French Revolution and Napoleon

French Revolution Society Divided First Estate –Clergy Owned 10% of land Ran schools, hospitals and orphanages Did not pay taxes

French Revolution Second Estate –Nobles Top jobs in government, army, courts and church Received little financial income Did not pay taxes

French Revolution Third Estate –Rest of France Very diverse –Bourgeoisie- middle class Prosperous –Majority were rural peasants Landowners and farmers

French Revolution Third Estate (cont) –Urban workers Poorest members –Some members of the third estate had more money and power than 1 st or 2 nd, however, could not get ahead because of their social status

French Revolution Financial Troubles Because of War, France was in huge debt Estates-General called –Third estate wanted reform –Each estate had one vote Third estate usually outvoted

French Revolution Estates-General, not getting anywhere Third Estate claimed to represent the people of France and formed the National Assembly After a week of meeting, their meeting place was locked, so they met on a tennis court –Tennis Court Oath

French Revolution Many peasant uprisings –Fear of government National Assembly acts –Writes Declaration of the Rights of Man –Creates New Constitution Legislative Assembly formed

French Revolution Radicals take over Legislative Assembly –Declare war on other European countries –Support radical uprisings in cities –Executed the King and Marie Antoinette –Formed National Convention

French Revolution National Convention creates committee of Public Safety –Held absolute power –Led by Robespierre Reign of Terror –Used guillotine to punish prisoners –300,000 arrested, 17,000 executed

French Revolution Robespierre was out of control National Convention turned on Committee of Public Safety and executed Robespierre

French Revolution Without a strong leader in place, officials turned to Napoleon to lead their country At first, he was only there to push through the goals of the politicians Later he would become the Ruler of France

Napoleon Napoleon rose quickly in the Army –Had many victories Led expedition into Egypt –Disaster Hid losses through spies and censoring Became political leader and overthrew weak government

Napoleon Napoleon reforms France Plebiscite- popular vote (not really) Napoleonic Code –New laws that supported enlightenment principles Used large army and friends to control most of Europe

Napoleon Nationalism hurts Napoleon’s rule Leads to war with other European countries France and Russia go to war Napoleon led 600,000 soldiers and 50,000 horses in invasion of Russia Russians fled East and burned the ground as they went

Napoleon Burning left no food or supplies for French army as the Russian winter came Cold weather killed most of the soldiers –20,000 survived Napoleon steps down from power –Exiled to Elba

Napoleon New ruler did not do a good job Led to support of Napoleon –Napoleon returns Tried to battle with European alliance at Waterloo Napoleon defeated in one day –Exiled to St. Helena