French Revolution and Napoleon

First estate

The clergy (bishops, priests, church officials)

Second estate

The nobility (nobles, aristocrats, people with titles and privileges)

Third estate

Everyone else (commoners, peasants, urban workers, bourgeoisie — which included merchants, lawyers, doctors, and wealthy professionals).

5 causes of French Revolution

• Social Inequality 

  • The rigid Estate system unfairly privileged the First and Second Estates over the heavily burdened Third Estate.

• Economic Crisis 

  • France was drowning in debt from wars (like the American Revolution) and lavish royal spending.

• Weak Leadership 

  • Louis XVI was indecisive and ineffective; Marie Antoinette was seen as extravagant.

• Enlightenment Ideas 

  • New philosophies (like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu) inspired demands for liberty, equality, and democracy.

• Financial Mismanagement 

  • Bad taxation policies (the poor paid, the rich didn't), rising bread prices, and inflation caused mass suffering.

Why was Marie Antoinette disliked by the French People

• She was Austrian, and many French people hated Austria.

• She spent huge amounts of money on luxuries while ordinary people starved.

• She was seen as being disconnected from the struggles of common people (symbolized by the infamous, probably fake, "Let them eat cake" quote).

1. three reasons why France was on the brink of financial ruin.

• War Debt: France had borrowed heavily to finance the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

• Lavish Court Spending: The royal family and Versailles cost an absurd amount to maintain.

• Unfair Tax System: Only the Third Estate paid taxes, while the First and Second Estates were mostly exempt, draining the country's economy.

What were the May Edicts

• Issued by Louis XVI's ministers in May 1788, they were royal orders that severely limited the power of the parlements (the high courts of France that could block royal edicts)

• tried to make judges appointed by the king, not inherited or bought positions.

• triggered massive unrest, especially among the nobility, and further escalated tensions leading to the French Revolution

1. What happens to the Third Estate prior to the meeting of the Estates General? What is their response?

• Before the Estates General meeting in May 1789, the Third Estate was growing frustrated because they knew they'd be easily outvoted by the First and Second Estates (each Estate had one vote despite the Third Estate being 97% of the population).

• Their response was to break away and declare themselves the National Assembly on June 17, 1789.

• They pledged the Tennis Court Oath, vowing not to disband until they had created a new constitution for France.

Significance of storming of bastille

• on July 14, 1789

• symbolized the start of the French Revolution.

• It showed that the people were willing to use violence to achieve political change.

• It was also important because the Bastille (a royal fortress and prison) symbolized the tyranny of the monarchy — its fall meant that the old regime’s authority was collapsing.

What  does the National Assembly  pass in August of 1789?

• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

3 main areas of focus of Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

• Liberty: Freedom of speech, press, and religion.

• Equality: All men are born free and equal in rights (challenging the old hierarchy).

• Fraternity: Emphasis on the collective good and unity among citizens.

two documents do the National Assembly issue?

• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (August 1789)

• Civil Constitution of the Clergy (July 1790)

Effect of Civil Constitution of the Clergy (July 1790)

• It put the Catholic Church under state control — priests had to swear loyalty to the French government, not the Pope.

• This deeply divided France, especially rural areas where Catholicism was very strong.

• It caused many devout Catholics to turn against the Revolution, contributing to later counter-revolutionary uprisings.

Effects of declaration of the right of man and of the citizen

• It abolished the traditional privileges of the nobility and clergy.

• It laid out fundamental rights like freedom, equality, and due process.

• It became the ideological foundation of the Revolution — inspiring other revolutionary movements in Europe and later the world.

King’s execution impact

• Louis XVI was executed on January 21, 1793.

• His death shocked Europe, led other monarchies (like Britain, Austria, Prussia) to form coalitions against France, and radicalized the Revolution even further

• Internally, it divided the French population even more between revolutionaries and royalists.

Rule by emergency decree

suspending regular law to deal with the crisis — the government could arrest, try, and execute people quickly without traditional protections.

What does Robespierre do once in power

• Established the Committee of Public Safety (essentially the executive government).

• Launched the Reign of Terror.

• Crushed enemies of the Revolution (both internal rebels and foreign invaders).

• Pushed a new secular civic religion — the Cult of the Supreme Being.

How did Robespierre centralize role of state

• He gave the Committee of Public Safety almost total control over military, judicial, and internal affairs.

• Outlawed political clubs and newspapers that opposed him.

• Controlled food supplies and prices (economic centralization — like the Law of the Maximum on grain prices).

• Tried to make the Revolution the new focus of national identity (replacing religion and old loyalties).

What is the reign of terror

(1793–1794) was a period of mass executions (about 16,000 by guillotine, tens of thousands more by other means).

Reign of terror accomplishments

• Crushed internal counter-revolutions (especially in places like the Vendée).

• Defended the French Republic against invading foreign armies.

• Created a new, more radical revolutionary government that enforced ideas of equality and "virtue" through extreme violence.

What happened to Robespierre and why

• Robespierre was arrested and executed on July 28, 1794 (Thermidorian Reaction).

• Even his allies turned against him because they feared he would accuse and execute them next.

• His fall marked the end of the most radical phase of the Revolution.

1. Once the National Convention takes over what do they do?

After Robespierre’s death, the National Convention:

• Ended the Reign of Terror.

• Rolled back some radical reforms (especially economic controls).

• Drafted a new constitution (Constitution of 1795) creating a more moderate government called the Directory.

Enemies of the directory

• Royalists who wanted to restore the monarchy.

• Jacobins and radical leftists who thought the Directory was too conservative.

• General public, who were angry about food shortages, inflation, and ongoing wars.

• Military leaders like Napoleon, who eventually outshined them.

Where was napoleon born

• Corsica in 1769.

Why is where napoleon from important

• Corsica had just been taken over by France from Italy (Genoa) — Napoleon grew up with strong Corsican nationalist feelings and a slight resentment of French elites.

• He was seen as an outsider by many aristocratic Frenchmen later in life.

1. Describe Napoleon’s childhood and family background. How does this influence his later life?

• His family was minor nobility but not wealthy.

• His father, Carlo Buonaparte, got him into French military schools using connections.

• Growing up poor but ambitious gave Napoleon a chip on his shoulder — he was determined to prove himself and rise through merit, which matched the Revolution's ideals.

Napoleon military training

• Trained at the Royal Military School of Brienne and then the prestigious École Militaire in Paris.

• Focused on artillery — at the time, artillery was a new, modern branch of the army, and required strong math skills (which he had).

• Graduated early, at age 16, during a time of intense political chaos, giving him chances for rapid promotion.

3 ways Napoleon supported the directory

• Crushed royalist uprisings (like the 13 Vendémiaire uprising in 1795 in Paris).

• Won military victories abroad (especially during his Italian Campaign).

• Enhanced the Directory’s popularity by bringing glory to France through conquests while keeping his own growing ambition under wraps — at least for a while.

Outline of how napoleon took over France

• 1799 Coup of 18 Brumaire — Napoleon, with the help of some key politicians, overthrew the Directory.

• Created a new government: the Consulate, where he made himself First Consul (basically dictator).

• Claimed he was "saving the Revolution", but in reality, he was ending it and concentrating power.

What was Napoleon’s domestic policy? Give details about each element

• Napoleonic Code: Reformed laws to protect property rights, equality before the law, and secular authority (but rolled back women's rights). Unified France legally.

• Concordat of 1801: Made peace with the Catholic Church — recognized Catholicism as the religion of most Frenchmen, but kept church under state control. Neutralized religious opposition.

• Economic Reforms: Created the Bank of France, stabilized currency, and improved taxation. Rebuilt economic strength.

• Educational Reforms: Set up lycées (public schools) to train talented boys to serve the state. Built a loyal bureaucratic class.

• Propaganda: Used newspapers, artwork, and ceremonies to create a cult of personality. Strengthened his regime’s legitimacy.

Why was napoleons domestic policy changed an important move in his overall plan?

All these moves stabilized France after a decade of chaos, won public support, and set up Napoleon for absolute power — eventually making himself Emperor of the French in 1804.

1. What was the key to success for Napoleon’s foreign policy?

• The key to Napoleon’s foreign policy was military dominance through rapid, aggressive, and decisive campaigns (what we now call "Napoleonic Warfare").

• He aimed to isolate and defeat enemies one at a time (using treaties like Treaty of Tilsit and coalitions-breaking diplomacy).

• He also spread revolutionary ideals like the abolition of feudalism to newly conquered territories, which won him some local support early on.

1. What was significant about how Napoleon became emperor?

• Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French in 1804 at Notre-Dame Cathedral — he took the crown from the Pope’s hands and placed it on his own head.

• This was hugely symbolic:

  • It showed that his power came from himself and the people, not from the Church.

  • It broke with tradition of divine right monarchy — a total rejection of the old system even as he was creating a new monarchy under his rule.

Battle of trafalgar

• The Battle of Trafalgar (October 21, 1805) was a naval battle between Napoleon's French-Spanish fleet and Britain's Royal Navy, led by Admiral Horatio Nelson.

• Britain crushed the French-Spanish fleet, destroying 22 ships without losing a single British vessel.

Significance of battle of trafalgar for France

•  ended any chance of invading Britain — Napoleon had to abandon his plans to cross the English Channel.

Significance of battle of trafalgar for Britain

• It secured British naval supremacy for the next 100+ years and allowed Britain to keep financing coalitions against Napoleon on the continent.

1. Why was Napoleon a brilliant military strategist? Discuss 

• Speed and surprise: He moved troops faster than his enemies thought possible.

• Divide and conquer: He split enemy forces and defeated them in pieces before they could reunite.

• Flexibility: He adapted quickly on the battlefield — no rigid plans.

• Psychological warfare: He intimidated opponents before fighting even started.

• Use of terrain: He picked battlefields that favored his artillery and troop movement.

• Innovative tactics: Developed the "corps system" — semi-independent army units that could fight separately or together.

1. What is the Continental System? What was the goal and outcome?

• started in 1806) was an economic blockade where Napoleon tried to cut Britain off from European trade.

• Goal: Starve Britain economically and force them to surrender.

• Outcome:

  • It hurt Europe’s economy more than Britain's — especially countries like Spain and Russia.

  • Britain just found new trading partners (like in the Americas and Asia).

  • It angered allies and helped cause revolts (like in Spain) and Russia eventually withdrew from the system, triggering the Russian Campaign.

1. Give an overview of the Russian Campaign. What did the Russians do to combat the French?

• In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia with over 600,000 troops (the Grand Army).

• Russians used scorched earth tactics — they burned crops, villages, and supplies so the French couldn't live off the land.

• The Russians kept retreating, drawing Napoleon deeper into Russia

• Moscow was abandoned and set on fire when Napoleon arrived.

• Brutal winter, disease, starvation, and constant attacks destroyed Napoleon’s army — only around 10,000 soldiers made it back

1. Why did the Battle of Nations occur? What was the outcome?

• After Napoleon’s disaster in Russia, Prussia, Austria, Russia, and Sweden formed the Sixth Coalition against him.

• The Battle of Nations (Leipzig, October 1813) happened because the allies saw a chance to defeat Napoleon while he was weak.

• Outcome:

  • Napoleon was decisively defeated — it was his biggest loss up to that point.

  • Forced him to retreat into France.

  • Set the stage for his first abdication.

1. What two locations did Napoleon get exiled to?

• First exile: Elba (a small island off the coast of Italy) — 1814.

• Second exile: Saint Helena (a remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean) — 1815, after his final defeat.

1. Who took the throne after Napoleon was exiled?

Louis XVIII, a member of the Bourbon family (brother of the executed Louis XVI), was restored as king under a constitutional monarchy.

1. What are the differences between the First Peace of Paris and the Second Peace of Paris?

• First Peace of Paris (1814):

  • After Napoleon’s first abdication

  • France’s borders were returned to where they were in 1792 (pre-Napoleonic Wars)

  • France kept many of its colonies and was treated relatively kindly.

• Second Peace of Paris (1815):

  • After Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo.

  • France’s borders were pushed back to 1790 boundaries.

  • France had to pay heavy reparations and accept a military occupation for a few years.

1. What was the Congress of Vienna and why was it significant?

• The Congress of Vienna (1814–1815) was a meeting of European powers (Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and others) to rebuild Europe after Napoleon’s fall.

• Significance:

  • Redrew the map of Europe to create a balance of power.

  • Restored old monarchies ("legitimacy" principle).

  • Tried to prevent future revolutions and wars (set up the Concert of Europe for collective security)

  • It stabilized Europe for nearly 100 years (until WWI).

Napoleon hundred days

• After escaping Elba, Napoleon returned to France in March 1815.

• He ruled for a little over 100 days while Louis XVIII fled.

• During this time, Napoleon tried to rebuild his army and reclaim his empire.

• Ended with his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, and then he was exiled permanently to Saint Helena.