T HE F RE NCH RE V O

T HE F RE NCH RE V O LUT I O N

BASICS ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION • Who: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon, Estates General • What: Period of Revolution in France where monarchy is replaced by a republic • When 1799 -1804 • • Moderate stage: 1789 -1792 Radical stage: 1792 -1794 Directory: 1795 -1799 Consulate: 1799 -1804 • Where: France

LIFE IN FRANCE IN 1789 In the country for King In the city Life in France For Nobility for Bourgeoisie

PROBLEMS IN FRANCE ØProblems: Ø Ø Ø ØAre these problems social-political-economic?

WHY: LONG TERM CAUSES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION Economic/ Political Taxes places on 3 rd estate, economy was failing Disproportion ate voting in Estates General Social Extravagant spending and lifestyle by Louis XVI, not popular Rise in poor creates resentment Environmental Famine – leading to bread riots – less food but higher prices Social (Philosophical) The Enlightenment ideals of freedom, equality, liberty The American Revolution showed Enlightenment ideals at play

The French Urban Poor

The French Monarchy: 1775 - 1793 Marie Antoinette “Madame Deficit” “The Austrian Whore” & Louis XVI - Married at age 14 - Often mocked because they did not have children right away - Not prepared for ruling France

QUOTES • The King does nothing to stop the local aristocrat’s animals wandering all over my land, ruining my crops. I am fed up. • I deserve better treatment than this. I have just written a letter to my local newspaper about how hard I work and how much money my factory makes, yet I have no say in how this country is run. Down with the King. • Conditions in the factory where I work are terrible. It would be something to have a warm home to go back to but I don’t even have that. I don’t even know if I will have a job tomorrow. Why doesn’t the King pass laws to improve working conditions? • Our lives are hard enough without having to work on the local aristocrat’s land at harvest time for nothing. • France needs to change. • Peasants? - Urban workers? -Bourgeoisie?

QUOTES • This latest poor harvest has been the ruin of me. How can I survive now that I have lost my job in the textile factory? My family and me will starve. • Marie Antoinette is a disgrace. She spends money as if it were going out of fashion. The King just sits back and lets her. He is a disgrace too. • The system of taxes in France is criminal. It should have been changed years ago. I find them difficult enough to pay and I have some wealth. I can’t imagine how the others in the Third Estate cope. What makes it worse is how those nobles and clergymen get away with it. • Peasants? -Urban workers ? -Bourgeoisie?

1. CALLING THE ESTATES GENERAL • Estates General – law-making body of France • Called by King with hope to approve new taxes in May 1789 • Had not been called together by previous two absolutist kings since 1614 • Each estate had their own agenda • 3 rd estate wanted individual votes • 1 st/2 nd estate do not want their

The Three Estates Varied widely in what they contributed in terms of work and taxes First Estate Second Estate • Roman Catholic clergy • Nobility • One percent of the population • Less than 2 percent of the population • Exempt from taxes • Paid few taxes • Owned 10 percent of the land – Collected rents and fees – Bishops and other clergy grew wealthy • Controlled much wealth • Held key positions – Government – Military • Lived on country estates Third Estate • Largest group— 97% of the population • Bourgeoisie—citydwelling merchants, factory owners, and professionals —artisans and workers • Peasants—poor with little hope, paid rents and fees

2. TENNIS COURT OATH • During the meetings of the estates general, the 3 rd estate gets locked out when they refuse to budge on issue of voting • 3 rd estate met at tennis court in June 1789 and declared themselves a new legislative body: the National Assembly • Swore at oath to stay together until a constitution is written

3. FORMATION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY • Wanted to reform voting and taxation through a Constitution • King allowed National Assembly to meet together • Forced other Estates to join • Called troops to Paris and Versailles to protect himself • This worries the 3 rd Estate

4. STORMING THE BASTILLE • Once king calls troops to Paris, people feared he may disband National Assembly • Storm the local prison “Bastille” for weapons in July 1789 • Bastille, a symbol of royal authority, was completely destroyed • “Great Fear” begins • People terrified King would punish them for the storming • Riots and revolts spread • – attacked manors

Storming the Bastille: July 14, 1789 Y 18 died. Y 73 wounded. Y 7 guards killed. Y It held 7 prisoners [5 ordinary criminals & 2 madmen].

5. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen August 26, 1789 V Liberty! Property! V Resistance to oppression! V Estates General forces the King to sign

6. BREAD RIOTS: “LET THEM EAT CAKE” • Later the King and Queen would hold a party at Versailles • Stepped on the new French flag and insulted the Assembly • Women began a bread riot and stormed Versailles in October 1789 • Upset about the price of bread • Took the King and Queen to Paris under arrest

March of the Women for Bread Riots: October 5 -6, 1789 A spontaneous demonstration of Parisian women for bread. We want the baker, the baker’s wife and the baker’s boy!

REFORMS UNDER NATIONAL ASSEMBLY • Dec. of Rights of Man** • Abolished privileges of the nobility • All male citizens equal • Constitution of 1791** • King power is limited – could only veto • Independent judiciary • Permanent single chamber National Assembly • Civil Constitution of the Clergy** • Church under control of state • All Church officials paid and chose by the State • Sold all Church land, no tithes to the Church • Ended all feudal practices • Not feudal dues, hunting/fishing privilege • Declared freedom of religion ***Under the National Assembly – France is still has a monarch. The government hopes to reform the monarchy to a constitutional monarchy

CONSTITUTION OF 1791 • Bring the King and Queen to Paris • Forced to sign Constitution and Declarations of Rights of Man • Limited the authority of the King • 3 branches of government • Changed name of government to Legislative Assembly • 3 groups in Legislative Assembly • Conservatives “right” • Moderates “ middle” • Radicals “left”

PROBLEMS ABROAD • Some Enlightenment thinkers supported Revolution • European leaders and nobles criticized it • Brunswick Manifesto • Austrian rulers threatened to intervene to protect monarchy in 1792 • Émigrés (nobles who left France) who left France support Austria’s decision • Soon Britain and Spain join • All the French agree to end foreign threat • At first French lose most battles

PROBLEMS AT HOME King and queen are in Paris waiting trial • They attempt to escape, caught at border, seen as traitors • Ends moderate reforms, people now want a republic National Assembly is disbanded Dealing with problems within France • New government formed: National Convention • Those who support vs. do not support Revolution • Those who support the Church vs. do not support Church • Different view of government within Convention

DEATH OF MONARCH RADICAL STAGE OF THE REVOLUTION

END OF MONARCHY – REPUBLIC OF FRANCE • King is put under the guillotine • Soon after Queen is also beheaded • Republic of France is now formed • Government-National Convention • Exists from 1792 -1795 • Girodins- moderate reformers • Jacobins – radical reformers take control

NATIONAL CONVENTION • Under leadership of Robespierre • Committee of Public Safety • Draft soldiers • Courts to try enemies of Revolution • Reign of terror • Destroy all enemies of Revolution! • c. 40, 000 killed under guillotine • Guillotine seen as human and fair • mainly peasants/ bourgeoisie • Dec. of Rights of Man forgotten

The Reign of Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible. Let terror be the order of the day! The Revolutionary Tribunal of Paris alone executed 2, 639 victims in 15 months. The total number of victims nationwide was 20, 00040, 000!

NATIONAL CONVENTION REFORMS • • • New schools Wage and price controls New calendar to support Revolution No slavery in colonies Religious tolerance

END OF THE REPUBLIC- RISE OF DIRECTORY • Robespierre is put under guillotine • Reign of terror ends – people tired of fear and instability • New form of government: The Directory • Governed from 1795 -1799 • France has • An executive made of 5 directors • A two house legislature • Pass laws and approve laws • Very moderate but as a result very ineffective • Little improvement in economy

FALL OF THE DIRECTORY • Directory gets taken over when 4 out of 5 of the directors leave • Napoleon takes over through a coup d’etat • Starts new government: Consulate • 3 consuls, Napoleon was 1 st consul • Napoleon holds almost total control • Legislature could only approve/veto Napoleon’s decisions • Eventually Napoleon will become Emperor in 1804

REFORMS UNDER NAPOLEON • Napoleonic Code • Uniform French Laws • Bank of France • More schools – all public • Instituted the Concordat – recognized Catholicism but also allowed religious freedom – repaired relations with the Church

WAR OF 1812 AND NAPOLEON • While Napoleon was conquering most of Europe the U. S. struggled with Britain • • Problems over Native Americans, Territory in the Great Lakes Impressment in the British army Trade • America declares war on Great Britain • Britain also fighting against Napoleon • War ends with all former territories, trade problems • ends when British end war with Napoleon

FALL OF NAPOLEON AT WATERLOO • Napoleon continues to expand French borders • After disastrous result in Russia many of Napoleon’s former allies ally with Great Britain • Austria, Prussia • Met at the Battle of Leipzig • Napoleon defeated and exiled to Elba in Italy • Louis XVI’s brother Louis XVIII takes power • Napoleon escapes exile from Elba and returns • Battle of the Waterloo • Napoleon’s final defeat against Duke of Wellington • Exiled to St. Helena an island in the Atlantic

CONGRESS OF VIENNA (1814 – 1815) • Purpose*: • redraw the map of Europe after Napoleonic era • keep peace in Europe • Restore monarch • The Big Four: 4 nations that had done the most to defeat Napoleon • England, Austria, Russia and Prussia

MAIN GOALS OF CONGRESS • Goals • Legitimacy: return power to ruling families of the past, the “legitimate” rulers • Compensation: territorial rewards to those states that sacrificed most to defeat Napoleon (i. e. more land/colonies) • Balance of Power: redrawing map of Europe so no one country over powers the other countries

CONGRESS OF VIENNA • Prince Klemens Von Metternich (Austria) • conservative • Lord Castlereagh (England) representative • wanted balance of power on continent • surround France with strong states • Karl Von Hardenberg; Chancellor of Prussia • recover Prussian territory taken by Napoleon and get northern Germany • Czar Alexander I Russian • Poland free for him to rule

? HOW WOULD YOU RE-DRAW EUROPE TO BEST MEET OBJECTIVES OF EACH COUNTRY WHILE KEEPING THE BALANCE OF POWER?

RESULTS OF CONGRESS • 39 German states were loosely joined as German Confederation, dominated by Austria • Switzerland became an independent nation • Must remain neutral in future conflicts • Kingdom of Sardinia in Italy added Genoa • Allowed other European countries to contain France and prevent it from attacking/overpowering other nations. • Poland is split between Prussia and Russia – no longer an independent nation • France returned to its borders of 1790 • France retained most overseas possessions, army and independent government • ****Europe had major powers, but no superpower

ALLIANCES AFTER THE CONGRESS • Quadruple alliance • Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia • Later France • Goal – to keep peace • Holy Alliance • All rulers except Britain and Ottoman Sultan • Goal – to rule as Christians

EFFECTS OF FRENCH REVOLUTION • Other revolutions will occur throughout Europe and the world founded on the ideals of the French Revolution

CRANE BRINTON: CONDITIONS PRESENT BEFORE A REVOLUTION OCCURS 1. People from all social classes are discontented. 2. People feel restless and held down by unacceptable restrictions in society, religion, the economy or the govt. 3. People are hopeful about the future, but they are being forced to accept less than they had hoped for. 4. People are beginning to think of themselves as belonging to a social class, and there is a growing bitterness between social classes. 5. The social classes closest to one another are the most hostile. 6. The scholars and thinkers give up on the way their society operates. 7. The government does not respond to the needs of its society. 8. The leaders of the government and the ruling class begin to doubt themselves. Some join with the opposition groups. 9. The government is unable to get enough support from any group to save itself. 10. The government cannot organize its finances correctly and is either going bankrupt or trying to tax heavily and unjustly

Crane Brinton: The Course that Revolutions Seem to Take 1. Impossible demands made of government which, if granted, would mean its end. 2. Unsuccessful government attempts to suppress revolutionaries. 3. Revolutionaries gain power and seem united. 4. Once in power, revolutionaries begin to quarrel among themselves, and unity begins to dissolve. 5. The moderates gain the leadership but fail to satisfy those who insist on further changes 6. Power is gained by progressively more radical groups until finally a lunatic fringe gains almost complete control. 7. A strong man emerges and assumes great power. 8. The extremists try to create a “heaven-on-earth” by introducing their whole program and by punishing all of their opponents. 9. A period of terror [extreme violence] occurs. 10. Moderate groups regain power. THE REVOLUTION IS OVER!