Absolutism and revolution

Absolutism and RevolutionUNIT 2

ABSOLUTE MONARCHS IN

EUROPECHAPTER 5

European Absolutism

Absolutism in Europe

● During the 1400’- 1700’s European rulers claimed they had the authority to rule without limits

● Rulers called absolute monarchs, their goal was to control every aspect of society

● Believed in divine right, God created monarchy and they were God’s representative on Earth

● Rulers did not have to answer to their subjects

European Absolutism

● 1500s and 1600s time of change in EuropeI. Monarchs gained power because of the growth of cities

and the growth of the economy Feudalism declined

need for strong central authority

Middle class backed monarch because a strong government was good for business

Monarchs allowed businessmen to use the wealth of the colonies to grow the countries economy

II. Religious and territorial conflicts led to continuous warfare

III. Governments had to build huge armies and increase taxes to pay for wars

IV. Monarchs had to increase power➢They regulated religion, social gatherings

➢Created new governments to control the countries economic life

SPAIN'S EMPIRE AND

EUROPEAN

ABSOLUTISM

Section 1

Spain’s Empire and European Absolutism

● 1500’s Spain first modern European power

● Unified country, religion

● Huge New World Empire

● Silver and gold from new world fueled Spanish economy

● 1519 Charles V (Charles I) ruled Spain and Hapsburg Empire (HRE, Netherlands)

● 1556 Charles gives empire to son- Phillip II (Spain, New World colonies, Netherlands) and brother Ferdinand (Hapsburg Empire)

● Phillip was very religious and very aggressive

● Took control of Portugal and all of their territory in the East Indies, Africa and India

● Spanish king now controlled an empire across the globe


Empire provided Phillip with great wealth

● Gold and silver from the Americas poured into Spain

● It allowed Phillip to keep a huge army

● Phillip was also deeply religious

● Reformation was going on in Europe and Phillip was a devout Catholic

● He believed it was his duty to defend the Catholic faith from Protestants and Muslims

● Fought against Ottomans and Protestant armies across Europe, used wealth to pay for army and navy

● Used Inquisition to enforce religious unity


Golden Age of Spanish Art and Literature

● Wealth allowed Spanish to support the arts

● Two great painters El Greco and Velazquez

● El Greco- paintings reflected Catholic faith of Spain, his paintings were very emotional

● Velazquez- painting reflected the pride of the Spanish monarchy, he was the official painter of the royal family

● Don Quixote called the first modern European novel

● Written by Miguel de Cervantes

● About a Spanish nobleman who went crazy after reading too many books

● About a person stuck in the past and frustrated with the changing world


● The Spanish Empire Weakens

● Netherlands controlled by Spain and Phillip taxed them and took steps to crush Protestantism

● Netherlands was Protestant and had a prosperous middle class involved in international trade

● Dutch fought them for 11 years and in 1579 they declared independence from Spain


● Defeat of the Spanish Armada

● 1580’s main rival to Spain was England

● England Protestant country

● England supported Dutch against Spain, attacked Spanish treasure ships

● Philip II builds huge navy to defeat English (Armada)

● 1588 Armada defeated by English


● 1600’s Spanish power declines

I. Wars drained wealth

➢ Philipp borrowed money to fight wars from Italian and German bankers, caused country to have a huge debt

II. Treasure from Americas led to neglect of farming, commerce, caused inflation (too much gold and silver a problem, money not worth as much)

III. Expulsion of Muslims and Jews deprived economy of skilled artisans, merchants, scholars

IV. Philips successors not as able

V. Spain’s rulers also taxed the lower classes, nobles did not have to pay taxes


Independent Dutch Prosper

● United Provinces of the Netherlands were different than other European states

● Had an elected governor that depended on support of merchants and landholders for power

● During 1600’s Dutch had best banks and artists

● Rembrandt greatest artist of period

● Jan Vermeer painted pictures of Dutch domestic life


Dutch Trading Empire● Stability of government allowed Dutch to

focus on economic growth● Dutch had largest fleet of ships in the world

and used the Dutch East India Company to control the spice trade in the East Indies and Asia

● Replaced the Italians as bankers of Europe

THE REIGN OF LOUIS

XIV

Section 2

The Reign of Louis XIVReligious Wars and Power Struggles● 1562-1598 Huguenots and Catholics

fought 8 religious wars, during this time chaos spread through France

● Huguenots were French Protestants

● 1572 St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre sparked 6 week war between Catholics and Protestants

● 1589 Henry IV (a Protestant king) takes throne and gives up Protestantism and becomes Catholic to bring peace

● 1598 Henry issues the Edict of Nantes that allowed Huguenots to live in peace across France and set up their own churches

● After a generation of war people welcomed peace and Henry began to restore French monarchy and prosperity

The Reign of Louis XIV● After the death of Henry his son, Louis XIII

took over

● 1624 he appointed Cardinal Richelieu as his minister

● Richelieu was the real power in France

● Took steps to increase the power of the Bourbon monarchy in France

A. Took power from Huguenots, dictated their living conditions

B. Took power from nobles, made them more dependent on the king for protection

C. Put middle class in more powerful government positions

D. Richelieu also became involved in wars with the most powerful European dynasty the Hapsburgs (the Thirty Years War)

The Reign of Louis XIV

Writers turn toward Skepticism

● New French intellectual movement grew at this time, they had witnessed the religious wars

● Many turned to the idea of skepticism(nothing can be known for certain), and the began to doubt the teaching of the church

● Montaigne- developed new for of literature, the essay, to express a writers thoughts and feelings

● Believed that humans could never have an absolute knowledge of what is true

● Descartes used observations to determine that we could never know what was true

● Influenced modern thinkers by developing the scientific method

The Reign of Louis XIVLouis XIV Comes to Power

● Louis became king at age 4 in 1642 and ruled for 72 years

● Believed that he and France were one (“I am the state”)

● When Louis was young the real power behind the throne was Cardinal Mazarin

● The nobles hated him because he raised their taxes and made the central government stronger

● 1648- 1653 many riots broke out across France protesting Mazarin’s policies

● Louis felt threatened and he never forgot about this, he decided to make the monarchy so strong that this would not happen again

● Rebellions failed because peasants and townspeople grew tired of the fighting

● Because they were tired of wars they accepted Louis oppressive laws


● When Mazarin died Louis took control of the government himself◦ Weakened power of the nobles by removing

them from his government

◦ Increased the power of government agents who collected taxes and administered justice (intendants), they were not part of the nobility

◦ Louis made sure local officials kept in touch with him regularly


Economic Growth

● Louis used finance minister Jean Baptiste Colbert to help France attain economic and political power

● Colbert wanted France to become self sufficient and used mercantilist policies to meet his goals❖Expanded manufacturing

❖Placed a high tariff on goods from other countries

❖Recognized importance of colonies to help economy

● After Colbert’s death in 1685 economic progress slowed

● Louis also canceled Edict of Nantes

● Many Huguenot businessmen and artisans left France and it took many skilled workers out of the economy


● Louis surrounded himself with luxury at his palace Versailles

● Palace became a symbol of wealth, seat of government, home for nobles◦ Made nobles dependent on Louis

◦ Kept intendants in power in other parts of the country

◦ By keeping nobles at Versailles it kept them from fighting each other, they fought for favor of Louis

● Louis was a patron of the arts and he made ballet and opera more popular

● The purpose of art was to glorify the king and promote his absolute rule


● Under Louis France was the most powerful country in the world

● France had the largest, best trained and equipped army in Europe

● 1667 Louis invades Spanish Netherlands to expand French boundaries

● Dutch defeat French

● 1680’s European alliance established to stop French and achieve a balance of power across Europe (no single country could dominate others)

● Alliance called the League of Augsburg (England, Spain, Hapsburg Austria, other smaller countries) they equaled French strength

● Poor harvests and constant warfare and higher taxes weakened France at this time

The Reign of Louis XIVWar of Spanish Succession

● War fought between Spain and France, the two greatest European powers

● Other European countries joined in

● War lasted for 14 years, ended by the Treaty of Utrecht

● Big winner was Great Britain

● British took over Gibraltar that controlled the entrance to the Mediterranean

● Also gave the British French controlled territories in the Americas


Louis Death and Legacy● Louis death was good news across

France, they were tired of the Sun King● Legacy

1. Made France a European power

2. Seen as a military power

3. Led other nations in the promotion of art, literature

4. Constant warfare left France in debt

5. Tax burden and the abuse of power by Louis would eventually lead to rebellion against the monarchy by the end of the 1700’s

THE THIRTY YEARS

WAR

Section 3

The Thirty Years’ War

● 17th century Holy Roman Empire (HRE) patchwork of small states

● Religion was the original cause

● 1618- Began in Bohemia, Catholic Hapsburg king tried to suppress Protestant revolt

● Local conflict became general war

● HRE supported by Catholic states

● Protestant powers sent troops

● Fought all across Germany, led to 1/3 of pop. dying

● Ruined German trade and agriculture

The Thirty Years’ War

● Ended in 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia

1. Weakened Hapsburg Spain and Austria

2. Made France the most powerful country in Europe

3. Ended religious wars in Europe

4. Introduced new method of settling disputes, where participants decide terms of peace

5. Treaty recognized European countries as equals and was the beginning of the modern state system

ABSOLUTE RULERS OF

RUSSIA

Section 4

Absolute Rulers of Russia

● 1463-1505 Ivan III first strong ruler of Russia1. Conquered territory

around Moscow

2. Centralized the government

3. Liberated Russia from Mongol rule

● 1554 Ivan’s grandson Ivan IV became Russia’s first czar

Absolute Rulers of Russia● Ivan became czar when he was 3

years old● Early life he competed for power with

the boyars (Russia’s landowning nobles)

● When he was 16 he seized power for good

● 1560 his wife dies and Ivan accused the boyars of poisoning her

● Became known as Ivan the Terrible● He organized a secret police force to

hunt down and murder people that did not agree with him

● He took the boyars estates and gave them to people that were loyal to him


● 1581 Ivan kills his son and heir in an argument

● Ivan died three years later that left his younger less competent son as ruler of Russia

● After his son died there was a period of turmoil in Russia

● Boyars struggled for power

● 1613 representatives from many Russian cities chose the next czar, Michael Romanov (who was related to Ivan’s wife)

● Began the Romanov dynasty that ruled Russia for the next three hundred years

Absolute rulers of Russia

Russia Contrasts with the Rest of Europe● Russia was a land of boyars and serfs

◦ Landowners needed serfs to work on the lad to produce harvests

◦ Serfs were seen as property, they were sold when the land was sold

◦ Serfs were also given as presents and to pay debts

● Most boyars looked to Constantinople not to Rome for religious guidance◦ Most Russians were Eastern Orthodox not

Catholic or Protestants

● Mongol rule had cut off Russia from the Age of Exploration and the Renaissance

● Geographic barriers isolated Russia, its only seaport was frozen in ice most of the year


Peter the Great comes to Power

● Romanov’s restored order to Russia

● Passed new law codes and put down revolts

● 1696 Peter I becomes ruler of Russia (known as Peter the Great), he continued the trend of increasing the czars power

● Peter believed the future of Russia depended on the country having a warm water port to compete with the rest of Europe

● 1697 Peter leaves to tour Western Europe to learn European customs and manufacturing techniques (he traveled in disguise to keep his identity secret)


● Peter came back from his trip to “westernize” Russia (adoption of Western European ideas, technology, culture)

● Russia would compete military and commercially with other European countries

● To bring changes to Russia Peter became an absolute ruler◦ He reduced the power of the boyars

◦ Gave power to lower ranking families, and gave them grants of land

◦ Modernized army, hired officers, used weapons and tactics from other European countries

Absolute Rulers of Russia● Other attempts to “westernize” Russia

included:

1. Introduction of potatoes, became a staple of the Russian diet

2. Raised the status of women

3. Ordered nobles to give up traditional styles of clothing and dress for European fashions

4. Opened universities to promote arts, sciences and navigation

• Peter thought that education was the key to advance Russia

5. Promoted mercantilist policies

6. Improved waterways, roads, developed industry

Had no mercy for those that resisted his orders


● Peter wanted a seaport to open trade with the west

● Fought a 21 year war with Sweden to gain port on Baltic Sea

● Before war was over Peter began to construct the city of St. Petersburg

● Built on a desolate swamp used the labor and lives of 50,000 serfs

● Ordered nobles to move to capital from Moscow

● 1725 Peter dies and leaves Russia as European power

PARLIAMENT LIMITS

THE ENGLISH

MONARCHY

Section5

Parliament Limits the English

Monarchy● Parliament in England had the

power to control money and kept English rulers from becoming absolute monarchs

● The struggle between Parliament and the monarchy had serious consequences for England in the 1600’s

● Tradition of limits on monarchs power◦ Magna Charta, Parliament

● Elizabeth dies without heir, James I of Scotland becomes king

● James I (Catholic) disagreed with Parliament about finances, fought against Puritans

● Dissolved Parliament, collected taxes on his own


Monarchy● 1625 Charles I becomes king of England

● Charles always needed money because of constant war with France and Spain

● When Parliament refused to give him money he dissolved it

● 1628 Charles needed Parliament to grant him money

● Parliament forced him to sign Petition of Right◦ did not allow king to raise taxes without vote,

◦ could not jail people without legal justification

● Petition put the law above the king

● Ignored petition, ruled England without Parliament for 11 years

● Charles imposed fess and fines on English people and his popularity decreased year after year


Monarchy● 1640 Charles needs money to fight a rebellion

against the Presbyterian Scots

● He could only get money by calling Parliament into session gave Parliament a chance to oppose Charles

● 1642 Charles had Puritan leaders arrested and the English people began to rebel against the king

● Charles fled to the north of England to raise an army


MonarchyEnglish Civil War

o 1642-1649 supporters and opponents of the English monarchy fought against each other for seven years

o Cavilers- supporters of king

o Roundheads- supporters of Parliament

o Roundheads led by Oliver Cromwell defeated Charles’ army

o Charles put on trial and executed

o First time a monarch was publicly executed


Monarchy● Cromwell became ruler of England

● He established a commonwealth and republican form of government

● Cromwell soon became a military dictator

● 1649 Cromwell took over Ireland and gave the land to English soldiers

● Cromwell was a Puritan and wanted to reform society to promote Puritan morality

● Abolished activities such as theatre, dancing, sporting events

● After Cromwell's death in 1658 England returned to rule by a king


MonarchyThe Restoration

● English wanted king because they were sick of military rule

● 1659 Charles II becomes king of England

● Popular king, reopened theatres and taverns

● During his reign Parliament passed a guarantee of freedom known as habeas corpus

● Gave prisoners the right to know why they were arrested, could not be held indefinitely without a trial or for simply opposing the king


Monarchy● After the death of Charles II his

Catholic brother James II became king

● Offended English because he displayed his Catholicism and he appointed many Catholics to government positions

● 1688 English asked his Protestant sister, Mary and her husband William, to overthrow the James II

● William led an army into England and James left for France

● The was no war or bloodshed, this event was known as the Glorious Revolution


Monarchy● William and Mary recognized Parliament as their partner in

government

● England became a constitutional monarchy (where laws limit the ruler’s power)

● 1689 The English Bill of Rights set limits on the monarchs power in England◦ Monarch could not suspend laws

◦ Could not tax without approval of Parliament

◦ Could not interfere with freedom of speech

◦ They could petition the king with their grievances without fear of punishment

● After 1688 monarchs could not rule without a group of advisers known as their cabinet

● Cabinet acted in the rulers name but they were represented by the majority party in Parliament

● Over time the cabinet became the center of power and policymaking

● The head of the cabinet is the prime minister

Enlightenment and

Revolution1550-1789Chapter 6

THE SCIENTIFIC

REVOLUTION

Section 1

The Scientific Revolution● Renaissance, Reformation broke down medieval

world view, traditional beliefs

● Shift in scientific thinking

● By early 1600’s new approach based on hypothesis, observation and experimentation (scientific method)

● Mathematics key to understanding truths, used to convert data into information and scientific laws

● Earth- centered view (geocentric) idea came from Aristotle

● Christianity taught that God had placed the earth at the center of the universe

● Beginning in mid-1500’s ideas were challenged by scientists

● Change was called the scientific revolution

● It was a new way of thinking based on observation and willingness to question accepted beliefs

● Combination of discoveries and inventions led to Scientific Revolution

◦ Discovery of new lands challenged old truths, led to new observations that questioned world around them

Ideas spread by printing press

The Scientific Revolution

● First challenge came in astronomy

● 1543 Polish scientist Nicolaus Copernicus- theory of heliocentric universe (sun centered)

● Earth one of several planets to revolve around sun

● Did not publish his findings for 25 years because he knew they would be rejected

● Other scientists built on his foundations

● Late 1500’s Tycho Brahe found evidence to support heliocentric theory

● Johannes Keppler- supported view, found planets move in


● Early 1600’s Italian Scientist Galileo Galilei used a telescope to observe the planets

● 1610 published a book, Starry Messenger, to describe his observations

● He supported theories of Copernicus

● His ideas went against church teaching and authority

● 1616 Catholic Church warned him not to defend his ideas

● 1633 Galileo called before the pope to sign a confession saying he was wrong

● Lived under house arrest for the rest of his life

● However his ideas spread across the rest of Europe

The Scientific Revolution● Ideas in astronomy were the beginning of a

new approach to science (scientific method) that was a logical procedure of collecting information and testing ideas

● Gather data to analyze and interpret to reach a new conclusion to confirm or disprove hypothesis

● 1600’s Rene Descartes and Francis Bacon helped advance the new approach◦ Bacon, an Englishman, believed that scientists

would create practical knowledge to improve people’s daily lives

◦ Urged scientists to use experimentation to draw conclusions (empiricism)

◦ Descartes developed analytical geometry as a tool for scientific research

● Both believed that scientists needed to reject old methods and rely on math and logic

The Scientific Revolution● Isaac Newton brought together ideas of astronomy

and physics in a single theory of motion◦ Came up with universal law of gravitation that all

objects were affected equally by the same forces

◦ Every object attracts every other object

◦ Attraction depends on the mass of objects and distance between them

● 1687 published The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy one of the most important scientific book ever published◦ Describe the universe as a giant clock

◦ All parts worked together perfectly in ways that could be expressed mathematically

◦ God was creator of universe and set everything in motion

● Dominant theory until early 1900’s (Einstein, Heisenberg)


● Scientists developed tools and instruments to make precise observations

● 1590 first microscope invented

● 1670’s Anton Van Leeuwenhoek used microscope to observe bacteria

● 1643 first barometer

● 1714 first thermometer invented by Gabriel Fahrenheit

● 1600’s Robert Boyle-chemicals basic building blocks, distinguished between individual elements and chemical compounds

● Challenged Aristotle's idea that earth was made up of four elements – air, fire, water, earth-

Changing Thought

Medieval

● Earth centered solar system

● Limits set by the Church and theology, faith

● Destiny is already set from birth

● Time, society, world seen as natural and organic

● Scientific Revolution

● Sun centered solar system

● Limits set by rational, logical thought and experiments

● Everything can be explained and improved- engineered

● Time, society and the world seen as a machine, mechanical, a clock

THE ENLIGHTENMENT IN

EUROPE

Section 2

The Enlightenment in Europe

● Philosophers and scholars also began to question reason and order and began to question long held beliefs about the human conditionA. Wanted to change the ideas of rights and

liberties of ordinary citizens

B. Challenged relationship between government and people

C. Brought new insights in government, religion, economics and education

D. Stressed using reason and thought to solve human problems


● Key ideas about Enlightenment from two English thinkers of the 1600’s, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke

● Thomas Hobbes- Expressed views in book called Leviathan (1651)

● English Civil War convinced him that humans were selfish and needed strong government to keep law and order

● Called idea by which people created a government the social contract

● In social contract society give up freedom for law and order


● John Locke- had a more positive view of human nature

● Believed people were basically reasonable

● People had natural rights- life, liberty, property

● People form governments to protect rights

● Best government had limited power, accepted by all citizens

● Government has obligation to people and if it violates natural rights people could overthrow government

● Influenced modern democracy


● Enlightenment reached height in France in mid-1700’s

● Paris was center of Enlightenment ideas

● Social critics were known as philosophes

● Characteristics◦ Used methods of science to understand and improve society

◦ Believed reason could reform government, law and society

◦ Wanted social justice, equality

● Met in salons, informal gatherings, brought together writers, artists, thinkers to discuss and spread ideas

The Enlightenment in Europe● Voltaire

◦ Most famous of philosophes, best known book Candide

◦ Wrote criticisms of Christianity, aristocracy, and government

◦ Promoted religious toleration, freedom of speech, freedom of expression

◦ “I do not agree with a word you say but will defend to the death your right to say it”

● Montesquieu◦ Believed in political liberty, critic of absolute

monarchy

◦ 1748 Spirit of Laws discussed governments through history

◦ Best way to protect liberty was to divide powers of government through three branches (executive, judicial, legislative) called separation of powers

◦ Each branch a check on the other two (checks and balances)


● Rousseau◦ Committed to personal liberty

◦ Argued that civilization corrupted our natural goodness

◦ Believed that government should be guided by the goodwill of society, people had to give up some freedom for the common good

◦ Wrote a book called the Social Contract

◦ Difference between Rousseau and Hobbes:⚫Rousseau believed that government

was an agreement of free individuals to create government


● Beccaria

● Italian philosophe

● Wrote about the justice system

● Laws existed to preserve social order and should be for the greatest good for the greatest number of people

● Argued accused should have a speedy trial and that the punishment should fit the crime

● Fought to abolish torture and capital punishment


Women and the Enlightenment

● Philosphes thought women had natural rights, but limited (home, family)

● Women looked to improve their status

● Mary Wollstonecraft

● Wollstonecraft argued women should not be excluded from social contract

● 1792- A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

● Argued that women needed education to be virtuous and useful , urged women to enter male dominated fields like medicine and


Legacy of the Enlightenment

● Enlightenment thinkers challenged long held ideas about society from religion to the role of government

● Theories inspired the American and French Revolutions

● Three other long term effects of the Enlightenment1. Belief in progress- idea that human thought, logic

and reason could solve social problems

2. More secular outlook- more non-religious viewpoint, questioned the ideas of the church and promoted religious tolerance

3. Importance of the individual- people looked to themselves to solve problems, not government, or church

THE ENLIGHTENMENT

SPREADS

Section3

The Enlightenment Spreads

● Spread across Europe through books, magazines and word of mouth

● Influenced everything from artistic world to royal courts across continent

● 1700’s Paris was cultural and intellectual capital of Europe, center of Enlightenment ideas


Diderot's Encyclopedia

● Diderot was a leading philosophe

● 1751 he began to publish a set of books that contained essays and articles by leading Enlightenment thinkers

● Called it the Encyclopedia

● Angered the French government and the Catholic Church, said it undermined authority and encouraged a spirit of revolt

● Book helped spread the ideas of the Enlightenment to people all over Europe


● European art in 1600’s and early 1700’s was dominated by a style known a baroque (had grand, ornate, design)

● Enlightenment influenced change

● Simple, elegant style influence by classical Greece and Rome called neo-classical developed by late 1700’s

● Simple structure and decoration reflected order and reason

● Music styles changed lighter, elegant style of music developed known as classical music

● Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven were classical composers


● Many philosophes thought the best form of government was a monarchy

● They wanted rulers to respect individuals rights

● Some monarchs made reforms that reflected the Enlightenment (known as enlightened despots)

● They did not want to give up power, but made changes for two reasons:1. To make their country stronger

2. An to make their own rule more effective

● Best examples of enlightened despots were Fredrick the Great of Prussia, Joseph II of Austria and Catherine the Great of Russia


● Fredrick the Great of Prussia◦ Invited intellectuals to Prussia

◦ Allowed free press, relig. toleration, reduced use of torture

● Joseph II of Austria◦ Most radical reformer

◦ Traveled among peasants to learn problems

◦ Supported religious equality, freedom of the press

◦ Diminished power of Catholic Church

◦ Promoted education

◦ Abolished serfdom,

◦ Serfs had to be paid for labor

◦ All reforms were cancelled after his death


● Catherine the Great of Russia◦ Based her reforms on the ideas of

Montesquieu and Beccaria

◦ Believed in enlightenment ideas of equality, liberty (not for all, only middle and upper classes)

◦ Made limited reforms, but did little to improve lives of peasants

◦ Gave nobles absolute power over the serfs

◦ She did expand Russian power and size through wars with the Ottomans and Poles

◦ Helped make Russia an international power

THE AMERICAN

REVOLUTION

Section 4

The American Revolution

● 1700’s Britain dominant world power

● Controlled world trade- navy and colonies around world

● Government favorable to business and trade

● Politically united

● Many Enlightenment thinkers viewed Britain's government as the most progressive in Europe


● War with France in 1750’s (French and Indian War) drained treasury of England

● 1760’s to pay for war in North America England taxes colonists (Stamp Act, Sugar Act)

● Colonists felt they had rights of English citizens

● Had no representation in Parliament, unfair to tax them


● Series of violent clashes

escalate tension with

British

● 1770- Boston Massacre

● 1773- Boston Tea Party

● 1774- representatives meet

in Philadelphia (Continental

Congress) to decide action

against British

● 1775- War begins against

British


● 1776- declare independence from Great Britain, colonists wanted same political rights as all British citizens

● Declaration of Independence- based on Locke’s ideas 1. Gov’t responsibility to protect rights of

citizens (natural rights)

2. Right to rebel against an unjust ruler

3. Principle of popular sovereignty (power comes from people)


● British had larger army, more resources

● British were overconfident

● Americans lacked resources, strategic plan

● Advantage of being on home soil, determination to fight for ideals of liberty

● 1777- France provide supports for Americans (troops, supplies), changes war

● 1781- Yorktown, VA British defeated

● 1783- Treaty of Paris ends war


● First plan for government was called the Articles of Confederation

● It established a national government of the 13 colonies, where citizens elected representatives

● Created a weak national government that could not raise money or change laws very easily

● Wanted a weak national government because of fear of developing a monarchy

● Leaders soon realized the need for a stronger central authority

The American Revolution● 1787- American leaders gatherer in Philadelphia to write a

new plan of government (the U.S. Constitution)

● Ideas of Enlightenment thinkers in new constitution, put ideas into practiceA. Constitution set up a federal system where power was divided

between the states and the federal government

B. Separation of powers- national and state government, three branches of government (shared power between the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government)

C. Bill of Rights protects individuals liberties (freedom of speech, press, religion, protection under the law)

▪ American republic was a symbol of freedom to European reformers

The French Revolution and

Napoleon1789-1815

Chapter 7

THE FRENCH

REVOLUTION BEGINS

Section 1

The French Revolution

Begins● 1700’s France considered to be the

most advanced country in Europe

● Large population, worldwide trade and the center of the Enlightenment

● Late 1700’s-France’s social system stuck in Middle Ages (ancient regime)

● Three social classes (estates)

● First Estate- clergy

● Second Estate- nobles

● Third Estate- merchants, professionals, peasants (majority of population)


Begins● FIRST ESTATE

◦ Clergy

◦ Enormous wealth and

privilege

◦ Owned 10% of land

◦ Pay no taxes

◦ Provided some social

services- hospitals,

schools

◦ Target of philosophers

reform

◦ Thought Enlightenment

undermined moral order

● SECOND ESTATE

◦ Nobility

◦ 2 % of population,

owned 20% of land

◦ Owned land had little

income

◦ They thought

Enlightenment ideas

threatened their status

◦ Did not pay taxes


Begins● Third Estate

● Most diverse- the rest of society (97%)

● Urban professionals to rural peasants

● Poorest members urban workers

● Third Estate resented the other classes

● Burdened by heavy taxes

● Influenced by Enlightenment ideas, began to question old ways, thought privileged should pay share


BeginsForces of Change

A. Enlightenment ideas and the success of the American Revolution inspired those that wanted change in France

▪ Quoting Rousseau and Voltaire lower classes demanded equality, liberty and democracy

B. Economic problems- high taxes made it hard to conduct business, cost of living was going up

C. Years of deficit spending by monarchs led to economic trouble

▪ Wars, lifestyle of monarchs drained money

▪ Government borrowed money

D. Late 1780’s bad harvests caused food prices to go up, famine among lower classes


Begins● Louis XV, Louis XVI weak kings

● 1789-All classes demand reform, Louis

XVI calls meeting of Estates General

(meeting of representatives from all three

estates)

● Nobles hoped to gain privileges, control

king

● Each group prepared list of grievances

● Demands show class resentment

● Third Estate demanded Enlightenment

reform, wanted changes in government


Begins● May 1789- Meet at Versailles

● Third Estate tired of being dominated by 1st and 2nd estates

● Third Estate breaks away and becomes National Assembly◦ Represent people of France, proclaimed

the end of the monarchy and the beginning of a representative government

● Locked out by Louis, meet on tennis court at Versailles

● Tennis Court Oath taken by Third Estate, vow to meet until reforms passed

● Many from clergy and nobility join National Assembly

● Seen as threat to Louis XVI power


BeginsStorming the Bastille

● July 14, 1789 – Rumors royal troops were going to take over city (Paris), king was going to use force to get rid of National Assembly

● 800 march to Bastille (prison in Paris), to get gunpowder that was stored there

● Bastille seen as symbol of monarchy and abuses

● Commander refused to open gate, mob stormed in

● Killed guards, released prisoners, found no gunpowder

● Challenged regime of Louis XVI

● Day is now a national holiday in France


BeginsThe Great Fear

● Fall 1789- Rebellions spread from Paris into the country side.

● Senseless panic called the Great Fear rolled through France◦ Peasants broke into Nobles’ manor

houses.

◦ Parisian women rioted over the rising price of bread

◦ Women marched on Versailles, broke into the palace and demanded that Louis and Marie Antoinette return to Paris.

◦ The king , his family and servants left Versailles

● Signaled the change of power and radical reforms about to take over France.

REVOLUTION BRINGS

REFORM AND TERROR

Section 2

Revolution Brings Reform and

Terror● Great Fear caused many nobles to

support revolution out of fear

● National Assembly took away any of their privileges

● Made commoners equal to the clergy

● August of 1789 National Assembly issues the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (based on the Declaration of Independence) ◦ Rights guaranteed life, liberty and

freedom from oppression

◦ Gave citizens equal justice under the law, freedom of speech and religion

● Olympe de Gouges wanted these rights of women as well, they were rejected and she was later executed


Terror

● National Assembly reforms also

focused on the Catholic Church

◦ Took over church lands and used money

to pay off French debt

◦ Many French peasants were devout

Catholics and these actions turned them

against the Revolution

● 1791 Louis XVI and his family tried to

escape from France but were caught at

the border and returned to Paris to face

trial


Terror● September 1791 National Assembly created

a constitutional monarchy that stripped the king of most of his authority

● Created the Legislative Assembly to create laws

● Legislative Assembly had to handle problems of food shortages and government debt

● Assembly split into three different groups◦ Radicals that wanted the most change

◦ Moderates wanted some changes

◦ Conservatives- wanted a limited monarchy with few changes

● Groups outside of the government wanted to control the direction of France◦ Émigrés were nobles and others that left France

and wanted to restore the Old Régime

◦ Sans-culottes- workers and shopkeepers that wanted the Revolution to bring greater change


Terror● European leaders saw

revolution as threat

● Did not want similar revolts in their own countries

● Leaders denounced the Enlightenment, condemned revolutionaries

● Threatened to intervene to protect French monarchy

● April 1792 Austria and Prussia declare war on France


Terror● August 1792 French mob attacks

palace and imprisons Marie Antoinette and her children

● September 1791 Rumors that the king was going to be freed from prison caused mobs to attack prisons and kill royal sympathizers (known as September Massacres)

● New government is dissolved and a new government founded known as the National Convention takes over◦ They abolish the monarchy and

declare France a republic

◦ Gave all men the right to vote and hold office


Terror● Jacobins were a radical political

organization that were involved in the governmental changes

● Newspaper editor Jean Paul Marat called for death to all who supported the king

● Georges Danton was a lawyer and member of the Jacobins

◦ He was devoted to the rights of the poor people of Paris

● Louis XVI was declared a common citizen by the National Assembly

● Louis was tried for treason and found guilty

● January of 1793 Louis was beheaded by the guillotine

● February 1793 Britain, Holland and Spain declared war against France

● National Convention drafts 300,000 men between 18-40 to join army and defend France


Terror● Jacobins created enemies within

France◦ Church was not under their control,

peasants were shocked at the death of the king and rival leaders were stirring up trouble outside of Paris

● Maximillen Robespierre (a leader of the Jacobins)seized control of the government

● Wanted to build a “republic of virtue” by erasing France’s past

● Closed churches, changed the calendar (renamed each month, and took out Sundays), all people referred to each other as citizen

● July 1793 Robespierre became a dictator and this phase of the Revolution became known as the Reign of Terror

Revolution Brings Reform and Terror

● Reign of Terror

● Robespierre created the Committee of Public Safety to protect the revolution from its enemies

◦ 12 member committee had complete control over the French government

◦ Justified use of terror to make citizens remain true to the ideals of the revolution

● To control mobs and those that disagreed with government 300,000 arrested

● 17,000 executed by guillotine

● Most that were executed came from the peasant and urban middle class (those who called for revolution in the first place)

● 1794 Georges Danton was tried and executed

● Marie Antoinette was executed

● By July 1794 many tired of executions and feared for own lives


Terror● July 1794 many members of the National

Convention feared for their own safety and turned on Robespierre

● He was arrested, tried and executed● Public opinion had shifted after the death

of Robespierre, people were tired of the revolution

● 1795 new plan of government drafted that put power in the hands of the moderates◦ There was a new legislative body and an

executive body of five men known as the Directory


Terror● Ten year revolution- changed

old social order, dissolved the monarchy, brought Church under state control◦ Gave French sense of national

identity (nationalism)

◦ Provided education to all

◦ Systems put into place to help poor, old soldiers, war widows

◦ French flag- tricolor symbol of revolution,

◦ La Marseillaise became national anthem

NAPOLEON FORGES AN

EMPIRE

Section 4

Napoleon Forges and Empire

● In four years Napoleon rose from an unknown army officer to the ruler of France

● 1796 the Directory appoints him to lead the French army against the Austrians and the Kingdom of Sardinia

● Napoleon defeats them in Italy and is seen as a national hero

● Napoleon is sent to Egypt to disrupt British trade

● He is unable to repeat his success, but he manages to keep his defeat out of the newspapers in France, he returns to France as a national hero

Napoleon Forges an Empire● 1799 the Directory had lost control and confidence of the French people

● Napoleon forces the National Legislature to dissolve the Directory and change the government

● He had the army behind his attempt to take power

● Government was a group of three consuls

● Napoleon was the first consul and he assumed the power of a dictator

● At the time of Napoleons takeover France was still at war

● Britain, Russia and Austria wanted to remove Napoleon from power

● Napoleon used war and diplomacy to sign peace agreements with all three countries

● 1802 Europe was at peace for the first time in 10 years

Napoleon Forges an Empire

● Napoleon kept many of the changes from the Revolution

● Wanted to bring order and stability to France

● Economy- set up an efficient method of tax collection, established a national banking system◦ Dismissed corrupt government officials and trained new

officials in government run schools called lycees

◦ Graduates were appointed to public office based on merit

● Religion- Napoleon wanted to restore position of Catholic Church in France◦ Signed a Concordant (agreement) that gained the support

of the church and many French people

● Laws- Napoleon developed a system of uniform laws known as the Napoleonic Code◦ It limited liberty, and promoted order and authority over

individual rights

◦ Freedom of speech and the press was restricted

Napoleon Forges an Empire

● 1804 Napoleon has himself crowned emperor of France

● Napoleon wanted to control the rest of Europe and reassert French power in the Americas

● 1801 A slave revolt on the island of Saint Domingue resulted in loss of French control

● Napoleon tried to retake control and failed

● Decided to cut losses in the Americas and sold the Louisiana Territory to the US for $15 million dollars (Louisiana Purchase)◦ Gave Napoleon money to Finance his wars in

Europe

◦ Also allowed him to keep the British from taking control of the territory

Napoleon Forges an Empire● Napoleon turned his attention to Europe

● He had already annexed parts of Austria and Italy

● Britain, Russia, Sweden declared war against France and Napoleon

● Napoleon defeated them (except Britain) and forced them to sign peace treaties

● Used rapid movement, surprise and the size of his army to defeat his enemies

● He built the largest empire in Europe since the Roman Empire

● France’s only major enemy left was England

● England had the world’s most powerful navy and France had the world most powerful army

Napoleon Forges an Empire● Napoleon lost only one major battle

● 1805 Battle of Trafalgar he was defeated by the British navy◦ French navy was destroyed

◦ Ensured the supremacy of the British navy for next 100 years

◦ Forced Napoleon to give up plans to invade Britain

● Napoleons victories across Europe gave him control over most of Europe

● Put friends and relatives in charge of defeated countries

● Areas he did not control he controlled through alliances and threats of military action

● Lasted for only 5 years (1807-1812)

NAPOLEON’S EMPIRE

COLLAPSES

Section 4

Napoleon’s Empire Collapses● Desire for power led to his doom

● In his efforts to crush Great Britain and extend the French Empire he made three drastic mistakes

1. 1806 -The Continental System-• Napoleon sets up a blockade to prevent trade and

communication between the British and the rest of Europe

• Supposed to make Europe more self sufficient and destroy Britain commercial and industrial economy

• Smugglers and allies in Europe disregarded the blockade

• British put up their own blockade and because they had a stronger navy they were more successful

• Created resentment toward French by many European countries because of shortages of goods

Napoleon’s Empire Collapses● 1808- The Peninsular War

● Tried to get Portugal to accept the Continental System

● Sent invasion force through Spain that Spanish resisted

● Inflamed nationalistic feelings across Spain, also worried that Napoleon would weaken the Catholic Church

● For six years bands of Spanish guerillas fought against French forces

● British also sent aid to the Spanish fighters

● Nationalism (loyalty to one’s country) became a weapon used against Napoleon, they felt abused by a foreign conqueror

Napoleon’s Empire Collapses● 1812- Invasion of Russia

● Czar Alexander I of Russia angry about Continental System, withdrew support

● Napoleon’s response- assembled huge army to march on Russia (Grand Army)

● 420,000 soldiers

● 1812- invaded Russia

● Russian soldiers retreated to avoid battle, used scorched earth policy (did not allow Napoleon to feed and supply army)

● Had to retreat from Russia, fewer than 10,000 soldiers returned home

● Reputation for success shattered

Napoleon’s Empire Collapses

● All of the main powers of Europe joined forces against Napoleon

● 1813- Russia, Britain, Prussia, Austria, Sweden defeat Napoleon in the Battle of Leipizg

● Napoleon exiled to island of Elba, king restored to power in France (Louis XVIII)

● Economic depression, fear of returning to old ways- French want Napoleon back

● 1815 Escapes from Elba, returns to France

● Rules for 100 days

● June 1815 defeated at Battle of Waterloo (Belgium), sent into exile again

● Napoleon died in 1821

Napoleon’s Empire Collapses

● Napoleon and his French empire caused many changes in France and EuropeA. The laws of the Napoleonic Code were kept in

many countries. It is the basis for many European countries laws even today

B. France became a republic with a constitution

C. French people had greater access to education and rights to property

D. Conquests spread the ideas of the French Revolution, such as equality of all men, self rule, individual rights.

E. Nationalist feelings and movements in many parts of Europe.

THE CONGRESS OF

VIENNA

Section 5

The Congress of Vienna● After the defeat of Napoleon European

countries wanted peace and stability

● 1814-1815- Great Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia and France met in Vienna, Austria

● Met before Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo

● Most influential person at the meetings was Klemens von Metternich the foreign minister of Austria

● Metternich's three goals for the Congress of Vienna

1. To prevent future French aggression by surrounding them by stronger countries

2. Wanted to achieve a balance of power across Europe so one country would not dominate another

3. Wanted to restore the royal families of Europe to their thrones

The Congress of Vienna

● Containment of France◦ Made weaker countries that surrounded France stronger by

uniting them or giving them more territory

◦ France could not over power its weaker neighbors

● Balance of power◦ They did not want to weaken France too much because they

did not want them to take revenge on the rest of Europe

● Legitimacy◦ Ruling families were restored to the throne in many countries

◦ Wanted to stabilize political relations between the countries

The Congress of ViennaAfter the Congress of Vienna,

A. European countries began to cooperate to control political affairs

B. Victory for the conservative forces because kings and princes regained their power

◦ Britain and France became constitutional monarchies (authority was controlled by a legislative body and the king had symbolic power)

◦ Russia, Prussia and Austria had absolute monarchs

C. Power of Britain and Prussia increased

D. Created a time of peace in Europe

E. There was not another great war in Europe for 100 years (World War I)

The Congress of Vienna

● Rulers of many countries were worried about the effects of the French Revolution (ideas of liberty, equality, democracy)◦ Rulers of Prussia, Austria and Russia signed an agreement

called the Holy Alliance to combat the forces of revolution

◦ Metternich devised a series of alliances called the Concert of Europe to insure that nations would help each other out if revolutions broke out

◦ Established to enforce rules of Congress

● Ideas of the French Revolution and nationalism did spread across Europe in the 1830’s and 1840’s◦ Areas that the Congress put under foreign control saw a rise

in nationalism

◦ Ideas about the the basis of power had changed as a result of the French Revolution

◦ Many saw democracy as the best way to ensure equality and justice for all

Absolutism and revolution

Education

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