Download Chapter 6 French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1 – On the Eve

Chapter 6 French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 1 – On the Eve of Revolution
Riots prevalent in society – rumor of cut wages inspite of profits
Nobles not worried – believe economic reforms would help – wrong, crisis gets
worse
July – 1789 – hungry, poor, unemployed Parisians are in revolt
French Society Divided – still in medieval social system
Ancien regime= old order – division of 3 social classes (aka estates)
First estate = clergy
Second estate = nobility
Third Estates = everyone else, majority
Clergy enjoy wealth – church has great influence in Christian Europe – 1789,
French priests had every luxury – church owned land = wealth, privilege – owned
10% of land, collected tithes (taxes), did not pay taxes to the govt
Bishops, abbots, high church officials were also nobles – lived very well –
parish priests were more humble
Did provide some services – run schools, orphanages, hospitals
During enlightenment, many were critical fo church – idleness of some
clergy, church interference in politics and not allowing dissent – many clergy
looked down on Enlightenment ideas
Nobles Hold Top Govt Jobs – (2nd estate) – titled nobility – noble knights – in
1600s, nobles lost military power (under Richelieu & Louis XIV) – gained other
rights (under royal control) – includes top jobs in military, govt, courts, church
Versaillles – competition for royal appointments while idle courtiers enjoyed
entertainment – some live far from power – owned land, but not much income –
these “far off nobles” felt pinch of trying to maintain status while prices went up
Many nobles hated absolutism - resent royal buearacracy – used too many
middle class people – feared losing privilege, especially freedom from paying
taxes
Third Estate is Vastly Diverse – at top = bourgeoisie (middle class) – includes
bankers, merchants, manufacturers, lawyers, doctors, journalists, professors
Bulk of third estate is peasants – some prosperous landowners & hired
laborers, tenant farmers, day laborers
Poorest = urban laborers – apprentices, journeymen, industrial workers
(printing, cloth making) – servants, street merchants, construction – large # of
urban poor had no jobs – turn to crime or begging
All members of 3rd estate resented the the other two – social “betters” –
some wealthy bourgeoisie could get some titles, but best was still reserved for 2nd
and 1st – urban workers made very little money – if prices rose ever so slightly, it
could mean hunger
1st & 2nd estates paid almost no taxes – peasants paid taxes on almost
everything – technically free, but many owned debts – some dated back to middle
ages – some nobles tried to reimpose manor dues (fee for living in manor) –
Enlightenment ideas make people wonder if there’s a better way – mostly in
cities – why should 1st & 2nd have privileges when they are not majority – want
privileged class to pay their share
Financial Troubles –
Years of deficit spending – govt spends more $ than it takes in – creates debt –
leads to economic problems
National Debt Soars – Louis XIV left France in debt – many wars – Seven Years
War and American Revolution – costs went up in 1700s, lavish court expenses –
govt borrowed money to cover expenses
By 1789 – half of govt income was used to pay interest – 1780s, bad
harvests – food prices go up – many starving
To solve crisis, govt increases taxes, reduce expenses, or both – nobles and
clergy resisted any attempt to tax them
Economic Reform Fails – Louis XV (1715-1774) – all about pleasure, not
business, added to debts
Louis XVI (1774-) had good intentions but weak, indecisive – good adviser
– Jacques Necker – financial expert – urged reduction in court spending, reform
govt, abolish some tariffs on internal trade – proposed taxing 1st and 2nd estates –
clergy and high nobles force king to dismiss him
Louis XVI Calls the Estates-General
1788 – things are bad, bread riots, nobles denouncing royal tyranny (afraid of
taxes) – Louis calls Estates General for next year
Estates Prepare Grievance Notebooks – cahiers = notebooks – lists of grievances
and reforms wanted – some measured – fairer taxes, freedom of the press, regular
meetings of EG, etc – others outrageous that show how bad the national mood is
quotes pg 214)
Delegates Take the Tennis Court Oath – elected but only property owners were
allowed to vote – mostly lawyers, middle class, writers, professionals, etc –
familiar with enlightenment philosophes, wanted reform
May 1789 – EG convenes – deadlock over votes – traditional was each
estate meeting and voting separately. Each group has one vote -1st and 2nd can
outvote 3rd – 3rd Estate wants a vote by person
June 1789 – stalemates – 3rd Estate claims to represent people of France –
declares selves to be National Assembly – meeting hall was locked on them, so
they meet on a Tennis Court – swore “never to separate and to meet wherever the
circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just
constitution”
Reform clergy and nobles will join as well, Louis must accept it- gathers
troops just in case
Parisians Storm the Bastille – represents the first true challenge – July 14, 1789 –
over 800 people, worried about rumors of Royal troops – demanded weapons,
gunpowder, etc – commander opens fire –
Bastille becomes a symbol of independence –
6.2 The French Revolution Unfolds –
Different phases of revolution – moderate phase of National Assembly
(1789-91) creates constitutional monarchy
Radical phase (1792-94) – escalating violence, Reign of Terror
Directory (1795-99) –reaction against extremism
Napoleonic Age (1799-1815) – consolidates changes and create France
Political Crisis leads to Revolt –
1789 – politics and worst famine in history – grain prices soar – 80% of
income on bread
Rumors Create the “Great Fear”- stories of attacks on villages, spreads panic –
stories that govt troops were seizing crops
Fury unleashed on nobles trying to collect taxes – stole grain from noble
warehouses and set fire to manors – peasant anger
Paris Commune Comes to Power – revolutionary center – factions or different
groups try to gain power
Moderates under Marquis de Lafayette (Revolutionary War hero) – head of
National Guard, mostly middle class militia – response to royal troops – first to
take French colors- the tri color - red, white, blue
Radicals – Paris Commune – replaced royal govt of city – mobilize
neighborhoods for protests, violence, etc – newspapers and political clubs – each
with own points of view – some demand end to monarchy already
National Assembly Acts – August 4 – give up privileged status – Feudalism is
abolished – mostly gave up things that were already gone – turned reforms of
August 4th into law – key enlightenment goal – all male citizens are equal under the
law
Declaration of Rights of Man – late August 1789 – modeled after Dec of
Independence – all men were born and remain free and equal in rights – liberty,
property, security, and resistance to oppression – govts exist to protect natural
rights of citizens
All male citizens = equal – equal right ot hold office, with no distinction
other than virtues and talents – freedom of religion and taxes according to ability to
pay – Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
Women disappointed – they’re not covered – Olympe de Gouges demands
qual rights in Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen – 1791 –
she asks for same rights of women and men – later, women will be resisted for this
– many imprisoned and executed
Louis does not want to recognize it – lavish noble parties continue – more
anger
Women March on Versailles – Oct 5 – over 6000 women march to Versailles –
demanding bread
Anger directed at Marie Antoinette- daughter of Maria Therese of Austria
and sister of Joseph II – life of pleasure, extravagance – compassionate to poor, but
Crowd would not go away until King agreed to meet them in Paris – King
Louis wore the tricolor – moved to palace at Tuileries – prisoners
National Assembly Presses Onward – follows king to paris – bourgeois members
work to make constitution, solve financial crisis – pay off national debt, vote to
sieze church lands
Church is Placed Under State Control – very radical move – 1790 Civil
Constitution of the Clergy – bishops and priests are elected, salaried officials –
ends papal authority over French Catholic church – dissolved convents and
monasteries
Many bishops, priests, etc are angry – pope condemns it – many French
peasants see it as too far – govt punishes clergy, divides revolution
Constitution of 1791 Establishes New Government – limited monarchy, new
legislative assembly has power to make laws, collect taxes, decide issues of war
and peace, - members are elected by tax paying male citizens over the age of 25
Replaces old provinces w/ 83 provinces of roughly equal size – abolishes old
provincial courts, reforms lawas
Moderate reformers thought that was it – 1791 – new govt, enlightenment
goals, equality before the law, ended church interference, power in the hands of
men with means and leisure to serve govt
Louis Tries to Escape – Fails – June 1791 – carriage – king and queen disguised
Fails in a town north – used currency w/ king’s face – soldiers escort them
back, crowd insults them – many thought him a traitor
Radicals Take Over – all of Europe was watching – Enlightenment supported
approved of National Assembly – French experiment meant a new age of justice
and equality – European rulers/nobles denounced revolution
Rulers Fear Spread of Revolution – increased border patrols w/ France – stop
“French plague” - emigres – nobles, clergy and others who left France – told
terrible stories - attacks on property, religion, lives – even enlightened rulers
turned on France – too mch
Worry that revolution become more violent – “plots and assassinations” –
preventative murder and confiscations – “when ancient opinions and rules of life
are taken away… we have no compass to govern us.”
Threats from Abroad – August 1791, Prussia – king and emperor of Austria
Joseph II – MA’s brother – issue Declaration of Pilnitz – two monarchs threaten to
intervene to protect French monarchs – revolutionaries throught it was real, prep
for war
Radicals Fight for Power and Declare War – Oct 1791 – newly elected
Legislative Assembly begins – crisis – will only last a year – more economic
problems – Assignats drop in value – prices rise rapidly – leads to hoarding and
food shortages
Working class men and women – sans culottes – become more radical – long
trousers instead of breeches – demand a republic – govt ruled by elected reps
instead of monarch
Hostile factions compete for power – Jacobins (radicals) - middle class
lawyers and intellectuals, agree with sans culottes – spread of ideas through
pamphlets and newspapers to spread republic ideas – opposed were moderate
reformers or those who thought enough had been done –
National Assembly Declares War on Tyranny – radicals gain power by April
1792 – take over Legislative Assembly – LA declares war on Austria, then on
Prussia, Britain, etc – war vs monarchies – other powers expect to win a huge
victory over France – will last on and off from 1792-1815
Chapter 6.3 – Radical Days of the Revolution
War on the border w/ Prussia is bad – Prussian well trained army does well against
French not prepared.
The Monarchy is Abolished
Tensions lead to violence – failure of the troops made people accuse the king –
thinking he was giving away secrets – Aug 10, 1792 – crowd storms palace at
Tuileries and slaughter king’s guards – royals escape to Legislative Assembly
Following month, mob attacks prisons holding nobles and priests – 1200
prisoners slaughtered (including ordinary criminals) – “September Massacre” –
bloodthirsty mobs or patriots defending France – mostly ordinary citizens inspired
by fury
Radicals Take Control – radicals control assembly – call for new representative
body = National Convention – suffrage (right to vote) to all male citizens
Convention votes to abolish monarchy and establish French Republic –
made new constitution
Jacobins – attempt to erase anything suggestive of old order – seized lands
of nobles and abolished titles
Put Louis XVI on trial as traitor – convicted by a single vote – death
sentence – executed January, 1793 – October, Marie Antoinette as well – press
celebrated it
Terror and Danger Grip France – France surrounded by Britain, Netherlands,
Spain and Prussia – in Vendee region of france, royalists and priests led peasants
on rebellion against new government – in Paris, sans culottes demand relief from
food shortages and inflation – Convention is divided between Jacobins and
Girondins
Convention Creates a New Committee – deal with threats to France – Committee
of Public Safety – 12 members – absolute power – prepared for war, taxed
everyone, required all citizens to contribute to war effort – also in charge of trails
and executions
New recruits march in army – defend France – new armies are starting to
win invade Netherlands and Italy – crushed peasants revolts – European monarchs
are worried – “freedom fever” into conquered lands
Robespierre “the incorruptible” – Maximilien Robespierre – lawyer and
politician rose to leadership of Committee of Public – Jacobin –
Embrassed Rouseau’s idea of general will of the people = legitimate law –
promoted religious tolerance, wanted to abolish slavery – popular among sans
culottes – believed France could be a “republic of virtue” only through terror –
prompt, severe and inflexible justice – no liberty w/o criminals losing their heads
Guillotine Defines the Reign of Terror – Sept. 1793-July 1794 – courts
conducted quick trials, spectators hailed death sentences – speech Feb 5, 1794 (pg.
225) – anyone who resisted revolution was suspect
300,000 arrested, 17,000 executed – many mistaken identity or falsely
accused – many packed into prisons w/ horrible diseases
Guillotine – invention of Dr. Joseph Guillotin – more humane method than
an ax – becomes a symbol of horror
Convention turns on Committee – July 27,1794 – Robespierre arrested,
executed the next day – executions slowed down after that
Revolution Enters its Third Stage – moderates move away from radicals – new
constitution
Constitution of 1795 – set up 5 man Directory and 2 house legislature
elected by male citizens of property – dominated by middle class and professionals
Lasts until 1799
Directory was weak – many were unhappy – made peace with Prussia and
Spain – war continues w/ Austria and Great Britain – corruption
Riots suppressed quickly, revival of royalist sentiments – emigres returning
to France, as well as Catholics who did not like what happened to church
1797 – election – supporters of constitutional monarchy won majority of
legislative seats – chaos
Turn to Napoleon Bonaparte – popular military hero – won many victories
against Austrians in Italy – plan was to use him to solidify govt – Napoleon will
outwit them all and rule France
Revolution Brings Change – by 1799, France was changed – 10 years of
revolution – got rid of old social classes, removed monarchs, brought Chruch
under govt control
New symbols – red liberty caps and tricolor flag confirmed liberty and
equality of all male citizens – “Citizen” was title, no other titles - symbols of old
order were gone, no more powdered wigs
Nationalism Spreads – revolution and war – people have strong sense of identity
- people serve France – not nobles or kings – birth of the song La Marseillaise –
French national anthem is born
Revolutionaries Push for Social Reform – social reform and religious tolerance –
set up state schools to replace religious ones – systems to help poor, old, disabled –
abolished slavery (revolt in Haiti)
Chapter 6, Section 4 – Age of Napoleon –
1789 -1815 = Napoleon dominates Europe
Napoleone Rises to Power – born in Corsica (med island) – age 9 sent to France
for military career – 20 years old at time of revolution – ambitious –
Favored Jacobins and republican rule – conflicting ideas – figured to take
the side that is more aggressive
Victories Cloud Losses – Dec. 1793 – drove British out of fort of Toulon – fought
against Austrians in N. Italy – forced Hapsburg emperior to make peace –
Invade Egypt in 1798 – disrupt British trade routes – not a good idea, but hid
losses – network of spies and censoring press
1799 – became political – overthrows Directory, set up Consulate – new
constitution but calls himself First Consul
1800 – forces Spain to return Louisiana Territory to French control
1802 – Consul for Life
Napoleone Crowns Himself Emperor – 1804 – assumes title of Emperor of the
French – invites Pope to coronation in paris – takes crown from Pope’s hand and
crowns himself – no power over him
Plebiscite – popular vote by ballot – each step French support him – people
had say, but Napoleon was pulling strings – absolute power – democratic
despotism
Napoleon Reforms France – strengthen central govt – “order security and
efficiency” –
Restorn economic prosperity – controlled prices, encouraged new industry,
built roads and canals
Public schools under govt control = well trained military officers
Concordat of 1801 – keep Catholic Church under state control but
recognizes freedom –
Encouraged emigrees to return – take oath of loyalty – allowed peasants to
keep lands they bought from church/nobles during revolution
Middle class approval
Open jobs to all based on merit
Napoleonic Code = new set of laws – Enlightenment – equality of all citizens
under the law, religious freedom, abolition of feudal system – women lose rights,
not citizens –male = head of household – values order
Napoleon Builds an Empire – battle – by 1812, Grand Empire will reach largest
point
Military tactics – rapid movements, effective use of large army – new plan
for each battle – no playbook – believed Napoleon was worth 40000 troops
Map of Europe is Redrawn – annexed (conquered) – Netherlands, Belgium, parts
of Italy and Germany – abolish HRE and created 38 state Confederation of the
Rhine (part of Germany) – cut Prussia in half – Grand Duchy of Warsaw
Diplomacy of force – placed friends and relatives on thrones – brother
Joseph b/c King of Spain – forced treaties on all
French people loved Napoleon
Napoleon Strikes at Britain – GB is outside Napoleon’s grasp – sea power –
1805, Battle of Trafalgar – Admiral Nelson (GB) destroys French fleet
Continental System – closes European ports, blockade, seize neutral ships –
will trigger war of 1812 w/ US
British exports decline, navy keeps trade routes open to US and India – hurts
Europe more
French armis spread reform, revolutionary govts, end church privilege,
abolish nobility, open careers, end serfdom – influences Latin America
Napoleon’s Empire Faces Challenges – 1812, invades Russia
Nationalism – works against Napoleon – spurred French to success, but
promoted nationalism in those conquered – saw French as foreign oppressors –
resent continental system and French culture
Revolts – national loyalty –
Spain & Austria Battle the French – most Spaniards loyal to former king
and church – resistance to French – French are brutal – executions – guerrilla
warfare – inflames Spanish nationalism – determined to drive French out
Austria will fight back too – loses
Russian Winter Stops the Grand Army - Tsar Alexander I was once ally –
many Russians unhappy w/ continental system – also unhappy w/ grand duchy of
Warsaw on Russian border – Tsar withdraws support – Napoleon raises large army
1812 – 600000 men, 50000 horses – Russians retreat, trade space for time –
scorched earth policy – leave nothing – French are hungry and cold when winter
arrives – Napoleon enters Moscow in September – turns back in October
Brutal attacks and brutal cold all the way home – only 20000 men return
Napoleon tries to raise new army –
Napoleon Falls from Power – new alliance of Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia –
1813 -defeat Napoleonic force at Battle of Leipzig
Napoleon Abdicates – Briefly – step down from power – exile to Elba, island in
Med – recognize Louis XVIII, brother of Louis the XVI – agrees to accept new
government and land deals – but emigrees return for revenge – unstable – people
want Napoleon back
Napoleon escapes – army joins him – Louis XVIII flees, Nap enters Paris in
1815 (March)
Crushed at the Battle of Waterloo – allies reassemble armies to attack Napoleon
again – June 1815 – Waterloo in Belgium – Duke of Wellington and General
Blucher – one day battle – Napoleon exiled to St. Helena – no return
Napoleon’s Legacy – dies 1821 – impact on France and Europe – France is state
w/ constitution and Napoleonic code for law – elections, rights to property,
education
Spread ideas of revolution around world – nationalism – Germany will unite,
Louisiana Territory to US
Leaders Meet at Congress of Vienna – diplomats – restore stability and order
10 months – Sept 1814 to June 1815 – host Emp. Frances I of Austria –
Strives for Peace – lasting peace through balance of power – protect monarchies –
France was accepted as equal partner –
Redraw map of Europe again – ring France w/ strong nations –
Legitimacy – restored monarchs to France (Louis XVIII), Spain, Portugal,
Italian city states
Fails to See Traps Ahead – Quadruple Alliance of Britain, Austria, Prussia,
Russia – pledge to act together to maintain balance of power and suppress
revolutionary uprisings - concert of Europe – meetings periodically to discuss
problems
Spread of Nationalism is unstoppable and will shake Europe – but no war for
100 years (of that size)