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Chapter 18. French Revolution. In the late 1780’s, France’s population was divided economically and politically. The taille was France’s chief tax and of France’s three estates the Third Estate (commoners) was NOT exempt from the taille.
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Chapter 18 French Revolution
In the late 1780’s, France’s population was divided economically and politically. • The taille was France’s chief tax and of France’s three estates the Third Estate (commoners) was NOT exempt from the taille.
Therefore, the clergy & the nobility stayed wealthy and immune to economic problems although the majority of France’s population was the 3rd estate.
The bourgeoisies were middle class people who made up part of the third estate. • The middle class became sick of the privileges of the clergy & nobility and demanded change.
On the verge of complete financial collapse, Louis XVI was finally forced to call a meeting of the Estates-General to raise new taxes. • Since each Estate had one vote, the third estate would be out cast.
Therefore, the Third estate left the meeting and formed its own legislative department called the National Assembly. • They were then locked out of the General Assembly area, so they moved to a nearby Tennis Court.
Tennis Court signatures
The French National Assembly swore the Tennis Court Oath, which was a vow to continue to meet until they had produced a French constitution.
Louis XVI declared he would use force against the National Assembly, but he was forced to accept the National Assembly’s decrees because thousands of armed Parisian women descended on the palace and captured him and his family. • This is known as Bastille Day or Independence Day (July 14th, 1789)
Soon a document called The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen – which was inspired by the American Declaration of Independence, proclaimed equal rights for all men.
But, the declaration had no political rights for women. • Outraged, political activist Olympe de Gouges demanded equal political rights for women from the new French National Assembly
A new reform movement occurred in the French churches. • According to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, bishops and priests were to be elected by the people and paid by the state. • A new constitution was made in 1791.
Under the Constitution of 1791, the Legislative Assembly would be established and make the laws.
Unhappy with the lack of progress in late 1792, a group called the Paris Commune seized political power from the Legislative Assembly.
This group used the term sans-culottes, meaning “without breeches,” which implied that the members of this political group were ordinary patriots without fine clothes – the working class or common citizen.
The Paris Commune set the stage for a more radical and violent era in the French Revolution. • The Jacobin club was one of the larger networks of political groups throughout France.
However, this group soon split into factions, or dissenting groups, over the fate of the ousted king. • The two main factions were Mountain & the Girondins both part of a larger membership called the Jacobins. The Girondins
The difference between the Girondins and the Mountain was that the Girondins leaned toward keeping the king alive, while the Mountain wanted the king executed.
In response to threats against the government (called the National Convention) if the king were executed, the Committee of Public Safety was given broad powers to defend France.
Maximilian Robespierre was the brutal head of the Committee of Public Safety. • He brought forth the Reign of Terror, a time where revolutionary courts were set up to prosecute internal enemies of the state.
Over 40,000 people were killed during this time for their political views opposing the National Convention - including Olympe de Gouges. • The guillotine (an execution machine) was well used. And, when that was too slow, grapeshot put the condemned in mass graves.
In its attempts to create a new order that reflected its belief in reason, the National Convention pursued a policy of de-Christianization, going so far as to adopt a new calendar. De-Christianization of Europe
With the terror over, the National Convention reduced the power of the Committee and set up a new legislative assembly known as the Directory. • The Directory could not solve the immense economic problems of France and increasingly relied on military power to control its people.
At this time (1792) France was attacked by Britain And other countries trying to take advantage of its weakness during its chaos of revolution.
By 1799, Napoleon’s coup d’état overthrew the Directory to establish his consulate and the start of his Empire. • Napoleon declared himself emperor and made peace with the Church by declaring France a Catholic country.
He established seven legal codes. • The most important was the Civil Code or Napoleonic Code. • The Napoleonic Code preserved most of the rights of the people gained by the revolution.
He established a new bureaucracy based on merit rather than social status. • Promotion within Napoleon’s new bureaucracy was based on ability only, not rank or birth.
As Napoleon gained power within the country, he conquered other countries in Europe establishing his empire.
The three major parts of Napoleon’s Grand Empire were the French Empire, the dependent states, and the allied states.
The two major reasons that Napoleon’s Grand Empire collapsed were the survival of Great Britain and the force of nationalism.
Great Britain was one of the few major European powers that survived the French onslaught of war – mainly due to its superior navy. Admiral Lord (Horatio) Nelson
British fleet v. French fleet Battle of Trafalgar
Also, hatred of the French spread across the peoples of Europe stirring their sense of nationality and unity to fight the French.
Napoleon made one of his few mistakes by trying to invade Russia. • The Russians defeated Napoleon’s superior Grand Army by retreating hundreds of miles and burning their own villages and countryside.
Napoleon was attacked by other European countries and exiled to Elba Island off the coast of Tuscany. • Why not kill him? • He escaped back into France to a hero’s welcome and re-established himself as ruler.
He soon went on the offensive and met British and other European forces in Belgium at the Battle of Waterloo.
In his final battle, the Duke of Wellington defeated Napoleon and he was again exiled to St. Helena where he died of stomach cancer (supposedly). Arthur Wellesly – 1st Duke of Wellington
