3. Chapter 11: The French Revolution and Napoleon (1789–1815) Section 1: The Old Order Section 2: Constitutional Government Section 3: Dawn of a New Era Section 4: Napoleon’s Empire Section 5: Peace in Europe
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8. The Old Regime The BOURGEOISIE and PEASANTS Peasants were 90 percent of French population Resented privilege of first and second estates Burdened by taxes Many earned miserable wages and faced hunger and even starvation The NOBILITY Owned land but had little money income Hated absolutism Feared losing traditional privilege, especially exemption from taxes The CLERGY Enjoyed enormous wealth and privilege Owned about 10 percent of land, collected tithes, and paid no taxes Provided some social services THIRD ESTATE SECOND ESTATE FIRST ESTATE Under the ancien regime , or old order, everyone in France belonged to one of three classes. 1
9. In this cartoon from the time, Louis is looking at the chests and asks "where is the tax money?" Cartoon 1789 - Collection Banque Nationale de Paris (Paris: Editions Hervas, 1988) The financial minister, Necker, looks on and says "the money was there last time I looked." The nobles and clergy are sneaking out the door carrying sacks of money, saying "We have it." What did the nobility want? With the exception of a few liberals, the nobility wanted greater political influence for themselves but nothing for the third estate. The King attempted to solve the financial crisis by removing some of the nobles' tax exemptions. However, the nobility saw themselves as special, with better blood, and entitled to all of their class privileges. The Parlement, a judicial organization controlled by the nobility, invoked its powers to block the King's move. He was forced reluctantly to call a meeting of the Estates General in 1788.
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12. The King and Queen of France lived in luxury and splendor at the magnificent Palace of Versailles outside of Paris. The government of France, however, was bankrupt and was facing a serious financial crisis. The crisis came about primarily because of an inefficient and unfair tax structure, outdated medieval bureaucratic institutions, and a drained treasury which was the result of aiding the Americans during the American Revolution, long wars with England, and overspending.
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14. The Meeting of the Estates General France’s economic crisis worsened, bread riots spread, and nobles denounced royal tyranny. Louis XVI summoned the Estates General. The Third Estate declared themselves to be the National Assembly and invited delegates from the other two estates to help them write a constitution. When reform-minded clergy and nobles joined the Assembly, Louis grudgingly accepted it. 1
15. The meeting of the Estates General May 5, 1789 When the Estates General met, each estate solemnly marched into the hall at Versailles. The third estate, dressed all in black, the nobility dressed in all their finery and finally the clergy dressed in full regalia. The delegates of the third estate insisted that the three orders meet together and that the vote be taken by head, rather than by order. (Since there were far more delegates from the third estate, this plan would give them a majority). The King refused to grant their request. The third estate refused to budge. Seating— Left = radical Center = moderate Right = conservative
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17. The Tennis Court Oath (June 20, 1789) The Estates General met separately at the King's insistence. The Third Estate established the National Assembly, but was locked out of their regular meeting place at Versailles. They moved to the indoor tennis court. On June 20, 1789, the Tennis Court Oath was taken. They pledged not to leave until France had a new Constitution. The king gave in and told the First and Second Estates to join them.
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19. October 5,1789- Paris women invaded Versailles demanding bread…”Let them eat cake,” said Marie Antoinette. It is a fictitious quote, but the myth persists.
26. Causes and Effects of the French Revolution 4 Corrupt, inconsistent, and insensitive leadership Prosperous members of Third Estate resent privileges of First and Second estates Spread of Enlightenment ideas Huge government debt Poor harvests and rising price of bread Failure of Louis XVI to accept financial reforms Formation of National Assembly Storming of Bastille Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen adopted France adopts its first written constitution Monarchy abolished Revolutionary France fights coalition of European powers Reign of Terror Napoleon gains power Napoleonic Code established French public schools set up French conquests spread nationalism Revolutions occur in Europe and Latin America Immediate Effects Long-Term Causes Immediate Causes Long-Term Effects
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31. “ Men will not be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest. ” – Denis Diderot
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33. The tricolor cockade on a tricorn hat, the symbol of the Revolution Citizen Sam Neill
34. When he returned to France in 1781, Lafayette was famous -- 'a hero of two worlds'. He received many honors, was made commander of the Paris National Guard (1781-91), and became active in politics in France. In late 1784, he returned briefly to the United States to visit George Washington at Mount Vernon. Lafayette
57. Dr. Joseph Gullotin became an instant celebrity after championing this new means of execution, and although he neither invented nor designed the device, his name will be permanently attached to it. Soon the Guillotine will take center stage in the drama of the French Revolution and fourteen thousand “enemies of the state” shall bring huge crowds to witness their deaths at Madame Guillotine.
58. “ With my machine I’ll take your head off in a flash, and you won’t even feel the slightest pain.”
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68. Jean-Paul Marat: Popular journalist who advocated extreme measures against traitors and hoarders. Assassinated in the bath in1793.
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73. Detail From Triumph of Marat , Boilly, 1794 (Musee des Beaux-Arts)
74. From Convention to Directory By early 1793, France was at war with most of Europe. Within France, peasants and workers were in rebellion against the government. The Convention itself was bitterly divided. To deal with threats to France, the Convention created the Committee of Public Safety. The Reign of Terror lasted from about July 1793 to July 1794. Under the guidance of Maximilien Robespierre, some 40,000 people were executed at the guillotine. In reaction to the Reign of Terror, moderates created another constitution, the third since 1789. The Constitution of 1795 set up a five-man Directory and a two-house legislature. 3
83. Pre-1789 A series of social and political tensions build within France, before being unleashed by a financial crisis in the 1780s. 1789 – 91 The Estates General is called, but instead of bowing to the king it takes radical action, declaring itself a Legislative Assembly and seizing sovereignty. It starts tearing down the old regime and creating a new France. 1792 A second revolution occurs, as Jacobins and sans culottes force the creation of a French Republic. The Legislative Assembly is replaced by the new National Convention. 1793 – 4 With foreign enemies attacking from outside France and violent opposition occurring within, the ruling Committee of Public Safety put into practice government by terror. Their rule is short but bloody. 1795 – 1799 The Directory is created and put in charge of France, as the nation’s fortunes wax and wane. 1800 – 1802 A young General called Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power, ending the Revolution and consolidating some of its reforms. French Revolution Timeline
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92. The Rise of Napoleon 4 1769 Born on island of Corsica 1793 Helps capture Toulon from British; promoted to brigadier general 1795 Crushes rebels opposed to the National Convention 1796–1797 Becomes commander in chief of the army of Italy; wins victories against Austria 1798–1799 Loses to the British in Egypt and Syria 1799 Overthrows Directory and becomes First Consul of France 1804 Crowns himself emperor of France
100. Downfall of Napoleon . 1812—Napoleon’s forces were defeated in Russia. Russia, Britain, Austria, and Prussia form a new alliance against a weakened France. 1813—Napoleon was defeated in the Battle of Nations in Leipzig. 1814—Napoleon abdicated, or stepped down from power, and was exiled to Elba, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. 1815—Napoleon escaped his exile and returned to France. Combined British and Prussian forces defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. Napoleon was forced to abdicate again, and was this time exiled to St. Helena, an island in the South Atlantic. 1821—Napoleon died in exile. 5
