Ch. 18 - THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

and NAPOLEON

TENNIS COURT OATHBASTILLE

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen – Inspired by the English Bill of Rights and U.S.

Declaration of Independence – Stated principles of equality and democracy that

became basis of French government. – Include basic freedoms found in our Bill of Rights– Did not give women equal rights

• Louis XVI refused to accept the Declaration of Rights

• October 5, thousands of armed women mob the Palace at Versailles

• Forces Louis XVI to return to Paris and accept the National Assemblies decrees

ANGRY WOMEN!

• 1791 – The National Assembly gave France it’s first constitution: Constitution of 1791– established a limited monarchy– Created a system of separation of powers

• executive – King Luis XVI• Legislative – the Legislative Assembly• Judicial – the courts

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

• Opposition to Constitution of 1791:– Nobles believed the constitution went too

far! They want their privileges restored.– Radical Revolutionaries wanted a republic

not a monarchy.

• Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette attempt to flee the country– arrested by National Assembly– forced to accept new Constitution

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

THE COMMUNE

• Revolutionaries took control of city government in Paris and established the Commune– seized control of Legislative Assembly– removed King from office and voted to imprison

royal family– called for a National Convention to write a new

Constitution– delegates would be chosen by universal male

suffrage

THE COMMUNE

• Many of the members in the Commune called themselves the sans-culottes

• These people sought revenge on anyone who had aided the king or resisted the “popular will”

• Thousands of people will be arrested and massacred

• Georges Danton is head of the Commune

THE NATIONAL CONVENTION

• Abolished the monarchy and made France a Republic

• Wrote a new constitution: Constitution 1793

• Executed Louis XVI for treason (1-21-1793)

• Foreign threats:– Great Britain, Netherlands, Spain,

Portugal, Austria and Prussia go to war against France.

– Because of the execution of the king

THE NATIONAL CONVENTION

THE NATIONAL CONVENTION

• Created the Committee of Public Safety led by Maximilian Robespierre– directed the French Army – conscription– set up a Revolutionary Tribunal – to try

enemies of the revolution– Begins the Reign of Terror 1793-1794

REIGN OF TERROR

• Brutal campaign against people considered enemies to France

• Trials held daily – close to 40,000 people are executed (16,000 by the guillotine)

COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY

• Revolutionary armies were set up to bring cities back under the control of the National Convention

• Economic controls and price limits were established

• Created a policy of the dechristianization of France

• Robespierre is eventually arrested by the National Convention and executed.

• This ends the radical phase of the revolution

THE NATIONAL CONVENTION• National Convention reduced the power of the Committee of

Public Safety• Churches were allowed to reopen• Writes a new constitution: Constitution of 1795

– established the Directory • elected legislative branch by wealthy landowners. • No more universal male suffrage

– 5 Directors (executive branch) were chosen by the legislative branch

• Problems: – Inefficient (5 Directors)– Corruption in government– Riots due to rising food prices– Radicals and Royalists don’t like it– France is still at war

Ch 18 sect 3 - NAPOLEON

• 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte, overthrew the Directory in a coup d’etat and created the Consulate– Napoleon is named “First Consul”– supposedly a Republic, but Napoleon holds

all the power

• 1802 - made First Consul for life

• 1804 - made Emperor Napoleon I

REFORMS OF NAPOLEON

– Wrote a new Constitution (4th in 10 years)– established the Bank of France– Created the Napoleonic Code - law code

• all men are equal before the law• freedom of religion and choice of occupation• abolition of serfdom and feudalism• put interest of state above individuals• women’s rights were limited

REFORMS OF NAPOLEON

– all citizens paid taxes– Lycees - government run schools– Created a new aristocracy from the middle

class based on service to the state

NAPOLEON’S EMPIRE

• 1792-1815 France was constantly at war

NAPOLEON’S EMPIRE

• Two reasons that Napoleon’s Grand Empire failed:– The survival of Great Britain– The force of Nationalism

The Survival of Great Britain

• The invasion of Great Britain– Britain defeated a combined

French/Spanish navy at Trafalgar in 1805

• Continental System– the blockade of trade with Great Britain.

Nationalism

• Nationalism – the unique cultural identity of a people based on common language, religion, and national symbols.

The End for Napoleon

• Russia began trading with Britain.

• Napoleon invaded Russia.

• The Russians retreated using a Scorched Earth Policy

• Goes in with 600,000 men.

• Comes out with 40,000

The End for Napoleon

• 1814 - Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia and Sweden attack.

• Napoleon is exiled to the island of Elba.

• Louis XVIII is crowned King of France.

The End for Napoleon

• 1815 - Napoleon escapes, regains power (100 days)

• Napoleon defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

• Napoleon is exiled to the island of St. Helena (died 1821)

CONGRESS OF VIENNA

• Meeting held by European rulers after the defeat of Napoleon to arrange a final peace settlement and restore the “old order”

• Prince Klemens von Metternich, the Austrian Foreign Minister led the meeting.– Legitimacy – lawful monarchs from the royal

families that had ruled before Napoleon would be restored to their positions of power

CONGRESS OF VIENNA

• The Great Powers of Europe rearranged territories in Europe hoping to create a new balance of power.– This keeps any one country from becoming

too powerful– Political and military forces were arranged so

that the Great Powers could retain their independence.

– This helps contain the forces of change brought about by the French Revolution

Results of the Revolution and Napoleon

• France is no longer the richest and strongest nation in Europe (Great Britain)

• Ended feudalism in France• Established a limited monarchy in

France• Changed the boundaries of Europe• Revolutionary ideas and social justice

spread throughout Europe