The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Preview• Starting Points Map

• Main Idea / Reading Focus

• Causes of the Revolution

• Quick Facts: Causes of the Revolution

• First Events of the Revolution

• Creating a New Nation

The Revolution Begins

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

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The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Reading Focus

• What caused the French Revolution?

• What happened during the first events of the Revolution?

• How did the French create a new nation?

Main Idea

Problems in French society led to a revolution, the formation of a new government, and the end of the monarchy.

The Revolution Begins

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Causes of the Revolution

Long-standing resentments against the monarchy

• Inequalities in society

– Existing social and political structure

– Called the Old Order, or ancient régime

• King at the top and estates under him

– King Louis XVI, shy and indecisive

– Unpopular, self-indulgent queen, Marie-Antoinette

– Rest of French society divided into three classes, called estates

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Varied widely in what they contributed in terms of work and taxes

•Roman Catholic clergy

•One percent of the population

•Exempt from taxes

•Owned 10 percent of the land– Collected rents and

fees– Bishops and other

clergy grew wealthy

First Estate

•Nobility

•Less than 2 percent of the population

•Paid few taxes

•Controlled much wealth

•Held key positions– Government– Military

•Lived on country estates

Second Estate

•Largest group—97% of the population

•Bourgeoisie—city-dwelling merchants, factory owners, and professionals

•Sans culottes—artisans and workers

•Peasants—poor with little hope, paid rents and fees

Third Estate

The Three Estates

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

• Severe economic problems affected much of the country

• France in debt, spending lavishly, borrowing money, and facing bankruptcy

• Hailstorm and drought ruined harvest; harsh winter limited flour production

• People hungry and angry; clergy and nobility no help

A Financial Crisis• Inspiring new ideas from

Enlightenment philosophers

• Great Britain’s government limiting the king’s power

• American colonists rebelled successfully against British king

• New ideas changed government and society in other countries

Enlightenment Ideas

Further Causes

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Summarize

What were the causes of the French Revolution?

Answer(s): inequalities in society, Enlightenment ideas, poor leadership, financial crisis, hunger and cold

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

By 1789, no group happy• Clergy and nobility lost power to

monarchy • Bourgeoisie resented

regulations• Poor worse off

Storming of the Bastille• King brought in troops• People of Paris armed

themselves• Searching for weapons, a mob

stormed the Bastille

Estates General meets

• Desire for reforms• Voting process a problem• Third Estate proclaimed

themselves National Assembly• Tennis Court Oath

Great Fear spread• King to punish the Third Estate

with foreign soldiers • Rumors of massacres• Peasants destroyed records

and burned nobles’ houses

First Events of the Revolution

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Identify Cause and Effect

What was the connection between the fall of the Bastille and the Great

Fear?

Answer(s): possible answer—After the fall of the Bastille, people were terrified that the king would punish them.

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

• Louis tried to protect his throne

• Angered the common people

• Prices still high; mob broke into the palace demanding bread

• Royal family seized; National Assembly took bolder steps

• Passed laws against the church, clergy, and public employees

• Some outraged by actions

Restrictions on Power• Feudal dues eliminated

• Declaration laid out “liberty, equality, fraternity”

• Inspired by the English Bill of Rights, American Declaration of Independence, and the writings of Enlightenment philosophers

• Men are born equal and remain equal under the law

• The rights did not extend to women

Legislating New Rights

Creating a New Nation

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

French revolutionary troops won the Battle of Valmy. New French republic held ground against Europe’s Old Order.

In 1791, the Legislative Assembly is formed. Citizens gained broad voting rights, but rights were not universal. Constitution restricted power of king and ended distinctions of birth. King and queen feared they would be harmed.

• Austria and Prussia warned against harming monarchs

• Austrian army defeats French• Financial strain of war, food

shortages, and high prices

• King blamed; action demanded

Foreign Powers

Formation of a New Government

• August 10, 1792 royal family imprisoned by mob

• Radical faction took charge with National Convention

• Monarchy abolished; France declared a republic

End of Monarchy

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Sequence

What steps did National and Legislative Assemblies take to

create a new nation?

Answer(s): National Assembly completed constitution and created Legislative Assembly; Legislative Assembly—created a new legislature, the National Convention, which abolished the monarchy and declared France a republic