1. The French Revolution & Napoleon
Chapter 18

2. I. The Revolution Begins
French Revolution seen as major turning point in European history:
Sought to change both political & social order
Became a model for revolution world-wide
Demonstrated the power of nationalism
Showed the power of “enlightened” ideas
The masses challenged the protected interests of the privileged few…
“LIBERTY!!! EQUALITY!!! FRATERNITY!!!”

3. I. The revolution Begins
Causes of French Revolution
The Three Estates: Population had been divided into groups since Middle Ages.
1st Estate: Clergy (no taxes)
0.5% of pop., they own 10 % of the land
2nd Estate: Nobility (no taxes)
1.5% of pop., they own 25%
3rd Estates: Commoners (pay all taxes)
98% of pop., own 65% of the land
Peasants, skilled craftspeople, and…
Bourgeoisie (middle class) merchants, bankers, professionals
Common bond: distrust the monarchy
“The Three Estates”

4. I. The revolution Begins
Causes of French Revolution
Financial Crisis
Poverty rate soars thru countryside
Drought, Bad harvests
Food shortages, rising prices
Unemployment
1/3 of pop. starving on eve of revolution
Enormous Gov’t spending of Louis XVI
Costly wars
Heavy spending to help U.S. defeat British
Glamorous lifestyle of Marie Antoinette
Peasant, King Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette

5. I. The revolution Begins
Causes of French Revolution
The Age of Enlightenment
Challenged the Divine Right of Kings
Appealed to problems of middle class
Said economy would flourish w/ free commerce (laissez-faire)
The Rule of King Louis XVI
Preferred personal life to court life
Strongly influenced by Marie
Incapable of strong, decisive action
American Revolution
Showed successful revolution possible
French army introduced to new ideas…
King Louis XVI

6. I. The revolution Begins
The Fall of the Old Regime
Debt forces Louis XVI to call Parliament
Each of the 3 Estates get 1 vote
Third Estate (largest) demanded more
Called themselves National Assembly
Locked out Tennis Court Oath
Meet until they wrote a Constitution
Louis planned to use force on National Assembly, but…
Storming of the Bastille
Armory & Prison in Paris
Angry mob attacked & destroyed it, “Great Fear” controls Paris, countryside
Louis can’t trust army, nearly powerless
The Storming of the Bastille; July 14, 1789

7. I. The revolution Begins
The Fall of the Old Regime (cont.)
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
Equality for all MEN (women excluded)
Access to public office based on talent
End to tax exemptions
Free speech and press
Louis XVI concedes his power
Originally refused Declaration, but…
Becomes a prisoner in his own kingdom
Forced to move royal family to Paris
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

8. II. The Revolution Gets Radical
Paris Commune
3 yrs later(1792) conditions had not improved
Radical political groups form mob, attack palace and legislative assembly
Hold Louis XVI captive
Call for a national convention for new gov’t
based universal suffrage (all adult males)
Members call themselves sans-culottes
“Without breeches (fancy pants)”
Wanted revenge…on who?
Thousands arrested, massacred
Led by Georges Danton
Paris Commune

9. II. The Revolution Gets Radical
Paris Commune (cont.)
At the National Convention…
Abolished the monarchy
Split over fate of Louis XVI
Girondins (rural): let him live
The Mountain (urban, radical):off w/ his head
Louis, Marie condemned to death by guillotine
Other nations appalled, join to attack France
Fear of invasion, internal unrest leads to Committee on Public Safety
Takes control of govt. beginning “Reign of Terror”
Flyer supporting the execution of Louis XVI

10. II. The Revolution Gets Radical
The Reign of Terror
Led by Maximilien Robespierre
Goal: Unify, Protect, Cleanse France
40,000 enemies of revolution executed
15% Nobles & Clergy, 85% Commoners
Policy of Dechristianization
Churches pillaged and closed
“Saint” removed from street names
Cathedral of Notre Dame: Temple of Reason
New calendar (why?)
Efforts ignored by largely Catholic public
Radicalism ends with death of Robespierre
The guillotine was used to kill over 16,000 French citizens.

11. II. The Revolution Gets Radical
The Directory
1795: New constitution, more stability
Bi-cameral (?) legislature
Lower house (500 members) wrote laws
Upper house (250) approved or rejected laws
5 men to serve as executives
Shared power w/ legislature
Time of corruption
Could not fix economy
Relied heavily on military
1799: coup d’etat by Gen. Napoleon Bonaparte
The Eighteenth of Brumaire, by Francois Bouchot