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Enlightenment and the French Revolution
AP World History Enlightenment and the French Revolution
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The Enlightenment
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Origins of the Enlightenment
What was the Enlightenment? An 18th century philosophical movement that advocated reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy What were the basic principals of the Enlightenment? Reason – Truth through logical reasoning Nature – Nature is good; natural laws of politics & economics Happiness – Live by nature’s laws and you will find happiness Progress – Believed society and humankind could be perfected Liberty – Believed society should be set free
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Important Enlightenment Thinkers
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Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) Lived during the English Civil War
Famous work was Leviathan Main Ideas Man is inherently selfish and aggressive Mankind, if left on its own, would be ruled by chaos and conflict Citizens need the law and a strong monarch to prevent chaos The Social Contract
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John Locke (1632-1704) Lived during the English Civil War
Father of Liberalism Supported individual’s natural right to life, liberty, and property Government at the consent of the governed Influenced the American Revolution and French Enlightenment thinkers
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Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1788)
French philosopher Main Ideas Humans are basically good by nature but corrupted by society Advocated direct democracy Influenced the American & French Revolutions “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains”
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Voltaire ( ) Perhaps the most brilliant Enlightenment philosopher “Friend” of Frederick II of Prussia Frequently targeted the clergy, aristocracy, and government Main Ideas Freedom of religion, freedom of speech, tolerance Attacked intolerance, prejudice, and superstition “Crush the evil thing”
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Montesquieu (1689-1755) A French aristocrat and a lawyer
Believed Britain was the best- governed country Main Ideas Challenged absolute monarchy Separation of Powers Executive, legislative, judicial Checks and Balances Influenced the United States Constitution “Power should be a check to power”
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Women and the Enlightenment
Enlightenment thinkers maintained traditional ideas toward women Educated women challenged these ideas using Enlightenment arguments Mary Wollstonecraft Women need education to be virtuous & useful Women have the right to participate in politics Women helped spread Enlightenment ideas by holding salons
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Impact of the Enlightenment
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Impact of the Enlightenment
Revolutions American, French, Haitian, etc. Belief in social and human progress Abolition of slavery, promote education, social equality, etc. Secular outlook in Europe Promotion of religious tolerance, openly question religious beliefs, science challenges religious teachings Importance of the individual People can judge right and wrong for themselves, rise of capitalism, support for democracy, etc.
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The French Revolution
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Preliminary Stage
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Causes of the French Revolution
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The Enlightenment Political & Legal Equality (Rousseau)
Personal Freedoms (Voltaire) Social Contract (Hobbes) Popular Sovereignty & Natural Rights (Locke) Global Influence of Enlightenment Values American Revolution Overthrow the ancien régime (old order)
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Inept Ruler? King Louis XVI
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Financial Crisis During 1780s, 50% of revenue went to pay off debts
American Revolution? Lavish lifestyle of the monarchy Series of bad harvests 1787 & 1788 Bread prices went up 50% in 1789 Need for tax reform Louis XVI hoped to raise taxes on ancien régime Aristocracy resisted reforms Forced Louis to call the Estates-General for the first time since 1614
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Estates General First Estate: 100,000 Catholic clergy
Did not pay taxes Second Estate: 400,000 nobles Exempt from most taxes Third Estate: Rest of Population Provided bulk of French tax revenue
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Discussion Questions What were the similarities between the long-term causes of the American and French Revolutions? Differences?
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Initial Stage ( )
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Calling of the Estates-General
Louis the XVI wanted to raise more money but didn’t permission from the estates General. 1st and 2nd estate voted against the 3rd estate to share the tax burden more. This angered the 3rd estate May 5, 1789
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Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
The National Assembly The Third estate left the estates general and formed the national assembly. They performed the tennis court oath where they refused to meet with the king until he agreed to a Constitutional Monarchy. June 20, 1789 Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
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Storming of the Bastille
French citizens fearing King Louis XVI would use violence to put down the revolution stormed the Bastille on 14 July 1789
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Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen
Passed by the National Assembly on August 26, 1789 Not a Constitution but a statement of general principals Defines individual and collective rights Does not address women or slavery
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Women’s March Storming of Versailles October 1, 1789
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Crisis Stage ( )
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Radicals Take Control Arrest of Louis XVI August 10, 1792
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Execution of Louis XVI (Reign of Terror)
January 21, 1793
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Radical Reforms of the Jacobins
Universal adult male suffrage Abolished slavery Fuels Haitian Revolution Universal military conscription Attacked Catholicism Forced priests to marry Spirit of nationalism Set price controls & seized crops from farmers
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Festival of the Supreme Being (new religion)
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Reign of Terror Led by Maximilien Robespierre
According to records 16,000+ died under the guillotine Historians estimate could be as high as 40,000 “The first maxim of our politics ought to be to lead the people by means of reason and the enemies of the people by terror.”
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British View of Reign of Terror
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End of the Terror July 28, 1794
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Discussion Question How were the actions of American radicals and French radicals similar? How were they different?
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Recovery Stage ( )
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Napoleon Bonaparte Moderate government, the Directory, rules for four years following Reign of Terror Failed to solve economic problems of France Napoleon staged a coup d’etat in 1799 Becomes emperor in 1804
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Domestic Policies of Napoleon
Maintained some rights gained during the revolution Freedom of religion Napoleonic Code (Civil Code) Schools and universities Reversed other gains Rights of women Freedom of expression Reformed economy Revised tax code Central bank
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Napoleon’s Empire Left: Napoleon’s Empire by 1912
Above: Napoleon’s Retreat from Russia
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Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia
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Napoleon on Elba This should NOT be a prison
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Battle of Waterloo
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Legacy of the French Revolution
Global Independence movements Haitian Revolution Latin American independence Triggered by Napoleon’s invasion of Spain Egypt broke away from Ottoman Empire Slave Trade and Slavery England abolished slave trade in 1807; slavery in 1833 Brazil—Last to abolish slavery (1888) Abolition of serfdom Except in Russia
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Legacy of the French Revolution
Women’s Rights Played major role in the revolutions Sewing uniforms, nurses, running businesses, some even fought Lost many rights after revolution Napoleon Feminist Movements Mary Wollstonecraft Spread of nationalism in Europe German and Italian unification Greek independence
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