french revolution + napolean

On the Eve of Revolution

  • According to Jean Jacques Rousseau, who had the legitimate power to make laws?

    • The general will of the people.

  • Describe the following three social classes that existed under the Ancien Regime:

    • First Estate

    • Clergy (religious officials) who owned about 10% of the land and paid virtually no taxes.

    • Second Estate

    • Nobility, who held high positions in government and the military, owned land, and were exempt from many taxes.

    • Third Estate

    • Vast majority of the population (about 98%), including the bourgeoisie (middle class), peasants, and urban workers, who bore the heaviest tax burden and had little to no political power.

  • Who were the Bourgeoisie?

    • The middle class within the Third Estate, including merchants, bankers, doctors, lawyers, and manufacturers. They were often wealthier and more educated than other members of the Third Estate but lacked political influence.

  • What privileges were reserved for the First and Second Estates?

    • Exemption from most taxes, the right to hold the highest offices in the church, government, and army, and special legal treatment.

  • List 3 financial problems facing the French government in 1789.

    • Huge debt from wars (like the American Revolution) and court spending.

    • Poor harvests leading to food shortages and rising bread prices.

    • Inefficient and unfair tax system that burdened the poor while the wealthy escaped.

  • What was the Estates General? Why was its traditional voting policy viewed as “unfair”?

    • The Estates General was a legislative body consisting of representatives from the three estates. Its traditional voting policy was unfair because each estate received one vote, meaning the First and Second Estates could always outvote the Third Estate, despite the Third Estate representing the vast majority of the population.

  • Who was the National Assembly? What did they want (include the Tennis Court Oath in your response)?

    • The National Assembly was formed by members of the Third Estate (joined by some from the clergy and nobility) who declared themselves the true representatives of France. They wanted a new constitution and reforms. The Tennis Court Oath was their pledge not to disband until they had written a new constitution, showing their determination to create a more just government.

  • Describe what happened at the Bastille on July 14, 1789. Why was this event so significant?

    • On July 14, 1789, Parisians stormed the Bastille, a medieval fortress used as a prison, seeking weapons and gunpowder. This event was highly significant as it symbolized the beginning of the French Revolution, demonstrating the people's defiance against royal authority and tyranny.

  • Describe Louis XVI (Louis the 16th) as a leader.

    • Louis XVI was generally seen as a weak, indecisive, and ineffectual leader who was more interested in personal pursuits than governing. He often yielded to pressure from the nobility and failed to address France's severe financial and social problems, contributing to the Revolution's outbreak.

The French Revolution Unfolds

  • What did the Declaration of the Rights of Man declare?

    • It declared that all men are born free and equal in rights, including liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. It asserted popular sovereignty and civil rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and press, and due process of law.

  • What was the slogan of the French Revolution?

    • "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!"

  • Describe how the French people viewed Marie Antoinette (include Madame Deficit in your answer).

    • Marie Antoinette was widely disliked by the French people, who viewed her as extravagant, frivolous, and out of touch with their suffering. Her lavish spending on fashion, gambling, and court life earned her the nickname "Madame Deficit," symbolizing the monarchy's perceived disregard for the nation's financial crisis.

  • How did the French Revolution impact the Catholic Church?

    • The Revolution significantly impacted the Catholic Church by seizing church lands, subordinating the Church to the state through the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, and attempting to de-Christianize France, leading to widespread persecution of clergy and a rift between the revolutionary government and many Catholics.

  • Why was Louis XVI considered a traitor?

    • Louis XVI was considered a traitor after his attempted escape from France to Varennes in June 1791. This act was seen as an abandonment of his people and an attempt to rally foreign support against the revolutionary government, proving he opposed the new constitutional monarchy.

  • Who were the sans-culottes? (and the September massacres)

    • The sans-culottes were radical working-class Parisians, identifiable by their long trousers (rather than the knee breeches of the aristocracy), who played a critical role in the Revolution. They were instrumental in the September Massacres of 1792, where they attacked prisons and killed thousands of counter-revolutionary prisoners in a wave of fear and paranoia.

Radical Days of the Revolution

  • Why was Louis XVI executed?

    • Louis XVI was executed on January 21, 1793, after being tried by the National Convention, found guilty of treason, and condemned to death for conspiring against the liberty of the nation and the general safety of the state.

  • What was the Committee of Public Safety?

    • The Committee of Public Safety was a powerful, executive body created by the National Convention in 1793 to deal with threats to France, both internal and external. It wielded dictatorial powers during the Reign of Terror, overseeing purges of suspected enemies of the Revolution.

  • Who was Robespierre? What was his role in the Reign of Terror?

    • Maximilien Robespierre was a prominent figure and a radical Jacobin leader. He dominated the Committee of Public Safety and was the architect of the Reign of Terror, a period during which thousands of alleged enemies of the Revolution were arrested and executed.

  • Why did Robespierre feel that terror was necessary?

    • Robespierre believed that terror was necessary to protect the Revolution from its internal enemies and ensure the triumph of virtue. He argued that it was a means to achieve a republic of virtue by purging the nation of those who resisted the revolutionary ideals, stating, "Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible."

  • What event effectively ended the Reign of Terror?

    • The execution of Maximilien Robespierre himself on July 28, 1794, following the Thermidorian Reaction, effectively ended the Reign of Terror.

  • Who was the Directory?

    • The Directory was a five-member executive body that governed France from 1795 to 1799. It replaced the Committee of Public Safety and aimed to establish a more moderate republic, but it was largely weak, corrupt, and ultimately overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte.

  • Why was Napoleon Bonaparte such a popular figure?

    • Napoleon Bonaparte was popular due to his military genius, a string of impressive victories that brought glory to France, and his ability to restore order and stability after years of revolutionary turmoil and chaos. He was seen as a strong leader who could defend France and advance its interests.

  • List the major governing bodies throughout the french revolution in order:

    • Estates-General (Pre-Revolution, brief revival)

    • National Assembly (1789-1791)

    • Legislative Assembly (1791-1792)

    • National Convention (1792-1795) (marie died during this)

    • The Directory (1795-1799)

    • The Consulate (1799-1804)

    • First French Empire (1804-1814/1815)

The Age of Napoleon

  • What title did Napoleon eventually take in 1804? Why was the ceremony significant?

    • In 1804, Napoleon took the title of Emperor of the French. The ceremony was significant because, during his coronation, he famously took the crown from the Pope and placed it on his own head, symbolizing his assertion of power over the Church and that his authority came from himself, not divine right.

  • What was a plebiscite? What did they show about Napoleon?

    • A plebiscite was a direct vote by the eligible voters of a country on an important public question, such as a change in the constitution. They showed that Napoleon had overwhelming public support for his policies and his rise to power, as he skillfully used them to legitimize his authoritarian rule.

  • What was the Napoleonic Code?

    • The Napoleonic Code (or Civil Code of 1804) was a comprehensive and uniform system of laws developed by Napoleon. It preserved many principles of the French Revolution, such as equality before the law, religious toleration, and merit-based advancement, but also reflected some conservative values.

  • Did the Napoleonic Code support or abolish each of the following?

    • Equality of citizens before the law – Support

    • Religious toleration – Support

    • The feudal system – Abolish

    • free education for all men (only men)

    • spent money on industry

  • How did the Napoleonic Code affect women?

    • The Napoleonic Code significantly curtailed women's rights compared to the revolutionary era. It defined women as minors in law, subject to their fathers or husbands, and deprived them of individual rights such as the right to own property independently or initiate lawsuits.

  • Describe how Napoleon built an empire in Europe.

    • Napoleon built his empire through a series of brilliant military campaigns, conquering or forcing alliances with many European nations. He placed relatives and loyal generals on the thrones of conquered states, established the Continental System, and reorganized territories, spreading French influence and revolutionary ideals (like the Napoleonic Code).

  • What was the Continental System?

    • The Continental System was a large-scale embargo enacted by Napoleon in 1806, designed to cripple Britain's economy by prohibiting continental European nations from trading with British goods. The goal was to isolate Britain and force it to surrender.

  • Did the Continental System achieve its goals? Why or why not?

    • No, the Continental System largely failed to achieve its goals. While it caused some economic hardship for Britain, it also severely harmed the economies of continental European nations, leading to smuggling, resentment, and a lack of support, which eventually contributed to Napoleon's downfall.

  • How did the Peninsular War (War with Spain) weaken Napoleon’s army?

    • The Peninsular War (1808-1814) significantly weakened Napoleon's army because he was taking important troops/resources to fight a tiny war with portugal instead of focusing on the main tasks. his constant drain on resources and manpower ultimately contributed to the overextension of his forces across Europe.

  • Why did Napoleon invade Russia? Why was the invasion unsuccessful?

    • Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812 because Tsar Alexander I refused to adhere to the Continental System, which Napoleon saw as a threat to his economic blockade against Britain. also he was was openly defying napolean, so his big fat ego wanted him to suffer an invasion The invasion was unsuccessful primarily due to Russia's vast distances, the harsh Russian winter, the "scorched-earth" policy employed by the Russians (leaving no resources for the French), and the logistical challenges of supplying such a massive army far from home.

  • Where did Napoleon’s last defeat occur?

    • Napoleon's last defeat occurred at the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium