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Political Struggles in France

Political Struggles in France. Revolt in France. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna restored the Bourbon monarchy under Louis XVIII. Louis died in 1824 His brother / successor Charles X wanted to restore absolute monarchy.

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Political Struggles in France

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  1. Political Struggles in France

  2. Revolt in France • In 1815 the Congress of Vienna restored the Bourbon monarchy under Louis XVIII. • Louis died in 1824 • His brother / successor Charles X wanted to restore absolute monarchy. • Got help from the ultraroyalists–nobles favoring a return to the old order.

  3. Revolt in France • The king issued the July Ordinances. • designed to dissolve the assembly, end freedom of the press, and restrict voting rights • On July 27, 1830, angry Parisian workers and students revolted.

  4. Revolt in France • By July 29, after Les TroisGlorieuses(three glorious days) Charles X was forced to abdicate the throne. • Charles X fled to Great Britain.

  5. The “Citizen-King” • Revolutionary leaders wrote a new constitutional monarchy that was different than the old aristocracy. • Louis Philippe, a cousin of Charles, accepted the throne. • became known as the “Citizen-King.”

  6. The “Citizen-King” • The working-class demanded political reforms. • voting rights • Louis Philippe and Prime Minister François Guizot refused • Frustrated, the revolutionary leaders called for Guizot’s resignation.

  7. Revolution of 1848 • February 22, 1848, crowds flooded Paris streets, singing “The Marseillaise” and protested against Guizot. • Louis Philippe abdicated and fled to Great Britain. • The Revo. of 1848 ended w/ rebels declaring France a republic. • Austria, Italy, Prussia followed France’s lead. • More political rights

  8. The Second Empire • In the spring of 1848, Revolutionary leaders created a new constitution for the 2nd Republic of France. • Featured many democratic reforms: • Legislative branch called the Nat’l Assembly • election of a president • extension of voting rights to all adult men

  9. The Rise of Louis-Napoleon • Dec. 1848, French voters elected Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte. • nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte • He presented himself as a democratic reformer, but wanted to be emperor. • Supported: • Army • middle class • peasants • Catholic Church

  10. The Rise of Louis-Napoleon • Lou-Nap’s support for the Catholic Church created an uproar in Paris. • He used the uproar to his advantage. • convinced the people that the republic was a failure. • Lou-Nap took control of the French government • directed a coup d’état - a quick seizure of power, on Dec. 2, 1851

  11. The Rise of Louis-Napoleon • Lou-Nap called for a plebiscite – national vote. • asked the people to give him the power to create a new French constitution, which they did. • In a 2nd plebiscite, the people approved the transformation of the French republic into a hereditary empire.

  12. The Rise of Louis-Napoleon • 1852 Lou-Nap became Napoleon III, Emperor of France. • He restricted the press and limited civil liberties, but his economic program was successful.

  13. Crimean War • 1854 Napoleon III led France into the Crimean War, • France and Great Britain vs Russia • over interests in the Ottoman Empire • July 1853, Russia’s Czar Nicholas I seized Ottoman territory in the Balkans b/c the Ottoman emperor decided to side w/ France.

  14. Crimean War • After the Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia in October 1853 • Great Britain • France • Sardinia (Tiny Italian kingdom) joined the conflict • In fall of 1854, French and British armies invaded the Crimean Peninsula on the north shore of the Black Sea

  15. Crimean War • Florence Nightingale, a nurse, improved hospital care and saved many lives. • The 1856 Treaty of Paris: • Ended the war • Forced Russia to return seized Ottoman territory • Banned warships and forts around the Black Sea

  16. End of the Empire • Napoleon declared war on the Prussians on July 19, 1870, beginning the Franco-Prussian War. • The Prussians beat the French in just over 6 weeks. • Sept. 2, after a decisive victory at Sedan, the Prussians took Napoleon III prisoner.

  17. End of the Empire • Sept. 4, news of Napoleons capture reached Paris. • crowds filled the streets and forced the collapse of the Second Empire. • Prussian forces laid siege to Paris for 4months before a truce was signed.

  18. Making Peace • New National Assembly was elected in France • dominated by royalists • The Assembly surrendered the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine • France paid Prussia 5 billion francs – the equivalent of 1 billion dollars.

  19. Making Peace • In March the Nat’l Assembly tried to restore order in France. • particularly in Paris. • Parisians staged an uprising in Paris. • Not happy w/ peace terms • Gov’t demanded that Parisians pay the rents and debts that had been suspended during the siege. • The Assembly stopped paying the Nat’l Guard.

  20. The Commune of Paris • Paris workers established a Socialist government known as the Commune of Paris. • The leaders of the Commune refused to recognize the Nat’l Assembly • Leaders wanted to convert France into a decentralized federation of independent cities • Civil war broke out - the Nat’l Assembly took the offensive and regained control over Paris.

  21. The Commune of Paris • The Commune of Paris promoted: • End to gov’t support for religion • New revolutionary calendar • 10 hr.work day

  22. The Commune of Paris • May 1871, the Assembly’s military arrested nearly 40,000 people and killed more than 20,000. • “Bloody Week” • The rebellion set back the political and social advances made by workers.

  23. The 3rd Republic • After the fall of the Commune, the French fought over what form of gov’t it should take. • Finally, in 1875 a new constitution made France once again a republic. • The 3rd Republic’s constitution provided for a two-house legislature.

  24. The 3rd Republic • The two houses elected a president • served 4 years and had little real power • A cabinet of ministers was responsible for government policy • the post of premier was created to handle all executive business.

  25. Threats • The new government was vulnerable to attack. • Threatened by General Georges Boulanger – popular war hero. • 1889 Boulanger’s supporters urged him to overthrow the Third Republic w/ a coup d’état. • movement collapsed when he fled the country to avoid arrest for treason.

  26. Threats • 2nd threat - the early 1890s centered around the construction of the Panama Canal. • The project failed – thousands of French stockholders lost money.

  27. The Dreyfus Affair • 1890s – 3rd Republic’s biggest crisis • 1894 Alfred Dreyfus, a French army officer, was convicted of selling military secrets to the Germans. • Found Guilty • Later discovered that the evidence used against Dreyfus was forged.

  28. The Dreyfus Affair • In 1899 – new trial was ordered. • Military court found Dreyfus guilty, again! • Dreyfus won a presidential pardon • civilian court later declared him innocent as well.

  29. The Dreyfus Affair • Socialists and anti-Catholics united to: • Defend Dreyfus • Discredit the military • Royalists, nationalists, and many Catholics joined in regarding Dreyfus as guilty. • Anti-Semitic • Case proved that a Republic gov’t could survive in France.

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