Enlightenment and Revolution Study Notes

Enlightenment and the French Revolution

Overview

The Age of Reason and Revolution (1700s-1800s) brought significant changes to Europe.
Europe experienced the Enlightenment, where reason was applied to society and government.
Philosophes developed ideas about human rights and proper governance.
The French Revolution involved rebellion against absolute monarchy and reformation of the social order.
Napoleon spread democratic ideals and nationalism across Europe.

Key Themes

Development and Transformation of Social Structures: The role of Enlightenment ideas in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Age.
Power, Authority, and Governance: Changes in governance from Louis XVI to the Napoleonic Age.
Civil Ideals and Practices: Short-term and long-term effects of the French Revolution on Europe and the Americas.

Key People and Terms

Natural Law: Laws that govern human behavior, discovered through reason.
Social Contract: An agreement where people give up some interests for the common good.
Religious Toleration: Acceptance of different religious beliefs.
Right to Revolution: The right of the people to overthrow a government that fails to protect their rights.
Enlightenment Ideas: Influenced by John Locke, caused natural rights.
John Locke: English thinker who believed in natural rights (life, liberty, and property) and the right to overthrow unjust governments.
Baron de Montesquieu: French philosophe who advocated for the separation of powers in government (legislative, executive, judicial).
Jean-Jacques Rousseau: French philosophe who wrote "The Social Contract," emphasizing the general will and the common good.
Enlightened Despot: Absolute rulers who used their power to reform society.
Catherine the Great: Empress of Russia who implemented some Enlightenment ideas but did not relinquish power.
William Wilberforce: Led the fight for abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire.
The Three Estates: Social classes in France: clergy, nobility, and commoners.
National Assembly: Assembly formed by the Third Estate to write a new constitution for France.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen: Document that outlined the rights of citizens during the French Revolution.
Maximilien Robespierre: Leader during the Reign of Terror.
Reign of Terror: A period of violence during the French Revolution led by Robespierre.
Napoleon Bonaparte: Military leader who rose to power and spread democratic ideals and nationalism.
Coup d'état: Revolt by military leaders to overthrow a government.
Napoleonic Code: Legal code that included Enlightenment ideas, such as equality of citizens and religious toleration.
Mary Wollstonecraft: Argued for women's rights and education.
Olympe de Gouges: Advocated for women's rights during the French Revolution.

The Enlightenment

The Scientific Revolution inspired confidence in reason.
Writers sought to discover natural laws governing human behavior.
The Enlightenment (Age of Reason) rejected traditional ideas and supported human reason.
Rationalism: Belief that logical thought leads to truth.
The Enlightenment introduced new perspectives on authority, power, government, and law.

Leading Thinkers

John Locke: Advocated for natural rights (life, liberty, property) and the right to overthrow governments that don't protect these rights.
Montesquieu: Proposed the separation of powers (legislative, executive, judicial) to prevent tyranny.
Voltaire: Believed in free speech and criticized the French government and the Catholic Church.
Rousseau: Argued that people are born good but corrupted by society; emphasized the common good and the general will.

Impact of the Enlightenment

Questioning of established beliefs and customs.
Influence on leaders and development of nations.
Government and Church leaders censored Enlightenment ideas.

Enlightened Despots

Absolute rulers who used their power to reform society.
Frederick the Great (Prussia): Tolerated different religions, reduced torture, and allowed a free press.
Joseph II (Holy Roman Emperor): Taxed nobility, made primary education available, modernized government, and abolished serfdom.
Catherine the Great (Russia): Read Enlightenment works, corresponded with Voltaire and Montesquieu, built schools and hospitals, and promoted education for women.

Abolitionism

Natural rights applied to all, not just white European men.
John Locke championed the natural right to liberty.
William Wilberforce fought to end slave trade and slavery in the British Empire.
After his retirement, he continued his efforts, and the British abolished slavery in the British Empire in 1833

French Revolution

Democracy and Nationalism: Enlightenment ideas inspired individualism, equality, and challenges to authority.
Economic Systems: Unequal distribution of wealth and tax burden contributed to unrest.

Stages of Political Revolutions

Injustices of the Old Regime
Rule by Moderate Reformers
Rule by Radical Revolutionaries
Return of Moderates
Emergence of a Strong Leader

Causes of the French Revolution

Absolute Monarchy: Louis XVI denied basic rights.
Social Inequality: The Three Estates (clergy, nobility, commoners) had unequal rights and tax burdens.
Economic Injustices: War debts, extravagant spending, and bad harvests led to food shortages and riots.
The Enlightenment: Thinkers criticized absolute monarchy and called for democratic reforms.
English and American Examples: The Glorious Revolution and the American Revolution inspired the French.

Stages of the French Revolution

National Assembly: The Third Estate formed the National Assembly and vowed to write a new constitution (Tennis Court Oath).
Seizure of the Bastille: Working-class people stormed the Bastille prison, symbolizing the end of French absolutism.
Moderates in Power: The king allowed the National Assembly to begin reforms.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen: Adopted by the National Assembly.
Principles: liberty, equality, and fraternity based on Enlightenment ideas and the American Declaration of Independence.

Radicals in Power

War with European nations: France declared war on Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, and other states.
Radicals took control: Ended the monarchy and declared France a republic.
Execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette: Executed by guillotine for treason.
Reign of Terror: Led by Robespierre, aimed to eliminate traces of the old regime.

Napoleon in Power

Napoleon rose to power amid political chaos.
He overthrew the weak Directory in a coup d'état.
He established a new government and became Emperor of the French.

Napoleon's Achievements

Economy: Controlled prices, supported industry, and built infrastructure.
Education: Established a government-supervised public school system.
Napoleonic Code: Included Enlightenment ideas such as legal equality and religious toleration.

Napoleon's Empire

Conquered much of Europe.
Replaced monarchs with friends and relatives.
Great Britain and Russia remained beyond his reach.

Napoleon's Fall

Nationalism inspired revolts against French rule.
Continental System: Blockade preventing trade between Great Britain and continental Europe.
Disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812.
Defeated at the Battle of Leipzig (1813) and Battle of Waterloo (1815).

Effects of the French Revolution

Democratic Ideals: Spread throughout Europe.
Nationalism: Inspired national pride and identity, contributing to the unification of Italy and Germany and the Latin American independence movement.

Enlightenment, Revolution, and Women

Women had limited economic and civil rights.
Philosophes often held traditional views on women's roles.
Mary Wollstonecraft argued for women's education and independence.
Olympe de Gouges wrote Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen.
The Napoleonic Code denied women civil and political rights.

Revolution and Nationalism

Overview

Latin American revolutions inspired by American and French Revolutions.
European reaction against revolutionary ideals at the Congress of Vienna.
Revolutions in Europe in 1830 and 1848.
Unification of Italy and Germany in the late 1800s.
Dissolving of Austrian and Ottoman empires.
Conflicts in the Balkans leading to World War I.

Key People and Terms

Toussaint L'Ouverture: Leader of the Haitian Revolution.
Simón Bolívar: Led resistance movements against the Spanish in South America.
José de San Martín: Defeated the Spanish in Argentina and Chile.
Caudillo: Local military strongmen who challenged central governments.
Congress of Vienna: Meeting of European diplomats to restore the old monarchies.
Prince Clemens von Metternich: Austrian diplomat who wanted to restore Europe to the way it was before the French Revolution.
Balance of Power: Distribution of military and economic power to prevent any one nation from becoming too strong.
Conservatism: Belief in preserving traditional ways.
Liberalism: Belief in democratic reforms.
Nationalism: Feeling of pride in and devotion to one's nation.
Giuseppe Mazzini: Formed the Young Italy national movement.
Count Camillo Cavour: Prime minister of Sardinia-Piedmont who used diplomacy and war to unite Italy.
Realpolitik: Realistic politics based on the needs of the state.
Giuseppe Garibaldi: Led the