1. French Revolution Take Home Notes

2. 7-3.1 France Vocabulary pg 162-172
Human rights
American patriots
Tyranny (not in bold, on pg 163)
Estates
Aristocracy
Bourgeoisie
Estates General
National assembly
Declaration of Rights of Man and of Citizen (not in bold, on pg 165)
Radical
Reign of Terror
Directory (not in bold, on pg 168)
Coup d’etat
Napoleonic Code

3. 7-3.1 Causes of French Revolution
1. Social Division
France was divided into 3 estates
1st estate: Catholic Clergy (.5% of population)
2nd estate: Nobles (1.5 % of population)
3rd estate: Commoners (98 % of population)lawyers, merchants, peasants etc.
The 3rd estate paid all of the taxes. They had the least money and they were underrepresented in govt

6. King Louis XVI was not a good leader
2. Debt from the Monarch
King Louis XVI was not a good leader
Caused debts by helping with the American Revolution
Spent lots of money on the Palace of Versailles
Charged very high taxes and the banks refused to loan him money

7. 3. Enlightenment Ideas
French citizens wanted an equal distribution of power in govt
They saw the American colonists get a new govt so they wanted one too
They wanted popular sovereignty

8. 7-3.1 Leading to Revolution
Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General (legislative group) and requested more taxes
The 3rd estate requested that each male citizens vote be counted instead of one vote per estate
Their request was denied, they seceded and formed the National Assembly

9. 3rd estate met on the king’s tennis courts and wrote a new constitution called the Tennis Court Oath, it called for representative govt.
July 14, 1789 peasants stormed the Bastille, a large prison/armory
Peasants stole weapons and tore the prison down as a symbol of Louis’ power

10. When the Bastille was torn down the French Revolution officially began
Riots began throughout France and peasants raided the homes of nobles killing and looting because they were so angry about the unfair estate system

11. 7-3.1 Fall of French Monarch
1791 a constitutional monarchy was created to weaken Louis’ power
The Declaration of Rights of Man and of the Citizen said that govt got power from people, Louis didn’t want to accept change and tried to run from France

12. Louis was put in jail and radical changes began
The National Convention took over as the legislature and declared France a republic with universal male suffrage (voting)
They created an army to protect the revolution from other European monarchs
Louis was put on trial and executed

13. 7-3.1 Reign of Terror
The National Convention became a radical group that wanted lots of change and fast
Maximilien Robespierre became an influential leader and ran the Committee of Public Safety in mid 1793

14. Robespierre’s power increased and he became a dictator in France
With him began the Reign of Terror
Violence grew, anyone who was seen as ‘an enemy of the Revolution’ was executed (mostly nobles)
25,000-40,000 people were executed by the guillotine

15. National Convention members thought he was too radical, they feared execution
Robespierre was executed in July of 1794

16. 7-3.1 Rise of Napoleon
After Robespierre was executed the revolution became more conservative
France was ruled by 5 men known as the Directory, they were not very effective leaders
A general named Napoleon Bonaparte was becoming popular in the French army

17. Ended government corruption Improved taxes National bank
Napoleon staged a coup d’etat and took over the government becoming First Consul
France had been unstable for 10 years, he had a lot of problems to fix
He did some good things:
Ended government corruption
Improved taxes
National bank

18. He wrote a uniform system of laws, the Napoleonic Code
In 1804 Napoleon crowned himself emperor
He expanded the empire of France and by 1812 he controlled most of Europe

19. 7-3.2 Napoleon’s Fall from Power
Napoleonic Wars
He sent his armies to conquer countries in Europe
He took parts of Spain, Portugal, modern day Germany and Italy
At its height his empire stretched from the English Channel to the West and Russia to the East

20. Blockade of Britain (Continental System-blocking trade)
Napoleon was never able to take over Britain and Russia, but he continued to try until his defeat
Starting in 1812 Napoleon made 3 big mistakes
Blockade of Britain (Continental System-blocking trade)
Peninsular War (battles with Spain)
Invasion of Russia (winter hit and France couldn’t win)

21. 1814- Napoleon surrendered his throne and was sent to the Island of Elba
He escaped and gathered allies to tried to regain power
His final defeat was at Waterloo and he was exiled again