The French Revolution & Napoleon 1789-1815

1. The French Revolution &Napoleon 1789-1815

2. The Old Regime 1st Estate 2nd Estate 3rd Estate

3. The Old Regime Three Estates or Classes < 1% 10% 2% 25% 97% 65%

4. Inspiration of Amer. Rev. Causes of the French Revolution Enlightenment Ideas Crop failures Bread Shortage Inequalities of Estates System Financial Crisis Debt Frustration with the Government Efforts at Reform Failed 1st and 2nd Estates paid no Taxes Louis XIV’s War & Versailles Louis XV’s Lavish Royal Court Louis XVI’s Support for Amer. Rev.

5. Stages of the French Revolution II. Initial Stages 1789-1791 moderate period III. 1791-1794 --- radical period IV. 1794-1799 --- period of conservative backlash

6. A. The Financial Crisis in France 1. Attempts at reform are suggested by royal advisors: a. Limit royal expenses b. Taxes on the First and the Second Estates Necker Turgot Advisors who suggest this are dismissed

7. 2. Banks refused to loan the government any money

8. B. Estates General Louis XVI called for a meeting of the Estates General to deal with the crisis Hoped to gain support for additional taxes

9. The Estates General was a body representing Frances’ three estates It had not met in 175 years Each group hoped to use the meeting as a chance address their individual concerns.

10. The Estates General What problem existed with this system?

11. Members of the Third Estate demanded reforms: Want all three Estates to meet together with each delegate getting an individual vote. However, no progress was made and frustration grew when Louis rejected these demands.

12. C. The National Assembly 1. Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly. • Invited delegates of other estates to meet with them b. Claimed the right to create a constitution for France. 2. Third Estate was locked out of their meeting hall.

13. 3. The Tennis Court Oath Members of the Third Estate along with supporter from other estates swore to continue to meet until France had a new constitution

14. Study the three figures in the foreground at the center. Who do these figures represent ? What appears to be happening among these figures?

15. 4. Louis XVI reluctantly accepted the newly formed body. - Louis XVI ordered all three Estates to meet together. But food shortages and rumors of soldiers massing near Paris raised fears among citizens.

16. 5. Storming of the Bastille July 14, 1789 The Bastille = fortress used as aprison for political opposition. Fearing the king was going to take action against the reforms, mobs of people attacked the Bastille in Paris. *Shows common people were willing to support revolutionary changes

17. Bastille Day is celebrated as a national holiday in France.

18. 6. The Great Fear a. Peasants hungry from famine and frightened by rumors of government intervention take action: 1. Attacked nobles and burn their homes 2. Stole grain from storehouses

19. The National Assembly 1789-1791

20. a. Peasant uprisings and the storming of the Bastille push the National Assembly to act: b. Assembly ended the privileges of the nobility. c. Assembly issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man.

21. Based on Enlightenment principles the Declaration included: • Equality of all people before the law, 2. Guarantees of freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion, and protection against unfair arrest and punishment.

22. d. National Assembly adopts the Civil Constitution of the Clergy which: • Ended the popes authority over the French Church 2. Bishops and priests became elected and paid official

23. Louis XVI is reluctant to accept reforms. 8. People feared Louis XVI would take action to stop the reforms.

24. The March on Versailles Women demanding bread march to the palace at Versailles. Women refused to leave and demanded Louis XVI return to Paris with them. The Royal family will remain in Paris as virtual prisoners

25. The Constitution of 1791 1. Made France a limited monarchy. • Created a lawmaking body called the Legislative Assembly. Legislative Assembly was elected by all tax paying male citizens

26. Reaction to the new constitution varies. The Middle class generally favored the new government and it reflected their desires. Other groups felt the reforms had not gone far enough or had gone much to far. Growing factions within France

27. In June 1791, Louis XVI attempted to flee France with his family. The royal family is captured and returned to Paris. Increased the people’s distrust of Louis XVI and the new limited monarchy.

28. Attempt by the royal family to escape from France: Influenced election of the Legislative Assembly. Delegates tended to be more radical than members of the National Assembly had been.

29. Reaction outside France 1. Emigres – nobles who had fled France, sought to convince other rulers to intervene and stop revolution. 2. Austria and Prussia threatened to intervene to protect French monarchy

30. The Legislative Assembly(1791) Delegates were seated based on political views. Radicals Moderates Reactionaries Liberals Conservatives Today we include two additional groups.

31. The Legislative Assembly Sans-culottes, working class men and women, pushed for radical actions. Jacobins, revolutionary group of middle class lawyers and intellectuals. Eventually radical views gained greater influence.

32. The Legislative Assembly France goes to war • April 1792, declared war on Austria. 1. Feared Austria’s intervention. 2. Desired to spread revolution. • Prussia joined war against France. • War went poorly and turmoil increased within France.

33. End of the Monarchy Mobs attacked the palace and the royal family is forced to flee. Radicals voted to imprison the royal family. September Massacre – Paris mobs attacked prisons killing many nobles. Radicals controlled the Assembly and called for a new legislative body.

34. Battle of Valmy French forces turned back foreign invasion that threatened Paris. (Sept. 20, 1792) By 1793, French armies had taken the offensive against Austria and Prussia

35. The National Convention • Made France a republic • universal male suffrage • Louis XVI was put on trial as a traitor and convicted.

36. In January 1793, Louis XVI is executed by the guillotine before crowds of Parisians. Months later Marie Antoinette was also executed by the guillotine.

37. Challenges to the Revolution • Other nations joined the war against France including Britain. • Food shortages and inflation cause discontent among sans-culottes. • Royalist and peasant rebellions occurred in countryside.

38. The Committee of Public Safety • Created by the Convention to deal with threats to the revolution. • Introduced conscription • Began the Reign of Terror to silence opposition within France.

39. Reign of Terror Committee of Public Safety ruled France. Maximilien Robespierre controlled Committee. Believed in the use of “prompt swift and severe justice”.

40. Reign of Terror • Revolutionary courts sentenced thousands to death after hasty trials • As many as 40,000 died during the Terror the majority of which were peasants or sans-culottes.

41. End of the Terror Robespierre had other members of the Committee arrested and executed. Members of the Committee turned on Robespierre and he is executed. Jacobins lost power.

42. The Directory • Constitution of 1795 created another new government. • Ended universal male suffrage • A five man executive council. The Directory controlled government. • The Directory was unpopular and corrupt.

43. Napoleon Bonaparte What comes to mind when you think of Napoleon?

45. A. Rise of Napoleon • Napoleon gained rapid promotion to the rank of general. • Defeated Austrians in Italian campaign and forces Austria out of the war.

46. 3. Napoleon launched a campaign in Egypt. a. Egyptian campaign is a disaster. • French Fleet destroyed by the British. • French Army is left stranded in Egypt. b. Napoleon hid information of disaster and was welcomed home as a hero.

47. B. Napoleon comes to power • In 1799, Napoleon participated in coup d’etat against the Directory. • In name, the new government was a republic but in reality it was a dictatorship.

48. Napoleon gained greater power and control over the next few years. a. French people approved each step in a plebiscite. 4. Napoleon promised order, security and efficiency. 5. In 1804, Napoleon is crowned Emperor of France.

49. C. Napoleon introduced reforms: 1. Improved education establishing schools Lycees – secondary schools 2. Napoleonic Code – system of laws based in part on Enlightenment ideas. 3. Economic reforms restored prosperity.

50. D. Napoleon used his military skills to build an empire. 1. Napoleon will defeat most of the nations allied against France. 2. By 1812, most of Western Europe was under his control or influence.