The French Revolution1789

Long-Term Political Causes

Foreign Revolutions• 1646 English revolt and

behead their king• 1776 Americans revolt

and set up democratic gov.

• 1689 English parliament made William and Mary sign Bill of Rights

• Enlightenment ideas

Absolute Monarchy• Louis XIV

–Sun King –“I am the State”–Spent too much money–Palace of Versailles–Wars–Revoked Edict of

Nantes

• Louis XV (1715-1774)• “After me the deluge”• Louis XVI

– Inherits a mess– France almost bankrupt– Meeting of Estates

General May 5, 1789– July 14 1789 the

Bastille prison is attacked – Revolution begins!

Why Revolt?• Third Estate had only one vote in Estates

General• Peasants starving

CLERGY

FIRST ESTATE

1 VOTE

NOBLESSECONDESTATE

1 VOTE 1 VOTE

PEASANTSMERCHANTS

“Liberty, Fraternity, Equality”• Liberty – people want

rights• Fraternity – people

want to be equal to each other

• Equality – no favors for the rich, all equal under the law

Moderate Stage1792-1794

• Third Estate Leaves Estates General• Forms National Assembly LEFT CENTER RIGHTRadicals Moderates Conservativesquick change some change no change

Moderate Stage 1789 – 1792

• National Assembly– Declaration of Rights of Man & Citizen– Abolished feudalism (no special privileges)– Abolished guilds and monopolies– Uniform currency, metric system– Constitution of 1791 provided for a limited

monarchy– Put church under state control, sold church

land

New Government, Old Problems

• National Assembly argued over new constitution– Dissolve assembly– Depose king– Became National Convention

• Austria and Prussia declare war

Radical Stage 1792 –1794National Convention

• Males could vote• Land sold to peasants • New calendar adopted• New styles of clothing• Robespierre elected• Committee of Public Safety• Over 40,000 killed• Émigré’s fled France

National Convention Continued• King Louis XVI and

wife Marie Antoinette executed after trying to leave France

• Finally Robespierre is killed

• A five-man Directory takes over France

Napoleon Bonaparte ~ Early Years

• Born on Corsica• Sent to military school in

France• Won many battles but

not made general because he was not from nobility

• Peasants and soldiers loved him

Napoleon the Dictator• French desired a strong,

central gov.• By 1797 a hero in foreign

wars– Drove English from France– Fired cannon into Parisian

mob to stop Royalist riots• Overthrew the Directory in

a coup d’etat

Napoleon - First Consul1799-1804

• Held a plebiscite to become leader of France– Popular yes/no vote of

the people• People want stability• Concordat of 1801

– Reestablished Catholic Church as “the religion of the majority of Frenchmen”

Emperor Napoleon 1804-1815

• Crowns himself Emperor after military victories in Italy, Spain, German States and Austria

Napoleon’s Reforms• Created lycees• Nationalized banking

system• Code Napoleon

–All men equal under the law

• No labor unions• Women lost rights• Restricted freedom of

speech and press

Napoleon’s Battles

• War with Spain• guerilla warfare

cost him men, time and $

• Placed brother on Spanish throne

Battles Continued• Trafalgar

– Lost sea battle to 19British

• Continental System– No trade allowed to or

from Britain– Fails because England

controls the seas– Russia refuses to stop

trading grain so…

General Winter• Napoleon invaded Russia 1812• Scorched earth policy• Over ¾ of his men freeze or starve to death• Napoleon is defeated and exiled to Elba• He escapes and fights on for 100 Days• Defeated at Waterloo• Exiled to St. Helena