French Revolution 1789 1799 Economic Causes of Revolutions

French Revolution 1789 -1799

• Economic: Causes of Revolutions – Massive debt because of wars (American Rev, 7 years) • Social: – Food scarcity caused by crop failures – Riots over increased price of bread – Enlightenment influence • Political: – Inexperienced/unpopular king – Lavish spending by monarchy – Conflict between king and nobility

The Estates General The First Estate 1% of the Population (Clergy) The Second Estate 1. 5% - 2% of the Population (Titled Nobility) The Third Estate 97 - 98% of the Population (Bourgeoisie & Working Lower Class) Unfair representation: • Each estate allowed 1 vote in government body Estates General • Church and nobility often teamed up • Estates General placed almost all tax responsibility on third estate

Start of Revolution May 1789 • King tries to increase taxes on nobility • Nobility call Estates General to vote on new taxes • Church and nobility vote in increase taxes on 3 rd estate • 3 rd estate walks out in protest – Tennis Court Oath: 3 rd estate reps meet and vow to create new constitution – Establish National Assembly: new government body – July- Storming of the Bastille: attack and loot military depository for weapons

Declaration of the Rights of Man August 1789 • Outlined individual rights and restrictions of government – Inspired by Declaration of Independence – Placed sovereignty in hands of public

Changes Made by Revolutionaries • King allowed to keep position – Royal family arrested – No political power – Constitutional Monarchy • All landholding men vote on legislation • Poor’s debts to landlords erased • War declared on Austria and Prussia (Germany) – Feared counter-revolutionary support

1 st French Republic 1793 • King/Queen killed • Tried to escape to Austria • Establish National Convention • France becomes a Republic under Robespierre – Popular leader of Jacobins: Revolutionary political party

Radical Stage of Revolution • Government abolishes 1 st and 2 nd estate – Nobility/clergy lose status • Seize church land – Ban religion – Establish new religion: Church of Reason • Established new calendar – First year of republic = year 1 • Women’s Rights – Property inheritance, divorce

Reign of Terror • Robespierre arrested “enemies of revolution” – Counter-revolutionaries – Nobility – Anyone not “revolutionary enough” • New technology – Guillotine: allowed for fast, systematic death • 30, 000 -40, 000 killed

Return to Order • 1794 -Robespierre arrested/killed for abuses of power • Establish Directory – Bicameral legislature headed by 5 annually chosen directors – Unpopular among public, failed to bring stability

Napoleon Bonaparte 1799 • Popular military general • Coup d’etate: Asked by member of directory to use military to take over and disband Directory • Established Consulate: Napoleon named self consul, ruled with elected co-consul • 1802 - Napoleon eliminates consulate, elected sole ruler of France

Napoleonic Changes • 1804 - Crowns self emperor • Concordat: Agreement to re-establish Catholic church • Napoleonic Code: – – – Legal equality of all male citizens Nobility could regain land/title Named Roman Catholicism as state religion Freedom of religion Merit-based government positions • Limited free speech, censored newspapers, eliminated women’s rights

Napoleonic Empire 1804 -1812 • Conquered Iberian, Italian Peninsulas, Netherlands, Southern German states – Forced Austria and Prussia to enter into alliance • Placed relatives on thrown in conquered countries • 1812 - France defeated in invasion of Russia – Britain, Austria and allies invade France, remove Napoleon from thrown – Re-establish royal family on throne, constitutional monarchy

Congress of Vienna 1814 • Conference to re-establish boundaries after removal of Napoleon – Goals: • create balance of power and peace in Europe • return traditional monarchies to conquered states • settle land disputes to create lasting peace

So…wait, what happened in France? !? • 1815 -1840 - Constitutional Monarchy – France continues as constitutional monarchy – Removed because of attempts to increase power • 1840 -1871 - Second Republic – Napoleon’s nephew elected first president of France