The French Revolution

THE BACKGROUND

The Old Order: 3 Estates (classes) 1st Estate: The Clergy 130,000 people (1%) Owned lots of land Received tithes + fees 2% of income paid to taxes 2nd Estate: The Nobility Hereditary 300,000 people (2%) Owned 30% of the land Controlled almost everything, paid no taxes 3rd Estate: Everybody Else Wealthy Commoners=17% Peasants=80% Lacked political privileges 50% of income paid to taxes

3rd Estate Top Component: The Bourgeoisie Involved in commerce, finance, manufacture Basically this means, they had some money Bourgeoisie= wealthy and growing middle class in France. Literate, influenced by Enlightenment ideas

3rd Estate Lower Component Sans-Culottes= Urban Poor People Life was OK when crops were good  if they weren’t. Violent protests and anger over Increased bread prices taxes

THE CAUSES

I. National Bankruptcy Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette Unfair tax system Expensive wars (American War for Independence) “Madame Deficit”- spent $ on gowns, jewels, gambling, and gifts. No more loans to support their spending Unfair tax system Versailles = 1/3 of national budget

“Till Death Do Us Part…”

II. New Ideas About Government Locke; natural rights Rousseau; government = a contract Okay to overthrow a government not doing its job Bourgeoisie (Middle Class) began to demand to have a say in their government

III. No Food Bad harvests Hungry people = angry people Between 1787-1789 bad weather conditions led to poor harvests Hungry people = angry people

THE EVENTS MODERATE PHASE

IV. Crisis Louis XVI called the Estates General (Parliament) to a meeting to help gain support for new taxes (taxing the nobles) Estates General = members from each estate who met to help advise the King Argued over how to vote – by estate or one man, one vote

The Number of Representatives in the Estates General: 300 Clergy 1st Estate Aristocracy 2nd Estate 300 648 Commoners 3rd Estate Traditional Voting 1st=1 Vote 2nd= 1 Vote 3rd= 1 Vote

V. National Assembly 3rd estate walked out They proclaimed themselves the “National Assembly” of France. Gave the Tennis Court Oath – would not disband until France had a Constitution Night of August 4th - Abolished nobility France now a Constitutional Monarchy

VI. Storming of the Bastille Prison Paris urban workers (sans culottes) attacked the Bastille (gov’t prison)to find guns and gunpowder in order to defend city. July 14, 1789

March of the Women, October 5-6, 1789 *A spontaneous demonstration of women wanting cheaper bread. *Broke into Versailles, killed some guards. *Women demanded the return of the king and his family.

The French Revolution The Radical Phase

The Reign of Terror (1793-1794) Austria & Prussian rulers invade France to stop the revolution (absolute monarchs feared their own people would rise up and overthrow them) Fear & panic grip France Radical “Jacobin” political party takes control of Paris. France run by the Committee of Public Safety (led by Robespierre) Guillotine used to execute “enemies of the revolution” including Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette

Order Restored

BACKGROUND

Napoleon Bonaparte from Corsica 1769 (the year of Napoleon’s birth), France invaded and took control of the Corsican Republic. Napoleon graduated from Brienne Military Academy in Corsica and was accepted into the prestigious Ecole Royale Military Academy in France. At 16 he became one of the youngest French officers ever! Exiled from Corsica in 1793 Loyalty Shift Success at Toulon- kicked Britain out of France Augustin Robespierre

Napoleon Gains Attention October 1795 Loyalty to Enlightenment ideas, not Reign of Terror Napoleon ordered to guard members of the Directory Successfully defended and became a national hero 1796-1799 Napoleon appointed to lead the French vs. Austria and Sardinia Sweeps into Italy and conquers Covers up his defeat in Egypt by the British.

POWER Successful war general Has a coup d’etat - 1799(military takeover) Declares himself EMPEROR-1804 (ironic, right?!) Conquered almost all of Europe – stopped by the Russian winter & “scorched earth” policy of the Russians Napoleonic Code = equality before the law & merit but NOT “freedom” [rights like speech, press, and assembly restricted] “If the Press is not controlled, I shall not remain in power 3 days.” - Napoleon

Napoleon’s Downfall British and others defeat his army at Waterloo – he is exiled to St. Helena Island in the Atlantic Constitutional Monarchy (not absolute!) restored in France. Very few rich men = voters. Napoleonic Code = still used. Congress of Vienna – reestablishes the old monarchs overthrown by Napoleon…Europe moving toward democracy but not there yet!