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The French Revolution
Influence of the Enlightenment
American Revolution had been fought and won. It was successful only with direct aid of Louis XVI of France.
The American Revolution showed that Enlightenment ideas could be put into practice in forming a new
government. It also proved that people could govern without the privileged class.
II. Early Causes of the French Revolution
A. Economic Causes
1. Financial Crisis _The immediate cause of the French Revolution was a financial crisis.
What caused the financial crisis?
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French bankruptcy because of participation in American Revolution
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Extravagant cost of maintaining absolutism and the royal lifestyle of the royal family at Versailles.
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Poor credit. The French government was unable to secure loans.
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Overspending by Louis XV and XVI
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Seven Years War (French and Indian War in the US) Louis XVI - the American Revolution.
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Louis XV and XVI borrowed heavily to keep the government running.
Political Causes
 Discontent with the Monarchy--Louis XVI (1774-1793) & Marie Antoinette
 The French people hated the queen of France, Marie Antoinette from Austria.
 France was slipping into bankruptcy and King Louis the XVI wanted to impose heavier taxes on the
poor
 citizens he would need the approval of the Estates-General. However, the body had not met since 1614
(175 years).
The Storming of the Bastille
Meanwhile, food shortages, unemployment & high prices in Paris caused the workers and tradesmen to begin
to arm themselves.
On July 14, 1789 - A Parisian MOB stormed the Royal Prison Fortress THE BASTILLE in order to arm and
protect the rights of the people.
Used as a prison, the Bastille represented royal power. About 100 people died and they freed only 7 prisoners.
Why does Bastille Day matter?
July 14, 1789 is known as French Independence Day ....the Beginning of the French Revolution
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Revolution Spreads
The Great Fear-- The Great Fear was characterized by the lower classes attacking the estates of the wealthy
because of the fear of the stories they were hearing SO...
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they broke into manors
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terrorized the aristocrats and their agents and killed some
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destroyed possessions
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burned documents that recorded rents, feudal dues, etc.
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stole grain from the storehouses
The middle class responded by forming militias to protect their property. Some privileged began to give up their
titles. The slogan of the Revolution became Life, Liberty and Fraternity.
New Constitution
The National Assembly issued a blueprint for constitutional monarchy government. The new constitution was
called THE DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN written
Aug. 27th, 1789.
The Declaration of the Rights of Man was influenced by the English Bill of Rights, American Declaration of
Independence, and the French Philosophies.
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it declared equality under the law for all (not women)
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it guaranteed freedom of speech, the press, and of religion
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it stated that men have the natural right to life, liberty and property
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universal manhood suffrage
The Reign of Terror
The first acts of the newly named National Convention were the abolition of the monarchy and the
declaration of France as a republic. In January 1793, the convention tried and executed Louis XVI and Marie
Antoinette on the grounds of treason.
Robespierre guillotined along with 19 of his associates. (July 10, 1794). The Reign of Terror quickly subsided.
Age of Napoleon Bonaparte (1799-1814)
The Directory was a very ineffective form of government and was easily overthrown.
On November 9, 1788 he led a coup d’état & overthrew the Directory
”I found the crown of France lying on the ground, and picked it up with my sword.”
He named himself - 1st Consul - for life - but behaved more like an Enlightened Despot - 1802 - 2 years later
he became emperor. He made peace with the Catholic Church making it the “unofficial” state church.
Napoleon submitted his constitution to the people for a vote or plebiscite. He promised the people peace
through military victory, stable government, and economic prosperity
Contributions of Napoleon

Established the Bank of France –Balanced the Budget

Established the public education system
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Aristocrats could return- loyalty oath
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Spies, secret police, propaganda
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Napoleonic Code: Codified French law

Equality

Property rights for peasants who had gained land during the Revolution
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Merit based system Careers open to talent

Public education system.
The Napoleonic Code:
 Civil code-used spies
 secret police,
 propaganda
 ignored electric bodies
 Aristocrats (some) allowed back- allowed back if they took an oath of loyalty
 He becomes emperor in 1804 by plebiscite
Napoleonic Wars
For the next 10 years, Napoleon engaged Europe in constant warfare as his Grand Empire expanded. He had
fought many wars with European nations as he led the French armies against a First and Second Coalition of
opposing nations.
Under Napoleon, government was competent, fair; infrastructure was rebuilt (roads, buildings, public
buildings).
He spread the Napoleonic Code, abolished serfdom, introduced public education, and dissolved the “old
regime”.
Government, commerce, and industry became open careers for men of talent.
Napoleonic Wars
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No other person ever came closer to forcing a political unity of the whole continent of Europe. Creation of
his Grand Empire
British became Napoleon’s chief enemy (commerce, empire, and control of the seas)
Nationalism
By 1808 Napoleon’s opponents grew stronger
Nationalism Revolutionary feelings spread
Opposing generals now copied his war methods
Continental System
 Blockade of the British Isles and forbade trade with Britain.
 British blockaded France.
 Neutral ships were seized by the British and French.
 Both the French and the British seized goods from American ships as they tried to trade with both sides
 Great Britain began not only to confiscate goods but also conscripted American sailors to serve in the
British army.
 Leads to the War of 1812 with the United States.
War of 1812
 America wanted to remain neutral - trade with both Britain and France
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Seizing of American ships and sailors led to war with Britain
Fort McHenry- Baltimore-Star Spangled Banner
Battle of New Orleans- Andrew Jackson
Treaty of Ghent- Dec. 24, 1814
The Invasion of Russia 1812
The 1000 mile retreat - resulted in a freezing, starving, army targeted by Russian by snipers,
Of the 600,000 - no more than 100,000 survived.
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Napoleon hurried back to Paris to raise another army but a 4th coalition, which included Austria and
Sweden, was organizing against Napoleon. The Battle of the Nations – Second Coalition: Russia
against Napoleon was Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Sweden.
Allied Powers poured into France in April 1814. Napoleon was forced to abdicate (step down).
Exiled to St. Helena off coast of Europe.
He raised an army and returned to France for 100 days
On June 18, 1815 - Napoleon was defeated at The Battle of Waterloo by the Fourth Coalition. Finally
Napoleon surrendered and was exiled Elba in the South Atlantic (4000 miles from Europe). He died there in
1821 of stomach cancer
The Congress of Vienna
The European Powers met to restore peace and order - basically they met to restore absolutism and return to the
absolution
Decisions:
 Legitimacy: All rulers of former ruling Families would be restored to their thrones
 Restoration of the balance of power: this meant that the powers had to try to keep anyone nation from
becoming too powerful (even though they all desired to do so). Europe is ripe for change.
 Can Europe to be patched back to its former state?
 Will the commoners accept absolutism?
 Napoleon left a lot of damage and change behind. Germany is no longer over 300 loose areas but now a
Confederation...what are the implications of German unification.
Spain was disrupted by Napoleon’s conquest of the continent. Therefore, the once mighty Spanish Empire was
losing control over its many colonies overseas. As a result, Spain became very preoccupied with its colonies
in Latin America; several of which were on the verge of breaking away. One after another (Chile, Colombia,
Peru, and Mexico) colonies declared itself independent in the 1820s. (Leading to the Monroe Doctrine in
1823)
Monroe Doctrine
In response to the possibility of European nations interfering in the western hemisphere, Monroe formulated a
declaration of principles on South America that became known as the Monroe Doctrine.
Monroe asserted “the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have
assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any
European power.”
Any attempt to interfere in the Western Hemisphere would be regarded as “the manifestation of an
unfriendly disposition towards the United States.” In exchange for non-interference by Europeans, Monroe
pledged that the United States would stay out of European struggles.
Combined with Pres. George Washington’s farewell address (do not get entangled in foreign alliances),
the Monroe Doctrine was now the foundation of American Foreign Policy and Isolationism. It will become
the foundation upon which all future decisions regarding Latin America will be laid.
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