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 constitutionCreated 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