French Revolution/Napoleon

Ancient Regime/Old Regime

This was the social and political system that existed prior to the French Revolution. This system was the three estates and the king at the time (Louis XVI) was not a part of any of the estates

Estates (First, Second, Third Estates)

The ___ were different social classes in France Under the Old Regime. The third estate made up about 97% of the French population. The First estate was the richest and the third was the poorest. First: Clergy of the Catholic Church, smallest group. Second Estate: less than 2%, French nobles. Third Estate: 97%, everyone else including wealthy business class to peasants, none of the same rights and privileges as the first and second estate

Bourgeoisie

Essentially the middle class of France, capitalist class who owns most of the wealth

Louis XVI

Louis XIVs grandson

Absolute King of France before the revolution

Sent France into major debt near the end of his ruling through selfish spending 

Ruled by divine right theory 

Caused bread crisis which increased prices and caused many to not eat for long periods of time 

Social, Political, and Economic Causes

King Louis XVI has so much power without separation, he could appoint officials, pass laws, do whatever he wanted governmentally which could anger people if it doesn’t benefit them or their class

French economy faced major decline due to King Louis XVI and his personal spending, he attempted to fix it by raising taxes but this angered people

Bread prices skyrocketed and many of the third estate could not afford the price and therefore went hungry, leading to a revolution 

Marie Antoinette

Attempted to flee Paris in disguises and got caught 

Louis XVI wife

Against the revolution along with louis XVI

Storming of Bastille

An event led by the third estate/national assembly 

They attacked because King Louis XVI attempted to force the national assembly to disband  

__ marks time of freedom

Jacques Necker

____ is hired to fix the issue of debt 

When his solution wasn’t well liked he was fired

He proposed to end lavish spending and Louis XVI wasn’t a fan

Estates-General

The ____ was a general meeting where representatives from the French estates (the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners) gathered. In 1789, King Louis XVI called the three estates together in the midst of the social, political, and economic issues to discuss the problems that France faced.

Deficit Spending

____ puts the government deeply in debt 

Louis XIV spends money on many selfish things and spends wastefully

Grievance notebooks

Books and ledgers containing grievances and complaints from the common people

Handed to estates general for suggestions of reforms 

Tennis Court Oath

This pledge by the Estates-General was a promise in promised to not disband until they created a new national constitution. King Louis XVI attempted to force the National Assembly to disband, however, they refused. The king had to recognize the National Assembly. Some saw this recognition as a weakening of the king’s power. 

Emigre

People that fled France during the reign of terror and revolution to save their lives 

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

Written by the National Assembly this was a document claiming rights for men and citizens that they felt were natural rights 

Reference document in source packets

Decree Abolishing the Feudal System

Ended tax exemption for the upper classes

Got rid of positions such as lords, knights and serfs

AKA august degrees

Constitution of 1791

The Constitution of 1791 established a new government that would create a limited monarchy as opposed to an absolute monarchy. 

Constitutional Monarchy

This was a type of monarchy where separation of powers was present and King Louis XVI was forced to share his power as a method to ensure that France wouldn’t return to its decline 

War Between France, Austria, Britain, Holland, and Spain (April 1792)

This war was a war where France was fighting against other monarchs in Europe

September Massacre

Killings of prisoners due to paranoia that prisoners were going to rise up against them

The French nation was critical of the September massacre(Sans culottes)

The San Culottes are the majority of common people in the lower classes

Guillotine

a device used for beheading, often used in the Reign of Terror

Maximiliem Robespierre 

His first choice as the new leader of the revolutionaries is to implement the Reign of Terror

Came forward as leader of the revolutionaries to inspire organization

Popular support for him began to fade as the killing increased and he was killed by guillotine 

Reign of Terror

Started by Robespierre 

Killing anti-revolutionaries 

Lots of death and violence and suspension of common rights 

Republic

France became a republic after deciding what the new French government should be 

Republic could also be revolutionaries 

Napoleonic Code

The purpose of this document was to set up laws in France regarding rights, property, affairs, religion, etc. because this is something that France was lacking. 

Concordat of 1801

This agreement normalized relations with the Catholic Church. People are free to practice the Catholic religion

Continental System

An army of 7 groups that were scattered but kept close together. 

Congress of Vienna

A meeting in Austria of ambassadors, or official representatives, of European states. The Congress met for 10 months, from September 1814 to June 1815.The purpose of the meeting was to address the conflict and instability in Europe caused by the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. During the meeting, they sought to create a peace plan that would create long-term stability for Europe. 

Ended with restoration of old boundaries pre-Napoleonic wars

Quadruple Alliance

To protect this new order, Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Great Britain extended their wartime alliances into the postwar era. In the alliance, the four nations pledged to act together to maintain the balance of power and to suppress revolutionary uprisings. 

Directory

A five-member group that replaced the Committee for Public Safety. It functioned as the head of the government, similar to an executive branch.

Became corrupt and led to its downfall

____ faced widespread famine, civil war, internal corruption, and war with neighboring countries. ___ was semi-effective in solving these issues. For example, they used the military to shut down and war and violence, however, people did not like this solution and this dislike began to build over time. 

Abdicate

To give up something

Napoleon did this

Elba

A tiny island off the Italian coast 

Napoleon was sent there but escaped and returned to France

St. Helena

Island where Napoleon was sent after he was defeated and that’s where he died