French Revolution

Louis XIV The Sun King “L’Etat c’est moi”

Louis fought many war that put France into debt

Louis XV Unwilling or unable to fix problems

Madam Pompadour “After us the deluge”

Louis XVI Honest but stubborn and stupid

Marie Antoinette “Let them eat cake”

3 Estates 1 st Estate – Clergy ½% own 10% 2 nd Estate – Nobles <2% own 30% 3 rd Estate – 98% own 30%

Problem: Not enough revenue Why? Only tax 3 rd Estate

To tax all 3 must call: Estates General 3 rd Estate breaks away meets on tennis court - National Assembly

Tennis Court Oath

People worried Louis will attack Assembly Goes to Bastille to get arms

Declaration of the Rights of Man *natural rights: liberty, property, security *freedom of thought & religion *due process of law *equality under the law

Some nobles begin to flee Émigrés

Revolution splitting into two groups: Moderates Radicals or Jacobins

Jacobins gain control of Assembly Form new legislative body The National Convention They arrest the King and Queen

Louis XVI guillotined January 21, 1793

Convention sets up COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY Maximilien Robspierre

Reign of Terror Sept 1793 – July 1794

300,000 arrested 17,000 executed

Robespierre begins arresting other members of the Revolution

July 27, 1794 Members of the Convention arrest Robespierre and execute him

Moderates get control Constitution of 1795 *Directory – 5 man committee

People upset that Directory can’t solve problems of France People rise up in the streets Directory sends young general to stop them

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon overthrows Directory Makes himself: 1 st Consul 1 st Consul for life Emperor

Napoleon wins support of people *controls prices *agreement with Church *gets some émigrés to return *jobs on ability

CODE NAPOLEON *equality before the law *religious toleration *abolishes feudalism (payments by peasants to nobles)

WAR In Spain, people fighting occupation “Little war” = guerrilla

England helps Spain Duke of Wellington

Napoleon invades Russia

Defeated at Leipzig Abdicates Goes into exile on Elba

Louis XVIII Brother of Louis XVI

Napoleon escapes Defeated at Waterloo by Wellington

Exiled on St. Helena

Congress of Vienna

Restores ‘legitimacy’ Restores monarchs in France, Spain, Portugal and Italian States