1. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
The French Revolution
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

2. Old Regime “Ancien Regime”
Political, social, and economic
system of 18th century continental
Europe
Social mobility was negligible for the educated and wealthy bourgeoisie. They could not rise in social scale, hold high offices, etc.
Nobles held the highest offices in the church and parlements [law courts]

3. Political Causes Absolute monarchy- “Divine Right” Favoritism
Corruption
Censorship
Imprisonment without due process
People had no voice in government

4. Social Causes Class system- “Estates” Population growing
First Estate-Clergy
Second Estate-Nobles
Third Estate-bourgeoisie, city workers, peasants
Population growing
Food prices rising
Wages not rising
Resentment of nobility
Bourgeoisie wanted political power
First estate
consisted of 1% of population
owned 1/10 of the land
were tried in church courts
did not pay taxes
received large sums of money from rent, taxes, and fees on their land.
high clergy had the most wealth and had become lazy, worldly, and neglectful of their spiritual duties
lower clergy performed most of the work for very little pay
Second Estate
2% of population
Retained feudal privileges [right to wear sword, primogeniture, little if any taxes, “lord of manor”
Collected feudal dues from peasants
Third Estate
Bourgeoisie—city-dwelling middle class including doctors, lawyers, merchants. Some were wealthier than the nobility
Laborers and artisans—brewers, butchers, etc. Wore shirts and trousers rather than knee britches
Peasants—owed feudal dues and services such as working on roads, paid rent for the land they worked, paid the highest taxes, tithed 1/10 to the church, diet consisted largely of bread

5. Economic Causes To the Government To the Church To the Lords
Feudal taxes and obligations
To the Church
tithe
To the Lords
feudal dues
These conditions alone did not lead to the revolution because they had been present for hundreds of years
taille-land tax
corvee-forced labor on roads and bridges
gabelles-tax on compulsory salt purchases

6. Economic Causes continued
Louis XIV’s wars left France in debt
Louis XVI’s constitutional reforms failed
Nobility in opposition to the king forced him to call the Estates General in May 1789
Turgot was Louis’ finance minister who tried to combat the indebtedness of France through reforms including curtailing lavish court spending, abolition of corvee in favor a small tax on landowners and the abolition of some guild restrictions to stimulate manufacturing
Necker said to tax the first and second estates but they protested. The country exhausted its credit and faced financial disaster. Announced at the Estates General that the voting would be by order not head count therefore the third estate would be at a disadvantage
Debt continued to increase with borrowing money and failure to economize

7. Other Causes Bourgeoisie desire for laissez-faire Enlightenment ideas
English and American Revolutions
Incompetent and unpopular government
18th century intellectual Revolution of the Enlightenment--Separation of powers, natural rights and society could be improved, challenged old institutions, called for an end to the Old Regime
Bourgeoisie—hampered by
Tariffs on trade
Guild restrictions on manufacturing
Government mercantilist regulation on economic life
English Revolution—many fled to France praising Parliament
American Revolution—Lafayette, Franklin, Jefferson—debt caused by financial aid to
America
Marie Antoinette, daughter of Maria Theresa, represented unpopular alliance with
Austria and France.

8. Immediate Causes Climatic disasters Poor Harvests Louis XVI
Near bankruptcy
Calls Estates General
Cahiers
A year of bad harvests coupled with climatic disasters. On July 13, 1788, a freak storm swept across northern France. It dropped hailstones so big that they killed people and animals and devastated hundreds of square miles of crops. In regions where the storm did not hit, the harvest was still poor because of a long spring drought. The coming winter brought snow and ice to northern France until April. Frost killed the grape and olive crops. Grain prices rose throughout the winter, peaking in Paris on July 14, 1789.
QUESTION: How did this weather affect the French Revolution?
Louis inherited an impoverished country caused by aid to American Revolution, lavish lifestyle, refusal to tax first two estates, etc.
Forced to call Estates General [hadn’t met since 1614] The first two estates sent 300 representatives each and the third sent 600. Each group had one vote. Tradition mandated that they meet separately. The inability to debate this voting procedure bogged down the General so that the Third Estate declared that they alone represented the French people.
Sieyes and Mirabeau pledged to cont. until a constitution was drafted. The Third Estate took on the title of the National Assembly

9. Tennis Court Oath July 1789 National Assembly 1789
The Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly and invited the other members to join them for the welfare of France. The king locked out the members of the Third Estate so they met in a nearby indoor tennis court. On June 20, 1789 they took the Tennis Court Oath where they pledged to continue meeting until they had written a constitution for France and seen it adopted. The king ordered the estates to all meet together.
Charles Dickens’ “Tale of Two Cities” is about this Revolution
National Assembly 1789

10. Bastille Stormed July 14, 1789 Symbol of Old Regime
Peasant attacks against nobles
Louis brought troops to Paris and Versailles. The people feared that he would end the National Assembly and took action.
Bastille was a prison/fortress symbol of the abuses of the monarchy. It was attacked for weapons. Political prisoners were freed.
Warning to the king to not resist reforms
Beginning of emigration of nobles “emigres”
Tricolor adopted--blue and red for Paris and white for France

11. National Assembly 1789-1791 Conservative, Radicals, Moderates
Radicals wanted to get rid of king. They sat on the left, conservatives on the right and moderates in the center.
Spreads throughout countryside with rumors of violence. Leads to formation of new government and repeated outbreaks of violence by peasants seeking revenge by destroying monasteries, manor houses, and feudal documents. Manorial fees abolished ending feudal obligations
Adopted and modeled after the English Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence
King refused to sanction decrees so women march partially b/c of rising bread prices. They force king and family to return to Versailles. The National Assembly is forced to move to Paris. Call for Louis to accept decrees and Declaration of Rights
Seized church land some of which was sold at low prices to the peasants. Created paper money or
assignats to pay for royal debt
Catholic Church in France independent of Pope FINANCIAL NEED
Catholic clergy paid and elected by people therefore RCC became bitter enemy of the revolution
Guaranteed freedom of religion. Laws now nationwide not just local. Old provinces replaced with 83 departments ruled by local assemblies. Uniform national taxes and laws.
Limited monarchy

12. Women’s march on Versailles
Revolution of 1830 Parisians vs. Charles X
Women’s march on Versailles

13. July 1791 Royal family attempts to flee Constitution 1791
1792 Louis imprisoned
émigrés
Conspires with émigré’s to retake absolute power so Louis is imprisoned for treason.
Austrian and Prussian forces move towards Paris therefore King deposed and a call for a national convention following riots
Emigrees-nobles who fled country urged foreign monarchs to invade France and reestablish Old Regime

14. National Convention 1792-1795 Republic declared January 1793
Louis executed

15. Horrible Guillotine Cartoons

16. Accomplishments of National Convention
Abolished imprisonment for debt
Abolished slavery in French colonies
Adopted metric system
Adopted national education system
Prohibited primogeniture
Drew up constitution with republic headed by a five man Directory

17. Turmoil February 1793- First Coalition vs. France
War vs. Britain, Holland, Spain
First Coalition vs. France
Committee of Public Safety-April 1793
Britain, Holland, and Spain seek to crush revolution. The army is able to drive out foreign troops.
Danton followed by Robespierre led the Committee of Public Safety whose task was to direct the army vs. foreign invaders.
In the new army all classes could become officers
Bread prices set to make it more affordable

18. Reign of Terror September 1793-1794
Suspension of Rights
Watch committees
“Witch Hunts”
“Death of Marat”
-Jacques Louis David
1793
“It is necessary to annihilate both the
internal and external enemies of the
republic or perish with its fall.”
-Robespierre
Danton and Robespierre will both fall victim to the Reign of Terror
Danton is stabbed by Charlotte Corday
David is a Jacobin who painted scenes of the revolution to inspire and encourage revolutionary forces
People were arrested on suspicion and thousands sentenced to death

19. Thermidorian Reaction 1794-1796
Robespierre falls
Abolished economic controls
Runaway inflation
Former victims now react
Restriction of political organizations
Bread riots and uprisings put down
Urban poor had little influence until 1830
Upper class life returned
Poor harvests and laissez-faire policies led to final insurrection by sans-culottes—failed
Middle class now controlled France
July—Robespierre executed and Terror ends

20. Directory 1796-1799 Middle Class constitutional republic
five man executive branch
Only male property owners could vote
Wealthy controlled government
Unpopular
Bankruptcy
Still at war

21. Significance of Revolution
Democratic Ideals-
“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”
Nationalism
Worldwide influence
War became a national not local concern
First in Western Europe then in Latin America and later in Asia and Africa
National anthem—Le Marseilles
Bastille Day July 14
State controlled education to preserve national ideals

22. 1. Estates General and Assembly-1789-91
2. Legislative Assembly lower class unrest, foreign wars
3. National Convention radical phase, end of monarchy, constitutional measures, impact outside of France
4. Directory
5. Consulate coup, one man rule, new wars
6. Empire
efforts to return to more conservative politics undermined by liberalism, radicalism, nationalism, and early socialism

23. Napoleon Bonaparte
Jacques Louis David capturing his victories as a military leader

24. Early Years Born Corsica Military School Family of lesser noble
Although of Italian descent Corsica had been acquired by France therefore he was a French citizen
At 10 he entered military school

25. Military Years and Coup
Lieutenant in French artillery
Military genius
Artillery
Directory
Napoleonic Wars
Egyptian campaign
Horatio Nelson
Rosetta Stone
Coup d’etat 1799
Advanced rapidly in the army when emigration of aristocratic officers left vacancies. Marriage to Josephine who was six years older but well connected with members of the Directory which helped his career. Two days later he was given the comma d of the army vs. the Austrians in Italy. At 26 he stopped an uprising in Paris that would have prevented the creation of the Directory.
Directory worried about his growing popularity agreed to send him to Egypt in an effort to disrupt British empire. Setback in Egypt against Horatio Nelson did little to hurt his reputation.
Returns to France leaving his troops in Egypt. Popular indignation with the Directory, financial disorder, military losses produced a crisis atmosphere in France. Fearing a return of the monarchy and with the help of Sieyes , his brother and two members of the directory he seized power.

27. Consulate Period 1799-1804 Domestic Reforms Legal Reforms
Napoleonic Code
Education Reform
Economic Reform
Stimulate economy
Food at lower prices
Increase employment
Peasants retain land acquired during Revolution
When he takes over he has a new constitution written which was put for a vote by the people in a plebiscite. Three consuls were supposed to govern but he ruled as a dictator. He ruled at first with a ten year term as Consul. In 1802, he was chosen to be Consul for life. People wanted stability.
As consul he headed the army and navy. He could dismiss officials and propose new laws.
Bank of France stabilized currency

28. Emperor 1804-1814 Constant warfare Continental System
Empire building
Continental System
1809- Marie Louise
Daughter of Austrian emperor
Continental System was a series of trade regulations that established French dominance on the Continent and was designed to hurt Britain. The British responded with Orders in Council which organized embargoes and boycotts against Napoleon and his allies. The British won b/c of their navy.
LOUISIANA PURCHASE

29. Downfall and Exile Downfall Invasion of Russia 1812 Tzar Alexander I
Scorched earth policy
Economic problems
Continental System
Final Defeat
Battle of Leipzig “Battle of Nations”
Exile Elba
Ambitions caused him to overreach, lust for power, stubborn
2. British saw him as symbol of excesses of revolution, shattering of tradition, violence of Reign of Terror, rise of military despotism
3. Britain wanted no one on continent to be that powerful—balance of power
4. Britain would not tolerate economic hardships created by continental system
5. Britain saw him as a threat to its colonial power
6. Britain ruled the seas which saved them from invasion
7. Weakness at sea forced Napoleon to give up Louisiana which he had acquired in 1800 from Spain. He could not defend it.
8. Russia initially supported continental system but Britain's Orders of Council forbade neutral nations from trading with France and its allies
9. British seizure of American merchant ships bound for the continent was one of the causes of the War of 1812
10. Napoleon blamed for decline in trade, business failures and unemployment, shortages of foods and cloth—suggested substitutions such as chicory for coffee
11. Alex I resumed trade with Britain therefore Napoleon invaded causing almost 500,000 deaths and encouraged Napoleon’s enemies to rise against him
12. Nationalist feelings increased in areas conquered by France.
13. French people exhausted

30. Note Waterloo, Leipzig, Russian campaign

31. 100 Days 1814-1815 Louis XVIII restored to throne
Disharmony at Congress of Vienna
Napoleon arrives in France
Louis XVIII goes into exile
Waterloo
Duke of Wellington
Prussian army
Napoleon abdicates
Exile to St. Helena

32. Exile for Napoleon
CONGRESS OF VIENNA