Post on 25-Dec-2015
Chapter 23: The French Revolution and Napoleon
1789-1815
Causes of the French RevolutionSocial and economic
injusticesAmerican RevolutionEconomic troubles
High taxes and bread prices, debt, crop failures in the 1780s
A weak, inept leadershipOld Regime
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
Enlightenment ideas spread among Third EstateWho might the French
people admire? Why?
French Social Structure1770s France
Three estatesFirst estateClergy of Roman
Catholic ChurchLess than 1% of
populationOwned 10% of landPaid 2% taxes
Second estate Wealthy nobles2% of populationOwned 20% of landPaid no taxes and
held government jobs
How did these people feel about the Enlightenment?
The Third EstateThree groupsBourgeoisie (Middle
class)Held a skilled job:
Merchant, banker, lawyer, artisan, etc.
Well-educatedSome were wealthy,
but……they all lacked social
status and political power
Workers (Proletariat)Held unskilled factory
jobsPeasants 80% of France’s total
populationPaid almost half their
total income in taxes!What did the Third
Estate want from King Louis XVI?
CHANGE!
The Painful Reality
The Dawn of RevolutionThird Estate creates the
National Assembly to pass new reform laws
What does this mean for the Louis XVI?
Ends absolute monarchy, begins representative government
Tennis Court OathThird Estate would write
a new Constitution
The First BattleStorming of the BastilleFrench prison is taken
over by angry mob looking for gunpowder for their stolen weapons
Symbol of RevolutionJuly 14, 1789
Bastille DayGreat Fear
Terrorism, starvation
La MarseillaiseCome, children of the FatherlandOur day of glory has come!Against us the bloody flag of tyranny is raised!Can you hear in the countryThe shrieks of those ferocious soldiers?They come to our very armsTo slaughter our sons and wives:To arms, citizens!Form your battalions!March forth! March forth!Let their impure blood water our fields!
“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!”Motto of the French
RevolutionHow does the motto
indicate the Third Estate’s goals?
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the CitizenGuaranteed certain
human rights
Social and Political ChangesState controls church
Effect?Lost land and political
independenceNational Assembly
creates new constitution
Created a limited monarchy by establishing the Legislative Assembly in 1791
Had the power to create laws and approve declarations of war
Responsible for execution of King Louis XVI
The Reign of TerrorNational Convention
formsMaximilien RobespierreConnection between
virtue and terror1793-1794—Robespierre
ruled as a dictatorAbout 40,000 people die
during the Reign of Terror; 85% were from the Third Estate
Why is this ironic?
The Terror EndsNational Convention
feared for their livesRobespierre was
executed, ending the Reign of Terror
Directory is formed in 1795, upper middle class takes power
Napoleon (Quickly!) Rises to PowerNapoleon Bonaparte
Outstanding military skills, promoted to head of the army
Suffered losses, alsoHow was Napoleon still
able to keep his image as a national hero?
The Directory was weak by 1799; Napoleon led a military coup d'état and took power
Established the Consulate, a three-man governing board
He held a plebiscite to approve a new constitution
Napoleon became the first leader of a democratic France…or did he?
Napoleon took complete control as first consul
Napoleon Reforms(?) FranceStrengthened
national governmentCollected taxes;
started national bankSet up lycées to
educate men to become trained, uncorrupt gov’t officials
Signed a concordat with the Pope
Gov’t recognized influence of Church, but NOT in national affairs
In other words…?Separation of church
and stateNapoleonic Code Set new and equal laws
for FrancePromoted order and
authority over individual rights
Napoleon’s Coronation (1804)
Napoleon as Emperor (1804-1815)Took over large
parts of EuropeEuropean countries
formed alliance against him
Napoleon’s empire large, but unstable
Napoleon’s Three Mistakes1. The Continental
SystemLooked to make
continental Europe more self-sufficient
What country did Napoleon want to cause damage to?
Napoleon sets up a blockade…Why?
Blockade was too loose, did not stop British navy
2. The Peninsular WarInvaded Spain so
Portugal would become part of the Continental System
Bands of Spanish fighters called guerillas attacked Napoleon’s armies
300,000 French soldiers die
The Biggest Mistake3. Invasion of Russia (1812)420,000 French soldiers march into RussiaRussian general Czar Alexander keeps pulling
back his soldiers deeper into his territoryRussia uses scorched-earth policy to weaken
Napoleon’s armyMore than 400,000 French soldiers die
Napoleon Exits from France--TwiceNapoleon wanted to
continue fighting, but his generals refused
He was exiled to Elba, a small island off the coast of Italy
New king was unpopularNapoleon escapes, fights
Prussian and British forces at Waterloo
Napoleon’s defeat there is the end of his last attempt to keep power, called the Hundred Days
Congress of ViennaGoal was to provide
security and stability for all of Europe
Klemens von Metternich was the most influential representative
1. Surround France with strong countries
**2. Restore a balance of power to Europe
3. Restore royal families to throne--legitimacy
Alliances formed: Holy Alliance and the Concert of Europe
Was the Congress successful?
Long-term effects:End to rigid and
unfair social structure
Increased belief in democracy