1. The French Revolution and Napoleon
Chapter 23
The French Revolution and Napoleon

2. The French Revolution Begins
1700s France seemed advanced, but had underlying problems -
1770s –Old Regime – 3 social classes called estates
1st Estate – Roman Catholic Church
2nd Estate – rich nobles
3rd Estate – 97% of people
Bourgeoisie – middle class
Workers
Peasants

3. The French Revolution Begins
1st and 2nd estates held high offices and paid little taxes
Bourgeoisie – bankers, factory owners, merchants, professionals and skilled artisans; wealthy and paid high taxes, but had few privileges
Workers paid poorly, and frequently unemployed and hungry
Peasants – 80% of population – paid taxes and tithes on most things
3rd Estate was eager for change

4. The French Revolution Begins
Enlightenment and American Revolution inspired French for equality, liberty and democracy
Merchants, factory owners and bankers were struggling
Taxes made business difficult
Crop failures and starvation
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette spent extravagantly, borrowed to help Americans, and inherited debt

5. The French Revolution Begins
Antoinette from Austria – gowns, jewels, gambling and gifts – French didn’t like Austrians
Each Estate had 1 vote
3rd Estate objected and called for National Assembly and were locked out of meeting room
Storming of the Bastille for weapons – hacked guards and displayed heads on pikes

6. The French Revolution Begins
Peasants rise up against nobles during Great Fear
Riots break out in Paris over food and the king flees

7. Revolution Brings War & Terror
Out of fear nobles and clergy make all estates equal
National Assembly adopts rights similar to America’s
Church lost land and independence as church officials were elected
Sale of church lands put towards French debt
Peasants felt church and Pope should be separate from the state

8. Revolution Brings War & Terror
Louis XVI tries to escapes to Netherlands and is returned to Paris
National Assembly debates over a constitution for 2 years
Constitutional monarchy with a Legislative Assembly to create laws that monarchy needed to enforce
Debt and food shortages divide the assembly

9. Revolution Brings War & Terror
Emigres – nobles and others who fled France wanted to restore the Old Regime while others (poor) wanted additional reforms
Other countries were concerned that events in France could undo their monarchies

10. Revolution Brings War & Terror
Prussia & Austria invades France in 1792
Mob takes Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette prisoner
Mobs killed priests and nobles in September Massacres
New government formed as king is deposed and constitution thrown out
Declared a Republic and men were given the right to vote (no women)

11. Revolution Brings War & Terror
Jacobin radicals control the National Assembly and try the king for treason
king executed by guillotine
French upset Austria and Prussia, but Britain, Spain and Holland join fight.
Draft instituted including women
Robespierre gains power and tries to eliminate past and Sundays

12. Revolution Brings War & Terror
Reign of Terror for 1 year has over 40,000 tried and executed the same day
Robespierre was then tried and executed ending the terror
Directory consisting of 5 men and 2 legislative bodies then governed France with Napoleon commanding the army

13. Napoleon Forges an Empire
5’ 3” and a military genius
Napoleon goes from officer to leader of France
1795 Napoleon saved delegates and was sent to lead army against Austria where he did well
Lost in Egypt, but kept it from the papers in France

14. Napoleon Forges an Empire
Coup d’etat – 1799 – sudden seizure of power
Peace is established in 1802 and 1800 constitution gives Napoleon power
Plebiscite – vote of the people
Strengthened central government and improved the economy
Set up schools (lycees) and reduced corruption

15. Napoleon Forges an Empire
Recognized church but kept it out of government affairs
Napoleonic Code – uniform set of laws that were good except for limiting freedoms and restoring slavery
crowned himself emperor

16. Napoleon Forges an Empire
Wanted to build an empire, but got out of the Americas and sold LA purchase for $15 million
Controlled Netherlands, parts of Italy and Switzerland and was looking for more
Britain, Russia, Austria and Sweden join against France
Crushed opposition (page 666)
Only opposition left was British navy

17. Napoleon Forges an Empire
Horatio Nelson wins Battle of Trafalgar off Spanish coast
Win ensures Britain as naval power for next 100 years and forces Napoleon to find another way to beat Britain
Napoleon controlled through threats, force or puppets most of Europe
Empire was large and unstable.
Lasted from 1807 to 1812

19. Napoleon’s Empire Collapses
Napoleon divorces Josephine and marries an Austrian (Marie Louise) to have a son Napoleon II so he has an heir
Napoleon’s desire for power was ultimately his downfall
Continental System attempts to destroy trade and commerce in Britain with a blockade which was not tight enough

20. Napoleon’s Empire Collapses
British respond with blockade of their own that angers Americans and starts the War of 1812
Napoleon in an attempt to take Portugal through Spain ends up angering the Spanish and fighting guerillas for 6 years
British back guerillas and French lose 300,000 men in peninsular War

21. Napoleon’s Empire Collapses
1812 Napoleon invades Russia with over 420,000 troops
Russians respond with scorched earth policy as they retreated to Moscow which was destroyed by the Russians
10,000 soldiers were left to fight at the end

22. Napoleon’s Empire Collapses
Britain, Russia, Prussia and Sweden join and attack an inexperienced French army
Napoleon surrenders and is exiled to Elba
New king struggles, Napoleon escapes and is defeated in Waterloo, Belgium on
Napoleon sent to St. Helena in S. Atlantic where he dies in 1821

23. The Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna meets to establish peace and stability in Europe
Von Metternich of Austria led
Contain France – Netherland and Germany formed
Balance of Power in Europe
Legitimacy – restore royal families to power to stabilize politics and laws
Peace and stability lasted 40 years

24. The Congress of Vienna Governments become more conservative
Russia, Prussia and Austria – absolute monarchs
Britain and France – constitutional monarchies
Holy Alliance – relations based on Christian principles to combat revolution
Concert of Europe – countries of Europe would help each other put down revolutions
Many still wanted freedom and liberty

25. The Congress of Vienna
Spanish American colonies and Mexicans fight and maintain independence
Brazil declares independence from Portugal
Congress of Vienna impacts world for 100 years
Nationalism spreads leading to later revolutions
More and more people see democracy as best way for equality and justice