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Worldwide Impact of the American Revolution: The Ideas of Freedom & Equality Spread. First Up: The French Revolution. 1789-Absolute Monarchy with absolute power. France divided-Three Estates=social classes-no social mobility. 1 st Estate-Catholic clergy-religious leaders Owned 15% of land
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Worldwide Impact of the American Revolution: The Ideas of Freedom & Equality Spread First Up: The French Revolution
France divided-Three Estates=social classes-no social mobility 1st Estate-Catholic clergy-religious leaders • Owned 15% of land • Paid no taxes 2nd Estate-aristocracy-noble families • Owned 25% of land • Paid no taxes 3rd Estate-98% of Frances pop.-peasants, laborers, farmers, merchants, lawyers: Bourgeoise • Paid taxes • No voice in gov’t
Three Estates: Chart Work Which estate was the smallest % of the population? Why might members of the Third Estate be the poorest?
Ripe for Revolution • Citizens of the Third Estate fed up with unfair gov’t-food shortages & rising prices • Form a new national congress called the “National Assembly” • July 14, 1789-citizens of Paris march to Bastille=royal fortress in center of city • Want to seize weapons to defend the National Assembly
Bastille Day • Military fired cannon into crowd-killed 98 • Citizens over-power and take Bastille-arm themselves • Bastille Day still celebrated in France every July 14th
National Assembly rules: A good or bad thing? • Aug 1789-National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man=all men “born & remain free & equal in rights” • Call for liberty & freedom/end monarchy and made France a republic-New constitution/every man could vote whether he owned property or not • New government called the National Convention-made up of Jacobins (radicals)-Set up the Committee of Public Safety-headed by Robespierre-harsh steps towards anyone who opposed the revolution
Reign of Terror • Robespierre-wages war against enemies of the revolution-aristocrats • Uses guillotine to execute King & Queen & 16,500 people • Ends with Robespierre being executed in 1794 • Leaves France in chaos & turbulence • Most people were better off before the revolution
Napoleon to the Rescue? • 1799-Napoleon Bonaparte-general-seizes power by force as dictator=coup d’etat • Freedom of religion • Equal taxes for everyone • Napoleonic Code-set of laws still used today • All males right to vote • Limited freedom of speech • Women couldn’t vote or own property
Napoleonic Wars-builds French Empire What countries did Napoleon conquer?
End of an Empire • 1812-Britain & Spain unite to defeat Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo • Napoleon exiled to St. Helena • Dies in 1821 at age 52