The French Revolution 1789. Long-Term Political Causes.
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Transcript of The French Revolution 1789. Long-Term Political Causes.
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