THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

BACKGROUND TO REVOLUTION Leslie Montclair High School Three Estates 1 st Estate-Catholic Clergy (1%) 2 nd Estate-Nobles & govt. (2%) 3 rd Estate-everyone else (97%) (merchants & artisans-well educated but no status or power), bourgeousis, urban lower class, peasant farmers 3 rd ESTATE pay all taxes! (1/2 salary) 1st two estates tax exempt. Clergy owns 10% of land & gives 2% of its income to the govt., nobles 20% of land & tax exempt

Economic Woes s - crop failures – price of bread doubles 2. American Revolution doubles France’s debt 3. Unequal power/money and tax! Louis XVI Weak, young & Indecisive Marie Antoinette “Madame Deficit”

TAX Crisis – no money! Bankrupt! Estates-General meet -Louis tries to tax 2nd Estate – they refuse 3 rd Estate insists all estates meet & each delegate have a vote, but Louis refuses

Tennis Court Oath rd Estate form National Assembly (representative govt) Locked out - they meet in indoor tennis court where they vow to remain until they write a Constitution

King sends troops to stop National Assembly, so….July 14 th Parisians storm the Bastille to seize weapons to defend themselves against the King

The Great Fear Peasants burn manor houses October women riot over $ of bread March to Versailles seize King & his entourage (60,000) - return to Paris

Declaration of the Rights of Man National Assembly adopts Declaration (similar to Declaration of Independence) “the aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural... rights of man. These rights are liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression.” “the aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural... rights of man. These rights are liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression.” Freedom of religion & speech Creates a constitutional monarchy and King and 3 rd Estate share power!

A State Controlled Church To pay France’s debts, Assembly takes church lands to sell, pope loses power over French church

WARS WITH EUROPE: European Nobility fear the spread of revolutionary ideals Austria/Prussians threaten to destroy Paris if royal family is harmed... mob imprisons royal family- execute the king & queen. Constitution abolished by new National Convention

Reign of Terror: PHASE II Robespierre (head of Committee of Public Safety) and Jacobins behead 40,000 people – 85% peasants, urban poor & middle class

REVOLUTIONARIES GO TOO FAR Leroy? Name change? No playing cards. No Sundays! New calendar. Churches became museums. The Priests were often forced to marry – no church power!

JACOBINS LOSE POWER 1794 – Robespierre is beheaded! 1795 – A new government called THE DIRECTORY They hire a young general to fight their wars with Austria and Britain and he wins many battles…

Napoleon Bonaparte: PHASE III 1799-coup d’etat by Napoleon – gives himself unlimited power and a new constitution crowns himself Emperor His military victories His military victories establish a French empire! establish a French empire!

Napoleonic Code No notes! Equal Taxation Stable Economy Public Education Religious toleration Govt. control of church lands Women lose right to sell property Restriction of free speech & press Restore slavery in French colonies

New World Territories West Indies & Louisiana Purchase 1803-Napoleon sells Louisiana to US for $15,000,000 - pays for war debts Toussaint L’Ouverture leads slave revolt in Haiti

NAPOLEON’S 3 BIG MISTAKES 1 st MISTAKE 1806/Continental System – Napoleon blockades continent from British Portugal and others ignore it

2 nd MISTAKE: PENISINSULAR WAR Angry about the blockade not working - France invades Portugal through Spain – puts his brother on Spanish throne! Angry about the blockade not working - France invades Portugal through Spain – puts his brother on Spanish throne! 1808/Peninsular War infuses Spaniards with nationalism – other nations help…loss! 1808/Peninsular War infuses Spaniards with nationalism – other nations help…loss!

3 rd MISTAKE Napoleon’s invasion of RUSSIA is a huge failure – thousands die in the cold! Napoleon’s invasion of RUSSIA is a huge failure – thousands die in the cold! Russia employs “scorched earth” policy – 10,000 left from almost 450,000 Russia employs “scorched earth” policy – 10,000 left from almost 450,000 Europe conspires against Napoleon and he is defeated – sent to exile in ELBA Europe conspires against Napoleon and he is defeated – sent to exile in ELBA

Waterloo Defeated in Belgium in 1815 Napoleon escapes from Elba – crowds cheer him in France and rules for the HUNDRED DAYS… His defeat at Waterloo ends France’s European empire and he is sent to exile in St. Helena

Congress of Vienna 1815 Surrounds France with strong countries Balance of power/no country a threat Restore royal families PEACE LASTS ALMOST HALF A CENTURY Klemens von Metternich Austria’s foreign minister

Napoleon’s Empire 1810 Europe 1817