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French Revolution 1789 and Age of Napoleon Background to Revolution • Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment • Enlightenment validated human beings ability to think for themselves and govern themselves. • Rousseau believed all people were equal and wanted all rank and nobility abolished. • Rousseau said “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.” American Revolution • 1775 – 1781 • Helped cause the French Revolution because of the money it cost France (more later on this) • Also provided the French with an example of revolution and a new spirit of democracy. Three Estates • • • • Estates were legal social classes. 1st Estate = Clergy (Catholic Church) 2nd Estate = Nobility 3rd Estate = Everybody else • 1st and 2nd Estates were exempt from taxes. • 3rd Estate owed duties – left over from feudalism Third Estate • Made up of many different types of people. • Extremely poor peasants who owned no land • Very wealthy merchants who hoped to become nobles • Included merchants, bankers, industrialists, lawyers, doctors, writers • Middle Class – called the bourgeoisie • Led the Revolution because they had more of their basic needs met and could spend the time organizing the revolution. Bad Times in France • Poor harvests – food scarce and prices high • Fall-off in trade – decline of trading with other countries • Decline in manufacturing – with rising prices people couldn’t afford to buy manufactured goods, so factories produced less, which led to layoffs Financial Crisis • Louis XVI wanted to rule like all absolute monarchs • He spent enormous sums of money on wars and court luxuries – Marie Antoinette – “Let them eat cake.” • Even though the economy was on the verge of collapse, he spent another fortune on helping the American Colonists vs. England Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette • Because the government was almost out of money, Louis XVI had to call an assembly of the Estates to ask for more taxes (hadn’t been done for over a 150 years) • When the Estates got together, they wanted to change things • The Third Estate wanted more say in how things were run. • The Nobles blocked the changes National Assembly • Since the Third Estate was blocked by the Nobles, • They decided that they would write a constitution that would limit the power of the king. • They allowed the 3rd Estate to vote • They also proclaimed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen – all men were equal under the law (not women) Storming of the Bastille • While the National Assembly was debating the new laws, the people rebelled. • One of the hated symbols of the old regime was a prison fortress called the Bastille • Peasants broke in, freed the prisoners, captured the weapons, and tore down the prison. • This marks the beginning of the Revolution • They still celebrate Bastille day in France each year. Women gone wild! • Women were rioting because there was no bread. • Thousands of Parisian women marched to Versailles and captured Louis XVI and his family. • He was a captive from this point on and had to accept the decrees of the National Assembly. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity • (Fraternity means brotherhood) • This was the chant heard all over France • This slogan represented the ideals of the Revolution French Revolution • The French Revolution had been fairly peaceful. • Over the course of 2 years • They had changed their government from an Absolute Monarchy to a Limited Monarchy. • They wanted to make everyone equal and eliminate all the symbols of the old regime • They abolished religion and renamed the months • The King of France was not thrilled with the new government – he wanted to go back • The kings in other countries were not happy either. • Austria and other countries raised armies and invaded France to restore Louis XVI’s power. • The people are afraid and what to defend the revolution. Reign of Terror • Fear drove the Reign of Terror • The new government was afraid that they would have to go back to the old government. • They were afraid that other kings would invade and make them change back. • And they were afraid the people in France would make them change back. Committee of Public Safety • Given broad powers to defend France from threats. • Led by a man named Robespierre. • Accuse anyone of trying to change the government. • Punishment was the guillotine. • The guillotine was used because it killed humanely. • 40,000 people killed across France. • Including the King. Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon’s Rise • From island of Corsica • Supporter of the Revolution. • Revolution changed the way people got important positions. • People were no longer given positions in the government based on nobility. • He is promoted because of his ability. • One of the greatest generals in history. • At the height of his power he controlled almost all of Europe. (next slide) The 3 parts of Napoleon’s Empire were1. French Empire 2. Dependent States 3. Allied States Coup d’etat • Strike (a blow against) the State – (Synonyms = coup, putsch, overthrow) • Sudden, illegal overthrow of the government (usually by the military) • Napoleon and others overthrew the Directory (what the government was called at the time) • Within a few years he had himself crowned Emperor Napoleon I. The 3 parts of Napoleon’s Empire 1.French Empire 2.Dependent States 3.Allied States Civil Code - Law Reform • His most important social achievements • Before the revolution, France had more than 300 different legal systems. • During the revolution they worked on making just one. • The work was finished under Napoleon • Called the Civil Code, it included things like equality of all citizens before the law, right to choose a profession, religious toleration, abolition of serfdom Nationalism • He brought the ideas of the French Revolution to all the countries he conquered – especially nationalism • This is the idea that the people are the nation. • People will work together and work harder to defend their country. • People began to look at themselves and take pride in their history. • This idea which Napoleon spread would eventually lead to his downfall. England – Thorn in the Side • England held out against Napoleon • Since Nap. Couldn’t invade England he would crush them economically. • Continental System – no country on the continent of Europe could trade with England. • Russia didn’t obey the Cont. Sys. • So to teach them a lesson, Napoleon invaded Russia. Russia Russia 1812 • Nap. Brought an army of 600,000. • Russians retreated – just fast enough to avoid a big battle • Scorched Earth – burn or destroy anything that the enemy might be able to use. • As the French went farther and farther into Russia, they got farther and farther from their supplies. • The French finally reached Moscow (capital of Russia), and it had been set on fire. • The Russian winter began and Napoleon and his army had to retreat. • By the time his army got back to the starting point there were only 40,000 troops left. Napoleon’s Fall • After the defeat in Russia, France was weak. • Because of their feelings of nationalism, the countries that France had controlled now rose up and attacked France. • They restored the monarchy to France. • Napoleon was forced into exile. • The exile didn’t last long. • Napoleon returned, and the army joined him. • The Duke of Wellington (Englishman) finally defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, 1815. Legacy of Napoleon • He spread the idea of nationalism. • He spread French Revolution ideas, including equality, education, and law reform. Congress of Vienna • After Napoleon was exiled, the countries of Europe decided to try and work things out. • Officials from almost every country in Europe gathered at a meeting called the Congress of Vienna • Didn’t achieve much • First time continent wide meeting of countries • Mitternich and Legitimacy