The French Revolution and Napoleon 1789 1815 Revolution

The French Revolution and Napoleon, 1789 - 1815 Revolution Threatens the French King

The Old Regime • France was still using a feudal system during the 1700 s • Feudal system = Old Regime • Broken into three social classes or estates – First two estates had privileges – lots of $ and land. Made up of nobility and Catholic Church – Third Estate = 98% of France’s population

The Third Estate • People in the 3 rd Estate had different financial issues. – First group = Bourgeoisie (artisans and merchants; well educated – liked Enlightenment ideas) – felt they deserved more privileges etc. – Workers – cooks and servants – weren’t paid well and often went hungry when bread prices rose – Peasants = 80% of France’s population!

• The Fall of the Bastille • Peasants paid half of their income to nobles, the church and the government • Peasants = very resentful of the clergy, the government and the nobility

The King and Queen of France • Marie Antoinette • Louis XVI

Forces of Change • Enlightenment ideas – equality, liberty and democracy • Rousseau’s friend put it simply, “The Third Estate is the People and the People is the foundation of the State. It is in fact the State itself…” • Economic Woes = bad crops, higher cost of living, major debt from helping the Americans out during the Revolution etc.

Forces of Change continued… • Weak leadership – Louis XVI was indecisive and let small matters turn big • Also ignored his advisors • Married Marie Antoinette who people hated b/c she was Austrian and spent too much $ • Sent France into bankruptcy

Revolution Dawns • The Tennis Court Assembly – The Third Estate broke into a tennis court until they’d drafted a constitution! • When the Estates. General met to deal with the bankruptcy, the Third Estate demanded more power • Third Estate formed the National Assembly and wanted to write laws and reforms for the French People • Wanted a representative government

Storming the Bastille • Louis XVI wanted to make peace with the 3 rd Estate, but was also freaked out and assembled an army of Swiss guards • The 3 rd Estate found out about the Swiss guards, got mad and stormed the Bastille (a Paris prison). The 3 rd Estate mob stole gun powder and took over the prison. This was a big deal (ha!)

The Great Fear Sweeps France • The storming of the Bastille • Great Fear = Peasants, women and people in the Third Estate just went nuts and killed a lot of nobles • The mob of rioters eventually drove the king and queen out of Paris