UNIT 2

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Part 1: Flirting with Disaster

A. Old Regime

• Old Regime – existing system of feudalism

• People divided into three estates, or classes

THE FIRST ESTATEWHO: King and family

Church officials

HOW MANY: 1% of population

TAXES: Extremely minimal

DIVISIONS: Higher Clergy – Cardinals, bishops, etc.Lower Clergy – Priests

ACTIVIES: HC – Get fat off of people’s tithesLC – Work with people, say mass,

visit sick, talk to homeless

THE SECOND ESTATEWHO: Nobles

Military officials

HOW MANY: 2% of population

TAXES: VERY minimal

DIVISIONS: None

ACTIVIES: See “higher clergy”Minimal administrative

duties

THE THIRD ESTATE

WHO: Everyone else (Peasants, artisans, farmers, doctors, lawyers, merchants…)

HOW MANY: 97% of population

TAXES: YES! 50% to nobles, 10% tithe to church

DIVISIONS: Bourgeoisie – Artisans, doctors, lawyers

Other – Farmers, laborers,

peasants

ACTIVIES: Try to survive daily life

Bourgeoisie• Middle class• Bankers, factory owners,

merchants, and skilled artisans

• Many were well educated• Believed in enlightenment

ideals such as liberty and equality

• Paid high taxes, and even though many were rich, they lacked the privileges that the 1st and 2nd estate had

Third Estate (the workers)• Poorest group in 3rd estate• Worked in the cities• Laborers and trades people• Starving and poor• Would attack if they could

not afford bread• Resented the clergy

Third Estate (Peasants)• Largest Group in 3rd estate,

nearly 80% of pop.

• Peasants paid nearly half of their income in taxes, most of which went to nobles and to the church.

• Growing resentment toward 1st and 2nd Estates

• Spreading of Enlightenment ideas

1. Who is represented by each of the figures in this picture?2. How do you know who is represented?3. What is the picture telling you about the relationship between these people?4. Why might figures that are clothed be opposed to change?

Tennis Court Oath – June 17, 1789

The National Assembly, considering that it has been summoned to establish the constitution of the kingdom, to effect the regeneration of the public order, and to maintain the true principles of monarchy; that nothing can prevent it from continuing its deliberations in whatever place it may be forced to establish itself; and, finally, that wheresoever its members are assembled, there is the National Assembly;

Decrees that all members of this Assembly shall immediately take a solemn oath not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established and consolidated upon firm foundations; and that, the said oath taken, all members and each one of them individually shall ratify this steadfast resolution by signature.

What now????

Warm-up• Take map #2 quiz• Read the newspaper

account of the Storming of the Bastille and answer the questions that follow

It’s time to storm the Bastille….

UNIT 2

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Part 2: The Explosion

The Bastille• Infamous Paris

prison• Mob storms the

Bastille to get supplies and gun powder

• Great symbol of Revolution

• Bastille Day July 14 – similar to July 4

The Great Fear

• Senseless panic spread through France

• Peasants became mobs and terrorized nobles

• Peasants storm Versailles to attack the King and Queen

• Royal family flees and power is changing hands

Congratulations…welcome to the National Assembly. Now solve the problems of France.

1. What rights should men have?

2. Should there be freedom of the press?

3. How do you deal with the fact that the mob has started running around and terrorizing nobles and merchants?

4. There are still lots of hungry people in Paris. What should we do about this?

5. What should we do with the royal family?

How did they solve it?The Declaration of the Rights of Man

But what about King Louis?

From revolution to chaos

Begin working on checkpoint 2-2. This is due tomorrow and there will be a checkpoint quiz to go along with it. Take your time – there is a lot going on in this section.

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Part 3: The Implosion

Problem

• Now Jean-Paul Marat calls for the death of 200,000 enemies of the revolution. What now?

Solution

1793 – Charlotte Corday kills Marat in his bath

Problem

• What should we do with Marie Antoinette?

Solution

Throw her in prison – for now

Was the French Revolution a revolution of bread or ideas?

BREAD IDEAS

NapoleonNapoleon and the French Revolution Video

A revolution is an idea which has found its bayonets. Napoleon Bonaparte

A. Napoleon Bonaparte

1769-born in Corsicamilitary school in

FranceJoins army of the

National AssemblyBecomes general of

the French Army in 1799

B. Coup d'état 1. Coup d’etat =

overthrow the state

November 9, 1799Napoleon uses his

military success to overthrow the Directory

Believed the Directory was corrupt, did not promote the good of people

November 10, 1799- French Consulate in place3 leaders called Consuls

1st Consul- Napoleon Bonaparte2nd Consul- Napoleon’s brother Lucien Bonaparte3rd Consul-former Director Sieyes

Napoleon drafts a new constitution

naming him as 1st consul of France for life…unbeknownst to the other consuls

2. French Consulate

Plebiscite= vote of YES or NO on specific question

1800- plebiscite votes YES-1st Consul of France

1802-plebiscite votes YES-1st Consul of France for life

1804-plebiscite votes YES-

EMPEROR OF FRANCE

3. Napoleon becomes Emperor

Napoleon's CoronationDecember 2,

1804 Napoleon’s

Coronation at

Notre Dame Cathedral

He crowns himself-big

controversy-WHY??

C. Napoleon’s Achievements at Home

The Economy Gov & Society Religion

Goals of the Revolution

• Equal taxation

•Lower inflation

• Less gov’t corruption

•Equal opportunity in gov’t

• Less powerful Catholic Church

• Religious tolerance

Napoleon’s Actions

Results

The Economy Gov & Society Religion

Goals of the Revolution

• Equal taxation

•Lower inflation

• Less gov’t corruption

•Equal opportunity in gov’t

• Less powerful Catholic Church

• Religious tolerance

Napoleon’s Actions

• fair tax code

•national bank

•stabilized currency

Results•stable economy

The Economy Gov & Society Religion

Goals of the Revolution

• Equal taxation

•Lower inflation

• Less gov’t corruption

•Equal opportunity in gov’t

• Less powerful Catholic Church

• Religious tolerance

Napoleon’s Actions

• fair tax code

•national bank

•stabilized currency

• Appointed officials by merit (and fired bad ones)•Created schools (lycees)• Created Code of Laws

Results•stable economy

• Honest, competent officials•public education•equal opportunity in gov’t

The Economy Gov & Society Religion

Goals of the Revolution

• Equal taxation

•Lower inflation

• Less gov’t corruption

•Equal opportunity in gov’t

•Less powerful Catholic Church

• Religious tolerance

Napoleon’s Actions

• fair tax code

•national bank

•stabilized currency

• Appointed officials by merit (and fired bad ones)•Created schools (lycees)• Created Code of Laws

•Catholicism = national religion• Signed concordat with Pope •Kept Church lands

Results•stable economy

• Honest, competent officials•public education•equal opportunity in gov’t

•Religious tolerance•Gov’t control of Church lands•Gov’t recognition of Church influence

Military geniusExpert in use of artilleryDeveloped innovative artillery strategy still in

use todayFather of modern artillery warfare

D. Military Mastermind

Napoleon quickly forced his power across Europe

Battle of Austerlitz-December 1805Invaded AustriaForced emperor to make peace, formed

alliance

Battle of Jena-October 1806Invaded PrussiaForced King to make peace, formed alliance

Napoleon: The Conquerer

Battle of Friedland: June 1807Fought in PolandAgainst RussiansForces Czar Alex I to the bargaining table

PEACE OF TILSITNapoleon can have western ½ of Poland and all of

EuropeAlex I can have eastern ½ of Poland and all Ottoman

EmpirePeaceful coexistenceNon-aggression Pact

Napoleon: The Conqueror

Battle of Trafalgar: October 1805Massive naval battle against British Royal Navy GB lead by Admiral Horatio Nelson Fought off coast of SpainBig loss for NapoleonNelson shot by sniper and dies moments after

hearing the British won

This loss sets Napoleon on a obsessive mission to “get” Great Britain

Napoleon learns he's not invincible…

Napoleon's Europe…where to next?

VIDEO SEGMENT

Napoleon: Background

Napoleon: gaining power

Napoleon: in the military

Move to groups:

In a small group, you will watch a video segment on Napoleon’s rise to power.

Each person chooses a character from Napoleon’s life – real (like his mother) or fictional (a classmate at military school).

Complete one card of notes on what that person would have thought of Napoleon

2 minute conversation from each group

How well do YOU know Napoleon?

NapoleonNapoleon and the French Revolution Video

A revolution is an idea which has found its bayonets. Napoleon Bonaparte

So where to? clip – not England, but Russia

he becomes blinded by success and makes three decisive mistakes…1. Continental System2. The Peninsular War3. Invasion of Russia

Napoleon's ego gets in his way…

Continental System (1806)

WHAT?: Continental blockade against Great Britain

WHY?: Cripple G.B.’s economy

RESULTS?: Backfires, Napoleon’s allies broke, starving

Peninsular War(1808-1812)WHAT?: France invades Portugal/Spain

WHY?: Portugal leaves Continental System, Napoleon wants them back

RESULTS?: Spanish fight guerrilla war (led by British General Arthur Wellesley), France loses 300,000 soldiers

Invasion of Russia (1812)WHAT?: Napoleon invades Russia with 500,000 soldiers from several countries

WHY?: Russians left Continental System

RESULTS?: Worst disaster in military history? Napoleon loses over 400K soldiers

Europe has Napoleon at his weakest and decide to attack

Grand Alliance takes him on and winsExiled to Elba, but returns; Last 100 daysFinally defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by

WellingtonExiled again…but much further away—St.

HelenaDies on the island in 1821

Why didn’t they just kill him?

B. Kick him when he's down…

C. What now? Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)

AGENDA: Restore order and stability in Europe

4 weeks of meetings turned into 8 months

Ring Leader and HostKlemens von Metternich –

Foreign Minister of AustriaPut down the “Experiments

of Democracy”Major conservativeWants to restore all rightful

monarchs to the throne

Three Major Goals1. Encirclement of France

Strengthen countries around France Prevent French aggression

2. Balance of Power Strengthen weaker countries to offset

France’s size and power3. Legitimacy

Restore the monarchies deposed by Napoleon Uphold conservative political ideals

Metternich's Agenda

1. Great Britain2. Austrian Empire3. Prussia4. Russia5. France

Was it right to keep France a great power?

Great Powers of Europe

Sadly, all things, including Napoleon must come to an end. Your task for today is to write a eulogy for Napoleon (individually or in a pair). You should address: what you think are the three most important accomplishments of his life Evaluate his two largest failures Discuss what his legacy should be (how he should be remembered in history).

Drop all responses by the end of the block (possible weekly grade)

In the end….