Unit 2 Notes - French Revolution

Definitions

• Revolution - A major, sudden, typically violent alteration in government/society. Typically makes people aware of differences between classes

• Self-Determination - Autonomy of a country over state-hood, allegiances, and government

Context

• Age of Enlightenment

  • Intellectual movement that came from the Renaissance, Protestant Reformation, and Scientific Revolution'

  • Used ideas from the scientific revolution to solve problems in society

  • Philosophers from the middle class ($ but no status) championed social issues

    • Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, etc

    • See “Old, Dead, White Guys” note for details

  • Rejection of monarchy/authority to embrace individuality

    • Criticism of the divine right of kings

    • Stress on individual rights/government respect towards citizens → basis of democracy

    • Discovery of truth by themselves

    • Detachment from religion → right/wrong was based on rationale rather than religion (Deists)

Stages of a Revolution

• Preliminary (Old Order)

  • Economically/Politically weak period - Government increases taxes, inept ruler

  • Intellectuals desert

  • Class antagonism

  • Conflict seen between old regime and new forces

• First Stage (Moderate Regime)

  • Financial breakdown

  • Symbolic actions/Use of force

  • Dual sovereignty - moderates gain power

  • New constitution

• Crisis Stage (Radical Regime)

  • Radicals take power from moderates → typically with coup d'état

  • Centralized power in revolutionary council

  • Use of fear tactics

  • War (civil/foreign)

• Recovery Stage (Thermidorian Reaction)

  • “Return to quieter times”

  • Radicals suppressed, moderates gain amnesty

  • Ruled by tyrant

  • Aggressive nationalism

American Revolution

• Increased taxation on colonies to pay for war debt

  • Sugar Act - Heavy monitoring of sugar selling (decrease in price but increased regulation)

  • Stamp Act - requirement of all documents to have a stamp (indirect tax)

  • British law enforcement paid for with American taxes

  • Taxation without representation

• Boston Tea Party (1774)

  • American revolutionaries dumping ~£10,000 of tea in response to British taxation

  • Shaped collective identity/set tone for American Revolution

• Saw funding from France

• Outcomes

  • American sovereignty

  • Calls for representative democracy

  • End of British mercantilism in 13 Colonies

    • Opened trade with other countries

  • Increased political participation

  • Considered formative event in development of nationalism globally

    • Created unity among American people

    • Will of people being a ruling force (democracy)

French Revolution - Pre-Revolution

• Reasons for Revolution

  1. Feudalism

     • Class system with no mobility (1/2/3 Estates)

       • Highest taxes on the poorest members of society (3rd Estate) that only benefited the rich (1st/2nd Estates - Clergy/Nobles)

     • Very little unity among members (weak nation)

  2. Autocratic Monarchy

     • Monarchy not kept in check (excess spending + war led to accumulation of lots of debt)

       • Taxed 3rd Estate to pay for spending

  3. Enlightenment Thinkers/American Revolution

     • Idea of power not being hereditary/rights to common man

     • American Revolution circulated ideas of overthrowing government and a new political system

  4. Weather (that resulted in famine)

     • Drought led to low crop yields → famine/economic strife

     • Caused bread riots in 1789 → start of revolution

• Jacques Necker

  • Financial advisor to King Louis XVI. Advocated for a mix of monarchy/peasant wants

  • Advised King Louis to summon the Estates-General for advice

• Estates-General

  • Voting by class rather than population (Allegiance between 1st/2nd Estate to outvote the 3rd)

  • Called on by will of King (hadn’t been summoned for a longggg time)

• National Assembly

  • 3rd Estate fed up with being outvoted → formed pseudo-government (National Assembly)

  • Supported representative government

  • Attempted suppression (on part of King) by locking out of meeting room (Estates-General)

    • Led to Tennis Court Oath (1789)

      • Official proclamation of being in opposition to the government. Swore reform/constitution

        • Led to King Louis allowing proportional voting

  • Firing of Necker seen as an attempt to dissolve National Assembly

    • Refusal to dissolve saw inclusion of 1st/2nd Estates

• Storming the Bastille

  • Bastille: Prison for political prisoners/enlightenment thinkers, books/ideas

  • Seen as waste of resources (very empty at start of the revolution)

  • Stormed by members of the National Assembly

    • July 14, 1789

  • Official start to the revolution

• Results of Storming the Bastille

  • King dethroned → power transferred to the National Assembly, end of feudalism in France

    • Nobles fled to home countries

  • Women’s March (Oct. 1789)

    • March on Versailles palace over the price of bread

    • Demanded the monarchy returns to the capital

  • Signaled radical regime

  • Sparked similar events in large cities

French Revolution - Radical Regime

• Emergence of political clubs (political parties) allowed for political opinions to be shared

  • Jacobins: Radical. left-wing anti-monarchists led by Maximilian Robespierre

• New Regime (1790-93)

  • National Assembly’s desire for a constitutional monarchy led to King. Louis attempting to flee (returned)

  • Abolishment of feudalism, redistribution of church property, established equality of man (Declaration of the Rights of Man/Citizen)

  • Principle of International Law - everyone has rights to self determination

  • 1792 - Massacre of Clergy/Nobles

    • Declaration of France as a republic

      • National Assembly → National Convention

  • Investigation into King Louis for anti-revolutionary beliefs → put on trial for treason

• Reign of Terror

  • Events intended to get rid of “irrational” traditions and make new, enlightened traditions

    • Led by Committee of Public Safety to protect new policies

  • Robespierre = defacto leader of National Convention

    • Implemented system to root out enemies of the Revolution (execution)

    • Became very suspicious of everyone, executed basically everyone

    • Eventually executed himself when radical agenda was rejected

• The Directory

  • Bourgeoisie became ruling class, wrote new constitution

  • Ruled with bicameral legislature (Council of 500 and Council of Elders)

    • Ineffective because of short terms with multiple directors

  • Fell after Napoleon’s coup d'état (1799)

• Revolutionary Art

  • Shift in preferred styles represented changing values

    • Pre-Rev: Rococo/Baroque Art (very flashy and ornamental)

    • During Rev/Post-Rev: Neoclassical (realism/naturalism)

      • Intended to bring closer to Greek/Roman ideas of society (eg. Democracy)

  • Propaganda Art

    • Depiction of new values + prospects of French Revolution

    • Largely illiterate population → use of symbols

  • Most artists jailed/killed during Reign of Terror b/c seen as supporters of monarchy/unproductive members of society

Napoleonic Era

• Rise of Napoleon

  • Coup d'état on the Directory (in response to rumors of a coup planned by Sieyes and Jacobin rebellion)

    • 18/19 of Brumaire = where Napoleon caused the abolishment of the Councill/Directory with a few soldiers

    • Appointed as Premier Counsel (head of government in France)

• Napoleon’s Rule

  • Established French Consulate (government) → Authoritarian/autocratic, centralized with Rule by Decree

    • Rule by Decree: Law making done by one person and unchallenged

  • Military conquest of Europe

    • Overtook weaker nations to make expansive French empire

    • Constant victory led to increased egos/nationalism

• Napoleon’s Downfall

  • 1812: Attempted Russian invasion

    • Got to Moscow to find it empty → loss of supplies for nothing. Abandoned army.

    • Exiled to Elba after return (didn’t stop him from returning to France)

  • 1815: Defeat at Waterloo

    • European alliances fought Napoleon/French army at Waterloo

    • Exiled to St. Helena after defeat

• Impacts of the Napoleonic Era

  • Napoleonic Code: No hereditary privileges or centralized government

    • Appointment by ability/merit rather than social class

  • Revolutionized legislation: Rule of Law, challenged power of churches/aristocracy/guilds

    • Napoleon was a hypocrite here → established his own autocracy

  • Altered European geography: Kingdoms consolidated territories, sparked nationalistic sentiments

  • Congress of Vienna

• Congress of Vienna

  • “Age of Reaction” → Europe reacting to Napoleon’s action

  • European nations trying to restore pre-French Revolution Era

    • Russia, Austria, Prussia, Britain + eventually France after Napoleon lost power

  • Goals

    • Prevent future aggression

    • Restore power balance

    • (Stop emergence of nationalism)

  • Emergence of 2 alliances

    • Quadruple Alliance of 1815

      • Alliance between Austria, Britain, Prussia, and Russia to put down nationalist/democratic revolts/ideas

    • Holy Alliance

      • Involved most of Europe - Pledged governing with charity, justice, peace (not followed)

  • Outcomes (relatively successful)

    • Temporary suppression of nationalistic sentiments

    • Concert of Europe

      • Periodic meetings between leading nations to discuss issues of stability

    • Territorial changes

      • Creation of Germany