“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”1789-1799

Europe on the Eve of theFrench Revolution

I. The French Revolution was a major transformation of the social and political systems of France.

II. French Societya. Everyone belonged to one of the three estates

i. First Estate- clergy (paid no taxes)ii. Second Estate- nobles (paid no taxes)iii. Third Estate- vast majority (burdened

by taxes)

III. France in Crisesa. Government had spent more money than it had earned for many yearsb. Bad harvests caused food prices to rise; many peasants did not have enough to eat; starving people riotedc. King Louis XVI calls the Estate General

i. Each estate has different ideas on how to solve nation’s problems

ii. Reach a stalemate on the financial crisis issue

1. First & Second Estates wanted each estate to vote separately with each group counting as one vote.

Commoners3rd Estate

Aristocracy2nd Estate

Clergy1st Estate

The Suggested Voting Pattern:Voting by Estates

1

1

1

Commoners3rd Estate

Aristocracy2nd Estate

Clergy1st Estate

The Number of Representativesin the Estates General: Vote by Head!

300

300

648

2. Third Estate (wanted all three groups to meet as a single body and votes to be counted by head)

a. After weeks of deadlock, the Third Estate met and claimed to represent the people of France and declared themselves the National Assembly

“The Tennis Court Oath”by Jacques Louis David

June 20, 1789June 20, 1789

IV. Phase 1 (1789-1791)a. The National Assembly is formed and the Tennis Court Oath is takenb. July 14, 1789- Storming of the Bastillec. France is in turmoil

i. Peasants cause violent attacks on nobles

ii. Paris- Radicals competing for power

Storming the Bastille,July 14, 1789

The Paris mob, hungry because of the lack of food from poor harvests, took the law into their own hands. On July 14, 1789, the mob rioted and attacked the royal fortress prison called the Bastille. They saw the Bastille as a symbol of everything that was wrong with France. It was a symbol of the King and his government and the Paris mob wanted it destroyed. The Paris mob killed the governor of the prison, Marquis de Launay. The Soldiers in and around Paris refused to stop the attack, showing that King Louis XVI had also lost control of the army.

The Great Fear: Peasant Revolt

July 20, July 20, 17891789

Source A: “Throughout France, peasants were also losing patience. They took part in widespread attacks on the chateaux and palaces of their lords.”

Source B: “As the feudal lord leaves, his peasants burn down his chateaux & its contents.”

Source C: “The whole country is in the greatest agitation. Many chateaux have been burned and others plundered. The lords hunted down like beasts. Their feudal documents burned. Their property destroyed.” Arthur Young (an eyewitness 1789)

d. The National Assembly meetsi. Feudalism is abolishedii. Issues the Declaration of the Rights of Man & the Citizen

a. “born and remain free and equal in rights”

b. “Liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression”

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the

Citizen

August August 26, 26,

17891789

March of the Women,March of the Women,October 5-6, 1789October 5-6, 1789

We want the baker, the baker’s wife We want the baker, the baker’s wife and the baker’s boy!and the baker’s boy!

Journalist

Spoke out in favor of women’s rights

Wrote “The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen”

The Tricolor (1789)

First donned by Lafayette

“Hero of two worlds” Fought alongside George Washington

in the American Revolution Helped the Americans defeated the

British at Yorktown Headed the National Guard in France First to don the tricolor (red, white,

and blue) Wrote the first draft of the French

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

The Tricolor is the Fashion!The Tricolor is the Fashion!

The “Liberty Cap”: Bonne RougeThe “Liberty Cap”: Bonne Rouge

Culottes were normally closed and fastened about the leg, to the knee, by either buttons, a strap and buckle, or by a draw string. During the French Revolution of 1789–1799, working-class revolutionaries were known as the “sans-culottes” literally, "without culottes" – a name derived from their rejection of aristocratic apparel.

Revolutionary Playing CardsRevolutionary Playing Cards

Planting the Tree of LibertyPlanting the Tree of Liberty

The Arbres de la liberté ("Liberty Trees"), inspired by the American example in Boston, Massachusetts.

iii. 1791 the National Assembly completes the constitution

1. creates a limited monarchya. executive-Presidentb. legislative-make laws, collect taxesc. judicial- Courts

2. reformed Church authority3. supported general population4. took control of French Catholic Church

a. seized land to pay government debtb. causes tensions between

revolutionaries in Paris and peasants in provinces

Louis XVI “Accepts” the Constitution & the National Assembly. 1791

Replaced the old provinces

Created to make government more efficient (roughly of equal size)

Legislative Assembly- would be elected by tax-paying male citizens over age 25.

The French Catholic Church is placed under state control

Bishops & priests were elected, salaried officials

Ended Church interference in government

a. A period of escalating violence that leads to the Reign of Terror

i. 1792 France declares war on much of Europe

i. Many defeats; people believe King is helping the enemy

ii. Radical revolutionaries take control of the assembly in 1792

a. Ended the monarchyb. Made France a Republic

a. Elected a new legislative body called the National Convention

c. Wrote another constitutiond. 1793 Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette both

executed

a.1793-France in chaosi. At war with most of Europeii.Royalists & priests led peasants in rebellion against the gov’tiii. San-culottes demanded relief from food shortages & inflation

b. Convention sets up the Committee of Public Safety

i. 12 member committee with absolute powerii. Led by Maximilien Robespierreiii. Reign of Terror

Drownings in Nantes during the “Reign of

Terror”

1. Courts conducted hasty trials

2. 300,000 arrested for treason

3. Estimated 17,000 died

4. People executed by the guillotine

a. The Constitution of 1795i. Set up a five-man Directory and a two-

house legislature elected by male citizens of property

ii. Discontent continued in France and many politicians looked to Napoleon to advance their own goals.

iv. July 27, 1794 Robespierre was arrested along with other radicals on the Committee and executed

1799: 10 year old French Revolution dramatically changed France. Dislodged old social order Overthrown the monarchy Brought the Church under

state control

New Symbols: Red “liberty caps” Practical clothes & simple

hair cuts were worn thanks to the sans culottes

Nationalism Spreads! Revolution & war gave the

French people a strong sense of national identity

Attended civic festivals that celebrated the nation and the revolution Dances & songs on themes of

the revolution became immensely popular

“La Marseillaise” would become the French national anthem

Haiti (French colony)- slave revolt…abolish slavery.

Background:

1. Born on island of Corsica

2. Family were minor nobles but had little money

3. Trained for a military career

4. won victories against the Austrians

5. Helped overthrow Directory the and set up the Consulate.

6. Soon took title of First Consul.

7. Proclaimed himself Emperor in 1804.

8. Strengthened the central government 9. Restored economic prosperity10. Set up a system of public schools under

government control11. Made peace with Catholic Church12. Won support across class lines13. Instituted the Napoleonic Code of law

14. Annexed Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of Italy and Germany

15. Abolished the Holy Roman Empire

16. Cut Prussia in half

17. Failed to overtake Britain

From 1799-1815, Napoleon would dominate France & Europe Napoleon= “First Consul” of France then “Emperor”

Made many reforms for France“Order, security, and efficiency” replaced

“liberty, equality, and fraternity” Restored economic prosperity

Controlled prices, encouraged new industry, built roads & canals

Established a system of public schools under strict government control

Kept Catholic Church under state control

One of Napoleon’s most lasting reforms

It embodied Enlightenment principles such as the equality of all citizens before the law, religious toleration, and the abolition of feudalism.

It undid some reforms of the French Revolution Ex: women lost most of their newly gained rights and could not exercise

the rights of citizenship. Male heads of households regained complete authority over their wives

and children Napoleon valued order & authority over individual rights

1804-1812: Napoleon furthered his reputation on the battlefield

1812: His Grand Empire reached its greatest extentRedrew the map of Europe (annexed the

Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of Italy and Germany)

Britain remained outside of Napoleon’s European empireWaged economic warfare through his “Continental

System” which closed European ports to British goods.

Britain responded with its own blockade of European goods.

Main Idea: After suffering defeat, Napoleonwas removed from power. European leadersrestored peace and redrew the map ofEurope

I. Under Napoleon French armies spread ideas of French Revolution

a. French overthrew Austria & set up own government

b. Conquered people welcomed ideas of revolution, but not the Continental Systemi. Russia leads to rejection of French control and rebellion

II. Napoleon invades Russia in 1812a. Invasion is a disaster

i. Soldiers die due to lack of food & suppliesii. Napoleon’s reputation is shattered

b. 1813 the alliance of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Britain defeat Napoleon at Battle of the Nations at Leipzig

Escapes from Elba & returns to France in March 1815

Still had support of the army

“”Vive L’Empereur!”

French army restored him to powerClaimed he was a “changed man”Quadruple Alliance (GB, P, A, R) mobilized to crush

Napoleon one last timeJune 18, 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo

Sent to exile here

Far off the coast of southwestern Africa

Died in 1821

GOAL

Prevent France from going to war again

Return Europe to way it was in 1792, before

NapoleonProtect the new

system and maintain peace

ACTION TAKEN

Alexander I urged a “holy alliance” of

Christian monarchsRestoration of

monarch= legitimacyCreate the Concert of Europe an organization

to maintain peace in Europe