Chapter 22 – The French Revolution and Napoleon

1. Chapter 22 – The French Revolution and Napoleon 1785-1815

2. Lesson 1 – The French Revolution Begins

3. Causes of the French Revolution French society that was not equal – divided into estates: First estate – clergy Second estate – nobility Third estate – everyone else Peasants – forced to pay the tailleor main tax, as well as other duties Craftspeople – consumer good prices outgrew wages Bourgeoisie – sought some of the power, influence and status of nobility; like the nobility, wanted to limit the power of the king and take on Enlightenment ideals

4. Immediate cause of the Revolution? Collapse of the French economy Food shortages High prices Unemployment Excessive spending by crown – particularly in helping the Americans In 1789, Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates-General

5. Arguments over voting began immediately – should voting be done by estates or by representatives? The chaos in parliament spilled out into the streets. 14 July – Parisians, against the government, stormed the Bastille and captured the city. This action triggered revolts throughout the country. For the first time in nearly 300 years, the Estates-General met.

6. The reformers in parliament adopted Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen– the epitome of Enlightenment ideals (except for the exclusion of women). A mob of women armed with broomsticks and pistols forced Louis XVI to accept the new decrees from the National Assembly – they kidnapped the king, queen and their son and returned to Paris. National Assembly also brought the Catholic Church under control, making many Catholics enemies of the Revolution. 1791 – a new constitution created a constitutional monarchy but other European monarchs threatened to restore Louis XVI to the throne.

7. A misguided and disastrous war with Austria and the lack of economic improvements radicalized the revolution. 1792 – Radicals called sans-culottes declared Paris to be a commune city, controlled and operated by the citizens. Sans-culottes demanded more suffrage – for all men. An heroic portrait of the sans-culottes – the radical element within the French Revolution.

8. Lesson 2 – Radical Revolution and Reaction

9. 1792 – The National Convention Governing body of France after the initial revolution Throughout France, political clubs materialized: Radicals merged into groups like the Jacobins in Paris. Outside of Paris, less radical, still revolutionary groups existed. Arguments over weather to maintain the monarchy ended with the king and queen’s beheading in 1793. The execution of Louis and Marie-Antoinette created a crisis: Other European monarchies were set to invade Other French people around the country did not recognize the new French government

10. Reign of Terror Maximilien Robespierre went on a killing spree for any enemies of the National Convention – known as the Reign of Terror. Saying it was temporary, he attempted to address the economic problems plaguing France. Also worked to de-Christianize France – declaring it only encouraged superstitious thinking. Robespierre continued his reign but the National Convention, who worried about their own necks, guillotined him. Maximilien Robespierre Radical Jacobin Head of Committee of Public Safety

11. After Robespierre’s death, moderates took over and created a democratic government. Some wanted the monarchy back while others wanted radicals like Robespierre back. 1799 – Napoleon Bonaparte conducted a coup d’état and took control over France. Napoleon Bonaparte

12. Lesson 3 – The Rise of Napoleon and the Napoleonic Wars

13. His military career was marked by stunning successes (against Italy and Austria) and defeats (against Britain in Egypt). Upon taking over government, he created his own consulate (government) and named himself First Consul – later, crowned himself emperor for life.

14. One of Napoleon’s first action was to make peace with the Catholic Church. He believed in Enlightenment ideas but knew he controlled a Catholic population. Catholicism became official church but Napoleon kept Catholic lands taken during Revolution. The Cathedral of Notre Dame, Reims, France

15. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France

16. Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, France

17. Strasbourg Cathedral Strasbourg, France

18. Saint Michel d’Aiguilhe, Aiguilhe, France

19. Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Paris, France

20. Le Mont St. Michel, Normandy, France

21. Major domestic achievement was a single codified law code – the Napoleonic Code. Simplified the various codes that existed before. Included Enlightenment principles – equality, religious toleration, abolishment of feudal system. Women and children lost rights they had briefly gained from the radical revolutionary ideas. He created, however, a meritocracy – government and leadership based on talents and not birth or status. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

22. The Napoleonic Code Title I: Of the Enjoyment and Privation of Civil Rights The exercise of civil rights is independent of the quality of citizen, which is only acquired and preserved conformably to the constitutional law…. Every Frenchman shall enjoy civil rights. Chapter VI: Of the Respective Rights and Duties of Married Persons 212.Married persons owe to each other fidelity, succor, assistance. 213.The husband owes protection to his wife, the wife obedience to her husband. 214.The wife is obliged to live with her husband, and to follow him to every place where he may judge it convenient to reside: the husband is obliged to receive her, and to furnish her with every necessity for the wants of life, according to his means and station…. 226.The wife may make a will without the authority of her husband. Title IX: Of Paternal Power  375.A father who shall have cause of grievous dissatisfaction at the conduct. of a child, shall have the following means of correction. 376.If the child has not commenced his sixteenth year, the father may cause him to be confined for a period which shall not exceed one month; and to this effect the president of the court of the circle shall be bound, on his petition, to deliver an order of arrest. 377.From the age of sixteen years commenced to the majority or emancipation, the father is only empowered to require the confinement of his child during six months at the most…. 379.The father is always at liberty to abridge the duration of the confinement by him ordered or required. If the child after his liberation fall into new irregularities, his confinement may be ordered anew, according to the manner prescribed in the preceding articles.

23. Napoleon originally tried to halt the wars with France’s neighbors. Ended up defeating Austria and Prussia. Made rest of Europe either allies or puppets under his control. Only Britain remained outside his grasp.

24. Though he insisted on building his empire on Enlightenment ideas, there are two major reasons why his empire did not last long: British resistance He tried to beat them with the navy but failed. Tried to create a Continental System that would economically defeat Britain but it too failed. Nationalism While France was learning nationalism, so were those people he conquered and that led to greater resistance.

25. Lesson 4 – The Fall of Napoleon and the European Reaction

26. Why did Napoleon invade Russia? He had to. The Russians refused to take part in the Continental System. As he invaded, the Russians retreated and burned everything in their wake. By the time he reached Moscow, winter was on its way. Napoleon was forced to retreat at great cost.

28. Napoleon was exiled on the Mediterranean island of Elba but he managed to sneak back into France to unseat Louis XVIII. After Napoleon’s defeat in Russia, the Russians, Austrians and Prussians (and a smattering of others) descended upon Paris – 1814.

29. With Napoleon back in charge, he went after the British and Prussians at Waterloo in Belgium. The defeat Napoleon suffered was complete and final. This time, the Europeans put Napoleon on an isolated, South Atlantic island called St. Helena. He would live the rest of his days and die on this island.

30. French authorities wanted to make sure Napoleon did not return this time.

31. The Congress of Vienna – 1814 Led by Austrian foreign minister, Klemens von Metternich, the council of Britons, Austrians, Russians and Prussians vowed to restore monarchies and nobility throughout Europe. It would restore peace to the continent. This was a conservative reaction to the Enlightenment. Europeans would practice a principle of intervention if any monarchies were threatened.

32. There were two reactions to the restoration of monarchial rule: Liberalism – a belief that people should be as free as possible without government interference. This guaranteed basic human rights. Rule by a constitution – a set of laws that limited government powers. Nationalism – an attitude where people begin to identify themselves by their community and give it primary consideration to other forces. Led to a uniting of people based on their culture – i.e.: Germanic states Each people should have their own state (connection to liberalism)

33. Comparing The American Revolution against The French Revolution

34. Similarities: Born out of the Enlightenment Religion played a major role in both Glorious Revolution – monarchs could be limited Movements of the common man Differences: The Americans followed heated debate with compromise; The French followed peaceful overthrow with violence turned on themselves