The French Revolution and Napoleon 1789-1815

Main Themes

• Economics– Inequalities between rich and poor in France

• Revolution– Ideas of Liberty, Equality, and Democracy lead to

Revolution• Power and Authority– Napoleon’s ambitions to create a new French

Empire

The French Revolution Begins

Chapter 24.1

Big Idea

• Economic and social inequalities in the Old Regime helped cause the French Revolution.

Historical Context: France in the 1700’s

Positives• One of the most advanced

countries in Europe• Prosperous foreign trade• Center of the

Enlightenment

Negatives• Great unrest in France• Bad harvests• High taxes• Political unrest

The Ancien Regime

• People of France divided into 3 large social classes

• Called estates

The Privileged Estates

1st Estate• Made up of clergy of the

Roman Catholic Church• Disliked Enlightenment

ideas• Owned 10% of land• Paid 2% in taxes to gov’t

2nd Estate• Made up of rich nobles• Held highest offices in

government• Disagreed about

Enlightenment ideas• Owned 20% of land• Paid almost no taxes

3rd Estate

• Included middle class, urban lower class, and peasant farmers

• No power in government

• Embraced Enlightenment ideas

• Resented 1st and 2nd Estates

The 3rd Estate: Peasants

• 80% of total population• Paid about 50% of

incomes to taxes and other payments

• Eager for change

The Forces of Change

• Enlightenment Ideas• Economic Troubles• A Weak Leader

Enlightenment Ideas

• Members of third Estate embraced Enlightenment– Equality– Liberty– Democracy

• Rousseau and Voltaire were praised

Economic Troubles:

• Heavy taxes hurt businesses

• Cost of living was rising• Widespread crop

failures produced food shortages

• Extravagant spending produced even more DEBT!

Weak Leaders

• Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

• Weak rulers• Not concerned with

details of governing• Extravagant spending

and indifference

The Estates-General

• Representatives from ALL 3 estates met to discuss newly proposed tax on Second Estate

• 1st and 2nd Estates could always vote against 3rd Estate

• May 5, 1789

The National Assembly

• Made up of Third Estate representatives

• Led by Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyes

• Demanded and end to absolute monarchy

• Wanted a representative government

Tennis Court Oath

• Locked out of meeting room, Third Estate reps met on indoor tennis court

• Demanded a new constitution

• Were joined by sympathetic nobles and clergy

Storming the Bastille

• A Parisian mob stormed the Paris prison

• Killed commander and guards

• Symbolic Gesture• July 14 still celebrated

as Bastille Day

A Great Fear Sweeps France

• Wild panic gripped the countryside

• Peasants began attacking noble households

• French women participated in bread riots and attacked Versailles

• Demanded Louis and Marie Antoinette return to Paris

Revolution Brings Reform and Terror

Chapter 23.2

Big Idea

• The revolutionary government of France made reforms but also used terror and violence to retain power.

Historical Context

• After the storming of the Bastille, fear was felt by peasants, clergy, and nobles alike.

• The Old Regime had a large target on its back.

The National Assembly Reforms France

• August 4, 1789• National Assembly

swept away privileges of First and Second Estates

• France was now “equal”• The Old Regime was

essentially dead

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (1789)

• Promoted….• Liberty• Property• Security• Justice• Freedom of speech• Freedom of religion

• Formed basis for slogan– Liberty, Equality,

Fraternity

• Did this apply to everyone?

• Example of Olympe de Gouges

A State-Controlled

• Church lands confiscated by the government

• Priests were now state officials

• Money used to pay off massive debts

• Catholic Church lost both land and influence

Divisions Develop

• A new constitution set up a limited monarchy

• Legislative Assembly – Could make laws– Declare war

• Faction: a small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one, esp. in politics.

Factions Split France

• Many problems still existed – Food shortages for

example

• Divisions split into 3 general groups

• Left: Radicals who wanted sweeping changes

• Center: Centrists who wanted some government changes

• Right: Conservatives wanted few changes

Outside Factions

• Emigres– Nobles who fled France– Wanted the Old Regime

to return

• Sans-culottes– Peasant workers and

shopkeepers– Wanted even greater

changes

France at War

• Declared war on Austria and Prussia in 1792

• Royal family held as prisoners

• September Massacre– Citizens killed nobles,

priests, and royal sympathizers

The National Convention

• Declared France a Republic

• Adult male citizens were given the right to vote

• Excluded women

Jacobins Take Control

• Radical Political Organization

• Leaders included Jean-Paul Marat– Edited a newspaper

• Georges Danton– Lawyer known for his

devotion to the poor

A Famous Beheading

• Louis XVI tried for treason

• Executed by guillotine on January 21, 1793

Guillotine

The War Continues

• Great Britain, Holland, and Spain join Austria and Prussia

• National Convention ordered a draft

• Army grew to 800,000 men

The Terror Grips France

• Maximilien Robespierre seized power in France

• Headed Committee of Public Safety

• Wanted to wipe out France’s past

• New calendar• Closed all churches

The Reign of Terror

• Robespierre became a virtual dictator

• Used his role on Committee to execute thousands of supposed enemies

• Included people of all political ideologies

Famous Victims of the Guillotine

• Louis XVI• Marie Antoinette• Georges Danton• Maximilien Robespierre

Effects of the Reign of Terror

• National Convention drafted a new government

• Called the Directory• Made up of moderates• Restored order

Napoleon Forges an Empire

23.3

Big Idea

• Napoleon Bonaparte, a military genius, seized power in France and made himself emperor.

Historical Context

• From 1795-1799, Napoleon rose from obscurity to become known as one of the greatest generals of all time.

Napoleon Bonaparte

• Born on island of Corsica

• Joined French army during Revolution

• Held off royalist army in 1795 with cannons

• Praised as a hero

Napoleon Bonaparte

• Appointed by Directory to lead the army against Austria and Sardinia

• Won a series of victories in Italy

• Ran out of steam in Egypt

The Directory Loses Control

• Led a coup d’etat against the unpopular government

• Army seized power• Dissolved the Directory

Coup d’etat

• “blow to the state”• Represents a sudden

seizure of power• People wanted stability• Napoleon set himself up

as the first consul (out of 3) in new system of government

France at Peace

• Finally able to conclude peace agreements with Britain, Austria, and Russia in 1802.

• First time in ten years France was not at war.

Napoleon Rules France

• 1800 saw a “vote of the people” to approve a new constitution

• Known as a plebiscite• Napoleon, as first

consul, assumed the power of a dictator

Restoring Order at Home

• Approved changes that both strengthened government and achieved goals of Revolution

• Established effective:• Tax collection system• Banking system• Dismissed corrupt

officials• Set up lycees to train

government workers

Concordat with Rome

• Signed an agreement with Pope Pius VII

• Recognized influence of Church

• But rejected Church control in government

• Majority of people favored this

Napoleonic Code

• System of laws• Promoted order and

authority over individual rights

• Example: Freedom of speech limited

Napoleon Crowned as Emperor

Haitian Revolution

• French lost valuable sugar producing colony of St. Domingue

• French troops unable to reverse Haitian Revolution

• Due to disease and effective fighting of former slaves

Louisiana Purchase

• Sold Louisiana Purchase to the United States in 1803 for 15 million

• Set up French operations in Europe

Conquering Europe

The Battle of Trafalgar

• Horatio Nelson, a British commander was able to defeat French

• Two Effects• British Navy would reign

supreme for years• Napoleon had to give

up plans for invading Britain

The French Empire

• By 1812, Napoleon was the master of Europe• A huge Empire, but UNSTABLE