The French Revolution & Napoleon

1. The French Revolution & Napoleon Section1: On the Eve of Revolution Section 2: Creating a New France Section 3: Radical Days Section 4: The Age of Napoleon Begins Section 5: The End of and Era

2. Section 1: On the Eve of Revolution • Summary: • Social unrest, government debt, and food shortages contributed to the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789

3. Section 1: On the Eve of Revolution • Since the Middle Ages, everyone in France had belonged to one of the three social classes, called Estates • The 1st Estate – Clergy • The 2nd Estate – Nobles • The 3rd Estate – Peasants

5. Section 1: On the Eve of Revolution • The 1st & 2nd Estates were rich and powerful • They had many special privileges • For example, they did not have to pay taxes • They made up about 2% of the total population of France

7. Section 1: On the Eve of Revolution • Most (98%) of French people belonged to the 3rd Estate • Although they were poor, their tax burden was the heaviest

8. Section 1: On the Eve of Revolution • In 1789, France faced several crises • For many years the French government had been spending more money than it had earned • Bad harvests caused food prices to rise • Many peasants did not have enough to eat • In towns and in the countryside, starving people rioted

10. Section 1: On the Eve of Revolution • To deal with these problems, King Louis XVI met with the leaders of the 3 Estates • Most common people wanted financial relief, but the elected members of the Third Estate wanted government reform

12. Section 1: On the Eve of Revolution • After weeks of meetings, its leaders took a daring step • They created a new government called the National Assembly • Some reform-minded nobles and clergy joined them

14. Section1: On the Eve of Revolution • The National Assembly promised to write a new constitution for France • However, dangerous rumors, increasing food shortages, and an attack on the Bastille (a Parisian political prison) kept the problems from being solved • A violent revolution was starting

16. Section 2: Creating a New France • Summary: • The National Assembly instituted political and social reforms in the early stages of the revolution

17. Section 2: Creating a New France • In 1789, a terrible famine occurred in France • Starving peasants attacked the homes of nobles

19. Section 2: Creating a New France • Revolutionary groups took over Paris and demanded an end to the monarchy • Finally Nobles agreed to give up their special privileges

21. Section 2: Creating a New France • The National Assembly began making reforms • They agreed to abolish feudalism • In 1791, the assembly finished writing a new constitution that used Enlightenment ideas

22. Section 2: Creating a New France • Under this constitution, people had natural rights and the government had to protect those rights • The constitution created a limited monarchy • The assembly also reformed French laws and supported trade

23. Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

24. Section 2: Creating a New France • But when the assembly took control of the French Catholic Church and sold its lands to pay back the government’s debt, the pope, clergy, and many peasants rejected the revolution

25. National Assembly

26. Section 2: Creating a New France • Other groups, however, wanted even more changes • Violent disagreements soon caused the downfall of the assembly

28. Section 2: Creating a New France • News about the French Revolution spread across Europe • While many Europeans supported the revolution, rulers and nobles were afraid that revolutionary ideas would spread to their own countries

29. Section 2: Creating a New France • After the French king and his family made an unsuccessful attempt to flee, the king of Prussia promised he would fight to save the French monarchy

31. Section 2: Creating a New France • In 1792, France declared war on Austria, Prussia, Britain, and several other European states • The fighting lasted for over 20 years

33. Section 3: Radical Days • Summary: • The French Revolution, driven by leaders determined to preserve and extend the revolution, entered a radical phrase

34. Section 3: Radical Days • The war with other European powers went badly for the French forces • People thought the king was helping the enemy • Mobs attacked the kings guards and killed nobles

35. Section 3: Radical Days • Radical revolutionaries, supported by Paris crowds, took control of the Assembly in 1792 • These radicals ended the monarchy, made France a republic, and wrote another constitution • In 1793, they executed, or put to death, the king and queen for treason

39. Section 3: Radical Days • By 1793, France was at war with most of Europe • Within France peasants rioted for food, and revolutionary groups fought against each another • To restore order, the new government set up the Committee of Public Safety, which had absolute power

40. Section 3: Radical Days • Using a new invention, called the Guillotine, the Committee, led by Maximilien Robespierre, beheaded thousands of people for treason, even supporters of the revolution were sometimes killed to set an example • Thousands more people were put in prison • This period is called the Reign of Terror

41. Section 3: Radical Days • By 1799, life in France had changed • The Monarchy and the old class system were gone • The government controlled the church • The French people began to feel proud of France • This feeling of pride is called Nationalism

42. Section 3: Radical Days • The new government continued to make important reforms • It set up school for children and organized a system to care for the poor • Slavery in the French colonies ended • Religious tolerance became the law

43. Section 4: The Age of Napoleon Begins • Summary: • Napoleon built a large empire by annexing lands, making alliances, and placing family members on the thrones of Europe

44. Section 4: The Age of Napoleon Begins • When the French Revolution started, Lt. Napoleon Bonaparte began to earn rapid promotions • He led the French army in victories over Britain and Austria

45. Section 4: The Age of Napoleon Begins • A general by 1799, Napoleon helped to overthrow the French government • He organized a new government and put himself in charge • Five years later he took the title Emperor of the French • At each step of his rise of power, the French voted their support

46. Section 4: The Age of Napoleon Begins • The policies that Napoleon set up show why he was so popular • He strengthen the French government and restored order • He improved the economy and encouraged new industry • He built roads and canals and supported public education

47. Section 4: The Age of Napoleon Begins • Some of Napoleon’s reforms continued the spirit of the revolution • Peasants could legally keep the Church lands they bought • Careers were opened to anyone with ability

48. Section 4: The Age of Napoleon Begins • One of his most important reforms was a new set of laws called the Napoleonic Code • These laws included many enlightenment ideas but undid some reforms of the revolution

49. Section 4: The Age of Napoleon Begins • From 1804 to 1814, Napoleon defeated the greatest nations of Europe an built an empire • He conquered the Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of Italy and Germany • He ended the Holy Roman Empire and divided Prussia

50. Section 4: The Age of Napoleon Begins • Napoleon replaced the monarchs of defeated nations with his friends and family • Only Britain remained outside Napoleon’s empire