Chapter 23: The French Revolution and Napoleon

1. Chapter 23: The French Revolution and Napoleon 1789-1815

2. Causes of the French Revolution • Social and economic injustices • American Revolution • Economic troubles • High taxes and bread prices, debt, crop failures in the 1780s • A weak, inept leadership • Old Regime • Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette • Enlightenment ideas spread among Third Estate • Who might the French people admire? Why?

3. French Social Structure • 1770s France • Three estates • First estate • Clergy of Roman Catholic Church • Less than 1% of population • Owned 10% of land • Paid 2% taxes • Second estate • Wealthy nobles • 2% of population • Owned 20% of land • Paid no taxes and held government jobs • How did these people feel about the Enlightenment?

4. The Third Estate • Three groups • Bourgeoisie (Middle class) • Held a skilled job: Merchant, banker, lawyer, artisan, etc. • Well-educated • Some were wealthy, but… • …they all lacked social status and political power • Workers (Proletariat) • Held unskilled factory jobs • Peasants • 80% of France’s total population • Paid almost half their total income in taxes! • What did the Third Estate want from King Louis XVI? • CHANGE!

5. The Painful Reality

6. The Dawn of Revolution • Third Estate creates the National Assembly to pass new reform laws • What does this mean for the Louis XVI? • Ends absolute monarchy, begins representative government • Tennis Court Oath • Third Estate would write a new Constitution

7. The First Battle • Storming of the Bastille • French prison is taken over by angry mob looking for gunpowder for their stolen weapons • Symbol of Revolution • July 14, 1789 • Bastille Day • Great Fear • Terrorism, starvation

8. La Marseillaise Come, children of the Fatherland Our day of glory has come! Against us the bloody flag of tyranny is raised! Can you hear in the country The shrieks of those ferocious soldiers? They come to our very arms To slaughter our sons and wives: To arms, citizens! Form your battalions! March forth! March forth! Let their impure blood water our fields!

9. “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!” • Motto of the French Revolution • How does the motto indicate the Third Estate’s goals? • Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen • Guaranteed certain human rights

10. Social and Political Changes • State controls church • Effect? • Lost land and political independence • National Assembly creates new constitution • Created a limited monarchy by establishing the Legislative Assembly in 1791 • Had the power to create laws and approve declarations of war • Responsible for execution of King Louis XVI

11. The Reign of Terror • National Convention forms • Maximilien Robespierre • Connection between virtue and terror • 1793-1794—Robespierre ruled as a dictator • About 40,000 people die during the Reign of Terror; 85% were from the Third Estate • Why is this ironic?

12. The Terror Ends • National Convention feared for their lives • Robespierre was executed, ending the Reign of Terror • Directory is formedin 1795, upper middle class takes power

14. Napoleon (Quickly!) Rises to Power • Napoleon Bonaparte • Outstanding military skills, promoted to head of the army • Suffered losses, also • How was Napoleon still able to keep his image as a national hero? • The Directory was weak by 1799; Napoleon led a military coup d'état and took power • Established the Consulate, a three-man governing board • He held a plebiscite to approve a new constitution • Napoleon became the first leader of a democratic France…or did he? • Napoleon took complete control as first consul

15. Napoleon Reforms(?) France • Strengthened national government • Collected taxes; started national bank • Set uplycéesto educate men to become trained, uncorrupt gov’t officials • Signed a concordat with the Pope • Gov’t recognized influence of Church, but NOT in national affairs • In other words…? • Separation of church and state • Napoleonic Code • Set new and equal laws for France • Promoted order and authority over individual rights

16. Napoleon’s Coronation (1804)

17. Napoleon as Emperor (1804-1815) • Took over large parts of Europe • European countries formed alliance against him • Napoleon’s empire large, but unstable

18. Napoleon’s Three Mistakes • 1. The Continental System • Looked to make continental Europe more self-sufficient • What country did Napoleon want to cause damage to? • Napoleon sets up a blockade…Why? • Blockade was too loose, did not stop British navy • 2. The Peninsular War • Invaded Spain so Portugal would become part of the Continental System • Bands of Spanish fighters called guerillas attacked Napoleon’s armies • 300,000 French soldiers die

19. The Biggest Mistake • 3. Invasion of Russia (1812) • 420,000 French soldiers march into Russia • Russian general Czar Alexander keeps pulling back his soldiers deeper into his territory • Russia uses scorched-earth policy to weaken Napoleon’s army • More than 400,000 French soldiers die

20. Napoleon Exits from France--Twice • Napoleon wanted to continue fighting, but his generals refused • He was exiled to Elba, a small island off the coast of Italy • New king was unpopular • Napoleon escapes, fights Prussian and British forces at Waterloo • Napoleon’s defeat there is the end of his last attempt to keep power, called the Hundred Days

21. Congress of Vienna • Goal was to provide security and stability for all of Europe • Klemens von Metternich was the most influential representative • 1. Surround France with strong countries • **2. Restore a balance of power to Europe • 3. Restore royal families to throne--legitimacy • Alliances formed: Holy Alliance and the Concert of Europe • Was the Congress successful? • Long-term effects: • End to rigid and unfair social structure • Increased beliefindemocracy