIONAL CONVENTION
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22 Aug 1795 - Constitution - 3rd of
revolution
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Executing power: Directory of five, Council of
Elders, and Council of 500
General Bonaparte placed in charge of troops
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NATIONAL
CONVENTION
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5 Oct 1795
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Paris royalists instigated outbreak
26 Oct 1795
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Convention dissolved
Coup d'état led by Napoleon and the three
Directors
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IMPACT OF
REVOLUTION
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Emergence of democratic ideal; emphasis on
individual freedom, equality & popular government
John Locke
 Jean Jacques Rousseau - citizen had responsibility to
fight in defense of country (not a logical thought for
18th century monarchies)
 Conscription is unthinkable without this ideology
(governed were now governing, had affirmative
obligation to defend government)
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IMPACT OF
REVOLUTION
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Armies created by revolution eventually made
Bonaparte Emperor of France (back to
autocracy)
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Moderate legislature elected in 1797 desired end
of war
3 radical directors conspired with Bonaparte to
arrange coup d'état
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IMPACT OF NATIONALISM
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Mass citizen army fueled by nationalism
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Felt necessary to defend ones own country
Indoctrination of soldiers in Revolutionary
Patriotism
Ideological Warfare
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QUESTIONS?
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