World Honors - The French Revolution through Napoleon

Ancien Regime/Old Regime

• the social and political system in France before the French Revolution

• had an absolute monarchy

• social hierarchy divided into 3 estates

The 3 Estates

• First

• Second

• Third

The 1st Estate

• Clergy: People who work for the church like the Pope, bishops, and priests

The 2nd Estate

• Nobility: Wealthy landowners and people with high status in society

The 3rd Estate

• Commoners: Peasants and City-Workers

• Taxed the highest amongst the 3 estates

• Had the largest population

Bourgeoisie

• The middle class

• a capitalist class who typically controlled society’s wealth and means of production

• urban class workers

Louis XVI

• Powers: declare war and make peace, censor speech and press, issue blank warrants for arrests

• increased France’s debt by spending money unnecessarily

• wife was Marie Antoinette

• tried to flee to neighboring countries in disguise, but were caught

• beheaded by guillotine

Marie Antoinette

• wife of King Louis XVI

• lived in the Palace of Versailles

• tried to flee to neighboring countries in disguise, but were caught

• beheaded by guillotine

Social Causes of the Revolution:

• The first and second estates got social preferential treatment and privileges

• were exempted from taxes and had favors in the legal system

• the peasantry class faced feudal obligations (such as holding no land) and widespread poverty

• third estate was excluded from making political decisions

• women also faced mistreatment, such as being unable to divorce their husbands, have property under the name, and could be arrested for audultry

Economic Causes for the Revolution:

• third estate was taxed the highest, even though they were the poorest

• cost of bread increased, which was a staple food amongst the peasants

• government totaled national debt by spending unnecessarily and helping other countries in their wars instead of focusing on France (7 year’s war and American revolution)

Political Causes for the Revolution:

• absolute monarchy of King Louis XVI

• lack of political representation of the third estate during the estates General meetings

• influence of enlightened ideas (Ex. Johne Locke)

Bastille

• a fortress originally sued as a firtress during the 100 years war

• later was a prison under Louis XVI used for political prisoners and those accused of having ill intentions against the crown

• Later known for the Storming of Bastille: the National Assembly feared an attack on themselves, so they stormed Bastille for its gunpowder (since it had the most in the city)

• demonstrated how a concentrated power can take over a city

Jacques Necker

• a former trained banker born in Switzerland

• became Louis XVI finance minister

• worked to reduce the Crown’s expenditure by implementing a rigorous economic policy and imposing structural reforms on royal finances

Estates-General

• a representative assembly meeting pre-revolution

• composed of all 3 estates

• called whenever by the King (used to deal with finance crises or to discuss important issues)

• The third estate was the largest in population, but had the least say

Deficit Spending

• when a government exceeds the spending of its budget

• Before the revolution, under King Louis XVI and his predecessors, they spent too much of their money on other stuff (wars and extravagant buildings) and went over their budget

Grievance Notebooks

• notebooks that held written grievances by various people who were unsatisfied with the way the government was being run

Tennis Court Oath

• created by the National Assembly

• promise to not disband until a new national constitution was created

Emigres

• former members of the nobility and anti-revolutionaries (opposed the revolution)

• fled to other nations during and after the revolution, told stories about the chaos of the revolution

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

• Created by the National Assembly on August 26, 1789

• created by Marquis de Lafayette

• document identifies the natural rights all citizens should be granted and become a foundational document

Main points of Dec. Rights fo Man and Citizen

• men are born free and equal (no social hierarchy)

• rights to liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression no matter political affiliation

• everyone has the right to a fair and proper law/trial

• innocent until proven guilty

• everyone has the right to free speech and press

Decree Abolishing the Feudal System

• abolished the feudal system of France (the 3 estates)

• declared everyone equal

Constituion of 1791

• First constitution written during the French Revolution

• designated government powers to 3 bodies

• legislative → delegates elected to the National assembly, with some say by the King

• Executive → King, ministers, and other responsible agents

• Judicial → delegated to judges, elected by the people

Constitutional Monarchy

• The King’s power was limited by a constitution and legislature (the legislative Assembly)

War between France, Austria, Britain, Holland, and Spain

• April 1792

• Afraid of other monarchs possibly taking control over France and going back to an absolutist monarchy, the revolutionary French government decided to declare war on its neighbors to prevent such a thing from happening and get a step ahead

September Massacres

• a series of killings and summary executions of prisoners in Paris

• 1792 - during the French Revolution

• Revolutionary leaders treated suspected traitors with much cruelty. Most sentences are death, through the guillotine. For example, King Louis XVI is beheaded after being suspected of betraying France.

• Britain (England) was very critical of the September massacre, as many were horrified by the mass violence and executions that were happening in France. 

Sans Culottes

• The San Culottes were a revolutionary group of working-class citizens during the French Revolution. 

• wore long trousers as their signature look

• The sans-culottes wore long trousers, a more practical and less ostentatious style of clothing than the knee-breeches (culottes) favored by the wealthy and nobility. This sartorial choice served as a visual symbol of their lower-class status and their rejection of the aristocracy. 

• The sans-culottes played a crucial role in the French Revolution, especially during the Reign of Terror. They were instrumental in mobilizing the masses, organizing protests, and pushing for radical policies. 

Guillotine

• medieval device used to kill people by beheading them

• popular device used during the reign of terror (symbol)

Maximiliem Robespierre

• Appointed as the leader of the committee of public safety

• led the reign of terror

• realized the revolutionaries needed a leader and decided to step forward

• he was the one who decided ti execute Louis XVI to his death

Robespierre’s changes to France

• reorganizing the clerical staff, holding weekly meetings, and temporarily depriving the freedom of thought of the press. 

• creating tribunals to punish those against the revolution and those convicted with death. 

• These changes did not support the ideals of the French Revolution, as they completely went against their ideals

Robespierre’s Death

As Robespierre continuously took away the freedoms and rights of the working class/ peasant class, it was likely resentment grew amongst the public. As a result, Robespierre and his acquaintances were labeled as traitors, resulting in their deaths.

Reign of Terror

• period of extreme violence through arrests, trials, and execution

• led by committee of public safety, specifically by Maximilien Robespierre

• extremists attempted to address issues in France through violence by executing those that opposed them.

• Public Safety suspended rights guaranteed in the new constitution leading to wide-scale abuse of rights. The freedom of the press, previously an important aspect of the revolution, was taken away. The influence of the Catholic Church was attacked. Spies were sent throughout the country to find “enemies of the revolution.” During this time, those suspected of being an enemy of the revolution were executed by guillotine.  

• it seems that the working class suffered the most from the Reign of Terror, followed closely by the peasant class

• 800 ppl executed every month

Republic

• supreme power is delegated to representatives (that were nominated) and decided by the people

• France became a republic

Constitution of 1795

• The new constitution attempted to separate powers and limit the power of any one man.

• created the Directory in response

• In a move to satisfy radicals, the new constitution granted full citizenship (and voting rights) to all men aged 21 and over

• only property owners or men in full-time work could be a candidate for political office.

The Directory

• 5 member group that replaced the Committee of Public Safety

• functioned as the head of government, similar to an executive branch

• also contained a legilsative branch called “Corps Legislatif”, divided into 2 houses

• Council of Elders - 250 members

• Council of the 500

• Some problems faced by the Directory were famine, corruption, and high tensions with neighboring countries.

• One particular problem was dissatisfaction nd revolts from citizens when they weren’t satisfied with the election results. To confront these problems, the directory used a strong military force to squash down the revolts. 

Napolean’s rise to power

• In the beginning, napoleon was viewed as a great military leader of france, elading the country into multiple successful battles. However, once he received the throne of france, he was viewed as cold-hearted as he ignored the pleas of the French people. Lastly, after Napolean took over France, his ambitions were viewed a smenaingless, as all it did was bring more burdens to France.

Napoleon in Power

• undertook a series of domestic reforms, curtailing some rights and manipulating popular impulses behind a facade of representative institutions

• opened public schools to all males

Napoleonic Code

• Bonaparte instituted several lasting reforms including centralized administration of the départements, higher education, a tax system, a central bank, law codes, and road and sewer systems.

• The Code was prepared by committees of legal experts under the supervision of Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérös, who held the office of second consul from 1799 to 1804

• Bonaparte, however, participated actively in the sessions of the Conseil dÉtat (Council of State) that revised the drafts. His set of civil laws, the Napoleonic Code or Civil Code, has importance to this day in many countries.

• aimed to establish a unified and coherent legal system

• established equality

• stabilized France with its clear framework

• later adopted by many other European countries

Napoleonic Wars - Key Battles

• series of wars led by Napoleon against European powers

• caused by lingering problems from the French Revolution

• gained foreign power by marrying and placing relatives on thrones

1.  Battle of the Pyramids (21 July 1798)

2.  Battle of Marengo (14 June 1800) (War of the Second Coalition)

3.  Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) (Naval battle)

4.  Battle of Austerlitz (2 December 1805) (Battle of the Three Emperors)

5.  Battle of Jena-Auerstädt (14 October 1806) (War of the Fourth Coalition)

6.  Battle of Rolica (17 August 1808)

7.  Battle of Borodino (7 September 1812)

8.  Battle of Leipzig (16–19 October 1813) (Battle of Nations)

9.  Battle of Ligny (16 June 1815)

10.  Battle of Waterloo (18 June 1815)

First Coalition - Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, Spain, Sardinia and the Netherlands

Second Coalition - Turkey, England, Austria, Russia

Third Coalition - the United Kingdom, the Holy Roman Empire, the Russian Empire, Naples, Sicily, and Sweden

Fourth Coalition - Great Britain, Prussia, Russia, Saxony, and Sweden

Napoleon and Britain

• Britain was the only empire Napoleon couldn’t conquer

• implemented an embargo that forced all colonies and annexed territories follow it and go against Britain

• many did not follow this as they didn’t want to bear the economic consequences

• called the Continental System

Napoleon becomes an emporer

• declared himself Emperor of France, and re-established hereditary rule

• went against French ideals as having an emperor/king with absolute rule disrespected many French citizens

Concordat of 1801

• agreement between Napoleon and the Pope/Catholic Church

• restored Catholicism as the majority religion

• normalized religious relations with the Catholic Church

Napoleonic Wars - His mistakes

1. the continental system didn’t work as many did not want to bear the economic consequences

2. pointing his brother as king of Spain - fought 5 years against Spanish guerrillas, lost 30,000 troops during this Peninsular War (also called the Borodino Battle)

3. tried to conquer russia

• russia fled, but implemented scorched-earth policy

• burned leftover produce + livestock so Napoleon’s army ahd nothing to live off of

• thousands died from hunger + bitter cold

Napoleonic Wars - End

• Britain, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and Austria, the Grand Alliance, joined forces and attacked France. In 1814, Napoleon abdicated or gave up his throne and was sent away to the tiny island of Elba off the Italian coast. In March 1815, Napoleon escaped from Elba and returned to France. He took power and raised another army. The rest of the European powers raised armies to fight against  Napoleon.

• They defeated Napoleon in his final battle near a Belgian town called Waterloo. This defeat ended Napoleon’s last attempt at power, which was called the Hundred Days. He was then sent to the far-off island of St. Helena in the southern Atlantic Ocean. He died there in 1821.

Congress of Vienna - Causes

• meeting of European ambassadors

• purpose was to address the conflict and instability in Europe caused by the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars

• sought to create a pease plan for long-term stability

Congress of Vienna - Effects

• restored old boundaries of Europe before the Napoleonic Wars

• create balanced power and protect monarchy system

• extended their wartime alliances postwar

The Quadruple Alliance

• 4 nations: Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain

• pledged to act together to maintain the balance of power and to suppress revolutionary uprisings

• decisions made at the Congress of Vienna influenced European politics for the next 100 years

• Europe would not see another war until 1914.

Abdicate

• renounce one’s right to the throne

• 1814 - Napoleon gave up his right to the throne and was banished to the island of Elba

Island of Elba

• island Napoleon was banished to after abdicating the throne to France

• escaped the island in March 1815 and returned to France

Battle of Waterloo

• after napoleon escaped the island of Elba, he returned to France and took power and raised an army

• resulted in other European powers raising armies against France

• European powers defeated Napoleon in Battle of Waterloo

• Napoleon’s last attempt of power - called the Hundred Days

Island of St. Helena

• Napoleon’s 2nd banishment

• banished there after his fialed battle at waterloo

• died there in 1821