Chapter 19

1. Chapter 19 The French Revolution And Napoleon

2. Chapter 19 Section 1

3. The Old Regime • Louis XVI was the king of France in 1789 – what was called the Old Regime (Ancient Order) • Was kind, stupid, dull & slow-witted • Married to Marie Antoinette –unhappy with her arranged marriage & unpopular with the French people. • Under the Ancient Regime, or old order, everyone in France belonged to one of three classes • Population of France prior to outbreak of Revolution is 25 million

4. The First Estate • The Clergy • Enjoyed enormous wealth and privilege • Less than 1 percent of the population • Owned about 10 percent of land, collected tithes, and paid no taxes • Provided some social services • Upper clergy came from nobility while lower clergy were commoners

5. The Second Estate • The Nobility • Less than 2 percent of the population • Controlled about 20 percent of the land • Enjoyed great wealth and privileges • Only nobles could be army officers, high church officials and high ranking court officials • Feared losing traditional privilege, especially exemption from public taxes

6. The Third Estate • The Bourgeoisie - wealthy middle-class most outspoken group—peasants-the largest group • made up 98% of total population—paid taille (head tax) and gabelle (tax on salt) • Controlled 70% of land • City-workers or sans-culottes • Resented privilege of first and second estates—excluded from social and political privileges • Burdened by taxes • Many earned miserable wages and faced hunger and even starvation • Jeopardized by the lettre de cachet (government could imprison anyone without charges or trial)

7. French Troubles • Economic woes added to the social unrest and heightened tension • For years, the French government had engaged in deficitspending that is, a government spending more money than it takes in. • Louis XIV had left France deeply in debt. Recent wars, a general rise in costs in the 1700s, and the lavish court were incredibly costly—the government borrowed more and more money. • Louis XVI appointed Jacques Turgot as finance minister in 1774—followed physiocrat policies—tried to end corvee (requirement that peasants perform labor on the roads)—sought to cut government expenditures—forced out by nobility • Jacques Necker replaced Turgot—resumed traditional policy of borrowing money and increasing spending

8. French Troubles • Bad harvests in the late 1780s sent food prices soaring and brought hunger to poorer peasants and city dwellers • Discontent among the people led Louis XVI to call the Estate General – the legislative assembly of France – the first meeting in 175 years • Parlement of Paris, French high court, ruled that new taxes could not be levied without consent of Estates General

9. The Estates General • Each Estate was to draw up a list of grievances (cahiers) to be discussed • Many cahiers called for reforms such as fairer taxes, freedom of the press, or regular meetings of the Estates General.

10. The Estates General • Traditionally the three Estates met separately with each estate having one vote • The Third Estate wanted to meet together with each deputy having one vote • Louis XVI ordered them to met separately

11. The Estates General • the Third Estate took a daring step. Claiming to represent the people of France, they declared themselves to be the National Assembly. They then invited delegates from the other estates to help them write a constitution • A few days later, the National Assembly found its meeting hall locked and guarded

12. The Tennis Court Oath • Fearing that the king planned to dismiss them, the delegates moved to a nearby indoor tennis court. Taking the Tennis Court Oath. swearing “never to separate”

13. The National Assembly • When reform-minded clergy and nobles joined the Assembly, Louis XVI grudgingly accepted it. • This is the first step in the French Revolution • Louis XVI also orders royal troops gathered around Paris, and rumors spread that the king planned to dissolve the Assembly.

14. The Bastille • On July 14, 1789, more than 800 Parisians gathered outside the Bastille, a medieval fortress used as a prison. Seen as symbol of royal injustice. They demanded weapons believed to be stored there. • The commander of the Bastille opened fire on the crowd, and a battle ensued, in which many people were killed(98 killed 73 wounded) • The storming of the Bastille quickly became a rallying cry of the French Revolution, a blow to tyranny.

15. Today, the French still celebrate July 14 as Bastille Day.

16. Chapter 19 Section 2

17. The Start of the Revolution • The political crisis of 1789 coincided with the worst famine in memory. Starving peasants roamed the countryside or flocked to the towns. Even people with jobs had to spend most of their income on bread.

18. The Great Fear • In such desperate times, rumors ran wild and set off what was later called the “Great Fear.” • In the countryside, peasantsattacked the homes and manors of nobles. Burned documents • Lords forced to renounce dues and tithes • Commune of Paris became the Municipal government in Paris

19. The National Assembly • Peasant uprisings and the storming of the Bastille stampeded the National Assembly into action. On August 4, in a combative all-night meeting, nobles in the National Assembly voted to end their privileges. • They agreed to give up their old manorial dues • exclusive hunting rights • special legal status • exemption from taxes. • Ended serfdom/feudalism

20. The National Assembly • August 27, 1789 – Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen – written by Marquis de Lafayette with the help of Thomas Jefferson • the Marquis de Lafayette, the aristocratic “hero of two worlds” who had fought alongside George Washington in the American Revolution. Lafayette headed the National Guard, The Guard was the first group to wear the tricolor (symbol of Revolution)—a red, white, and blue badge which was eventually adopted as the national flag of France.

21. Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizens • All citizens equal before the law • Innocent until proven guilty • Freedom of religion, press, & from arbitrary arrest • Property is unbreakable and sacred • “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” became the slogan of the Revolution

22. “March on Versailles” • October 1789 - Women of Paris, protesting the shortage and cost of bread marched on Versailles. • Lafayette – calmed them down but Louis XVI was forced to wear the Tricolor • The royal family was forced to move to the Tuileries – a royal palace in Paris • National Assembly followed the king to Paris

23. France and the Church • To pay off the huge government debt – National Assembly took over church land and sold it—willalienate Catholic clerics and believers • Civil Constitution of the Clergy • French government controls the Church • Bishops & priests elected salaried officials • Ended papal authority over French Church • Condemned by the pope & many French peasants rejected it

24. The Constitution of 1791 • The National Assembly completed its main task by producing a constitution. • set up a limited monarchy in place of the absolute monarchy – radicals wanted a republic • Lawmakers would be elected by tax-paying male citizens • Many nobles called émigrés (political exiles) will flee France

25. The Constitution of 1791 • The constitution set up theLegislative Assembly – they had the power to create laws and to approve or prevent any war the king declared • The Legislative Assembly was split into three general groups • The radicals • The moderates • The conservatives

26. The Radicals • Radicals – leftists – sat on the left side of the hall (Jacobins) • Opposed the idea of a monarch • Wanted the common people to have full power in a republic (democracy) • Extreme left were the sans-culottes

27. The Moderates • Moderates – centrists - sat in the center of the hall • Wanted some changes in the government but not as many as the radicals • Could lean to the right or left

28. The Conservatives • Conservatives – rightists – sat on the right side of the hall • Wanted a limited monarchy • Wanted few changes in government • Émigrés were on the extreme right

29. The Legislative Assembly • They will govern for less than a year – faced internal and external enemies • Monarchs throughout Europe wanted to stop the spread of the revolution—imposed repressive policies at home • Revolutionary leaders – many of them Jacobins (political club of radical lawyers)– wanted to spread it throughout Europe

30. Attempted Escape • Many were urging the king and royal family to flee France (king’s brother) • Leopold II, Marie Antoinette’s brother and emperor of Holy Roman Empire included • Royal family tried to reach Austrian Netherlands • Caught at the city of Varennes (Flight to Varennes)—Louis XVI agreed to Constitution of 1791

31. War • In 1791, the monarchs of Austria and Prussia had issued the Declaration of Pilnitz, in which they threatened to intervene to protect the French monarchy. • April 1792 Legislative Assembly declares war on Austria & Prussia

32. War • At first the war goes badly for France • Poorly organized, equipped, & led • Summer of 1792 enemy forces advancing on Paris • July 1792 – Duke of Brunswick issued Brunswick Manifesto – any harm done to royal family, he will destroy Paris & execute Revolutionary leaders • French will rally and defeat Brunswick at the battle of Valmy • War will cause high prices and food shortages

33. Results • 20,000 Parisians invade the Tuileries – massacred 600 Swiss guards and imprisoned the royal family in a stone tower • September Massacre – Parisians raided the prisons & murdered over 1,000 prisoners—ordered by Georges Danton who was leader of Jacobins

34. The Radicals • September 1792 - Radicals took control of the Assembly and called for the election of a new legislative body called the National Convention. • They granted suffrage, or the right to vote, to all male citizens, not just to property owners. • Left—Jacobins (the Mountain) • Right—Girondins (Conservatives) • Middle—(the Plain, or Marsh or the Belly)

35. The National Convention • Wanted to erase all traces of the old order. It’s first act was to abolish the monarchy and declare France a republic. • The Jacobins, who controlled the Convention, seized lands of nobles and abolished titles of nobility. • All French now called “citizen”—king known as “Citizen Capet”

36. The National Convention • Led by radical Jacobins like Jean Paul Marat –editor of the Friendof the People who will be murdered by Charlotte Corday • the Convention put Louis XVI on trial for treason and on January 21, 1793 he was beheaded by the guillotine (invented by Dr. Joseph Guillotin)

37. The National Convention • By the start of 1793 the French armies were still suffering but will begin to have success by the end of the year • Captured the Austrian Netherlands • Threaten Dutch & Prussia • The National Convention issued a proclamation promising to aid “all peoples wishing to recover their liberty” • Issued the Constitution of 1793

38. The First Coalition • March 1793 – Great Britain, the Dutch Netherlands, & Spain joined Austria and Prussia to form the First Coalition

39. French at War • War caused hardships on the home front • Rebellions against the Revolution in Vendee region of W. France caused internal strife (used barges to drown thousands) • French armies were hard pressed to survive against First Coalition

40. Chapter 19 Section 3

41. REIGN OF TERROR • the National Convention set aside the Constitution of 1793 and set up the Committee of Public Safety (COPS) • they will wage a brutal campaign against those suspected of being enemies of the state (domestic and foreign)—this was the bloodiest period of the French Revolution which is known as the "Reign of Terror"

42. REIGN OF TERROR • Maximilien Robespierre gained control of the Committee of Public Safety and was ruthless when dealing with so called enemies of the Revolution (governed as dictator) • wanted to establish a "Republic of Virtue"whereby all citizens would have high moral standards and be dedicated patriots

43. REIGN OF TERROR • Committee of Public Safety believed that religion was old-fashioned and dangerous—churches were closed throughout France (Cathedral of Notre Dame renamed the Temple of Reason) • no Sundays on the new calendar (weeks were 10 days long and the names of the months were associated with the seasons and climate)

44. Reign of Terror • COPS passed the levee en massewhich demanded all citizens contribute to war effort—mass conscription (18-45) • Passed the law of suspects which allowed the arrest, imprisonment, and death of citizens with little or no evidence • COPS also instituted price and wage controls, food rationing, metric system and censorship of all written materials

45. REIGN OF TERROR • RevolutionaryTribunalstried those suspected of being counter-revolutionaries • Marie Antoinette became one of the first victims of the Reign of Terror • many were tried in the morning and executed in the afternoon • estimated that some 40,000 people were executedduring the Reign of Terror (July 1793 to July 1794) • Twice as many bourgeoisie than nobles—three times as many peasants/laborers than all other classes

46. REIGN OF TERROR • all classes went to the guillotine—bourgeoisie (16%) nobles (8%) clergy (6%) and peasant and working class (70%) • Put down largest anti-revolutionary movement in the Vendee, Western France • It will finally end when Robespierre will finally be arrested and sent to the guillotine on July 28, 1794

47. Thermidorean Reaction • power was now in the hands of the wealthy middle-class (Moderates now in control) • a new constitution - 1795 (3rd since 1789) was prepared creating an executive body called the Directory, a five man body • a two-house legislature • a Council of 500 (lower house) • aCouncil of Elders(elected the Directory) (upper house)—accepted or rejected legislation • Only men who possessed property allowed to vote • Only men with significant property could hold public office

48. WOMEN IN THE REVOLUTION • women played an important role in the Revolution • Olympe de Gougeswrote the Declaration of the Rightsof Womanwhich demanded equal rights for women—be educated, to vote, hold public office—she was later executed

49. WOMEN IN THE REVOLUTION • women’s rights • divorce was madeeasier • women allowed to inherit property • as the Revolution progressed women will lose most of what they had gained

50. Other developments of the Revolution • compulsory elementary education • extended religious toleration • outlawed slavery in French colonies in the West Indies • the most important new development in France was the rise of nationalism, an aggressive feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country