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FRANCE ON THE EVE OF REVOLUTION

FRANCE ON THE EVE OF REVOLUTION. A COMPLETE MESS UNEQUAL AND UNJUST SOCIAL SYSTEM UNDEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEM INEFFICIENT, CORRUPT, CHAOTIC GOVERNMENT EVER-GROWING FINANCIAL CRISIS Caused by incompetence, corruption, lavish spending, and an adventurous foreign policy

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FRANCE ON THE EVE OF REVOLUTION

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  1. FRANCE ON THE EVE OF REVOLUTION • A COMPLETE MESS • UNEQUAL AND UNJUST SOCIAL SYSTEM • UNDEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEM • INEFFICIENT, CORRUPT, CHAOTIC GOVERNMENT • EVER-GROWING FINANCIAL CRISIS • Caused by incompetence, corruption, lavish spending, and an adventurous foreign policy • No attempt by French monarchs to correct the situation • Ministers slid by with stop-gap measures and half-hearted reforms Louis XV Louis XVI

  2. IMPACT OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION • ON THE BRINK OF BANKRUPTCY BY 1780S • FRENCH GOVERNMENT PROVIDED HUGE AMOUNTS OF AID TO AMERICANS • WHY? • POWER POLITICS—OPPORTUNITY TO WEAKEN GREAT BRITAIN • RESULT? • Americans achieved their independence • France ran completely out of money in 1787 Marquis de Lafayette and George Washington

  3. ESTATES GENERAL • KING NEEDED TO TAX NOBILITY • NOBILITY INSISTED ON CONVOCATION OF ESTATES GENERAL • Ancient semi-representative assembly • Had not met since 1614 • Old voting procedures gave each estate one vote • Negated numerical superiority of Third Estate and would give nobles essential control of assembly • Use control to wrest control of kingdom from king • KING FINALLY AGREES; ESTATES GENERAL MEETS ON MAY 14, 1789

  4. TENNIS COURT OATH • Delegates of Third Estate walk out over dispute over voting regulations • Want one vote per delegate, not one vote per estate • Would give them control of assembly • Meet in nearby tennis court • Declare themselves the National Assembly • Only body with right to pass laws • Refuse to disband until they had written a constitution for France

  5. STORMING OF THE BASTILLE • King issues call to bring in troops to disband National Assembly • Rumor spreads through Paris that troops are coming; panic sets in and mobs form • July 14, 1789—mob attacks Bastille, an old fortress believed to be storage point for gunpowder • Attack on Bastille frightens king into ordering troops to stay out of Paris • Common people save the National Assembly and the Revolution

  6. A PROMISING START • AUGUST 4, 1789—ALL FEUDAL OBLIGATIONS, ROYAL TAXES, PRIVILEGES, AND THE TITHE ABOLISHED • DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN AND CITIZEN • Established civil equality • Equal opportunity for public service • Freedoms of religion, press, speech, and assembly

  7. CONSTITUTION OF 1791 • DISAGREEMENTS OVER CONTENT OF CONSTITUTION • Moderates want constitutional monarchy • Radicals want push for economic and social equality • MODERATE POSITION BASICALLY PREVAILS AFTER 2 YEARS OF DEBATE • Constitutional monarchy with Louis XVI as a figurehead king • Most power concentrated in single house legislature

  8. FAILURE • REASONS FOR FAILURE OF CONSTITUTION • Sabotage by Louis XVI • Common people dissatisfied with it • War with Austrian Empire and Prussia

  9. WHAT TO DO WITH A NITWIT • Convinced that Louis XVI has committed treason, crowd attacks his palace • King asks Legislature to protect him • Legislature strips him of title, proclaims France a Republic, and issues election call for a new Constitutional Convention, the National Convention

  10. NATIONAL CONVENTION • National Conventions splits into two factions over issue of what to do with king • Mountain, headed byMaxmilien Robespierre,want to execute him • Girondins, from region around Bordeaux, want to spare king to avoid European-wide war • Mountain wins narrow victory and Louis XVI is executed on guillotine in January 1793

  11. EXECUTION OF LOUIS XVI

  12. THE MOUNTAIN TRIUMPHS • CONTINUED DISPUTES LEAD TO DEFEAT AND EXPULSION OF GIRONDINS • Sans-culottes lead street uprising in support of Mountain • Mountain controls France

  13. COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY • CREATION OF COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY • Headed by Robespierre • Given virtually dictatorial powers • Fixed prices, rationed necessities, controlled product quality, and took over closed workshops to stabilize economy • Creates levee en masse and promotions based on merit—turns military situation around • Inaugurated Reign of Terror

  14. THE REIGN OF TERROR • 1793-JULY 1794 • PURPOSE • To secure CPS in power • Eliminate internal threats to revolution (counter-revolutionaries and traitors • Reflection of “idealistic” personality of Robespierre—if you don’t live and breathe the Revolution, you must be an enemy • OVER 40,000 PEOPLE KILLED

  15. END TO A NIGHTMARE • DOWNFALL OF ROBESPIERRE • Executes sans-culotte leaders in March 1794 • Isolated in a country increasingly weary of terror and dictatorship • Shouted down in National Convention, arrested, and executed the next day (July 1794)

  16. THERMIDORIAN REACTION • DIRECTORY • 5 man committee • 1794-1799 • Corrupt • Cashes in on military successes of French armies • Young generals defeat all enemies and conquer Belgium, the Netherlands, western Germany, and Italy

  17. RISE OF NAPOLEON • NAPOLEON BONAPARTE • Most famous and successful of young generals • Promoted to general at age 27 in 1796 • Conqueror of Italy and commander of Egyptian campaign • INVITED TO JOIN DIRECTORY • Want to cash in on Napoleon’s popularity • USES TROOPS IN PARIS TO OVERTHROW DIRECTORY AND INSTALL NEW, SMALLER ONE WITH HIM IN CONTROL • Coup d’etat • Takes title of First Consul • WOULD CONTROL FRANCE FOR NEXT 16 YEARS (1799-1815)

  18. BENEFITS • BETRAYED PRINCIPLES OF REVOLUTION BUT FRENCH PEOPLE DID NOT COMPLAIN • WHY? • Gave France honest and efficient government for the first time in memory • Centralized administration • Lowered taxes but increased government revenue • Set up public education system • Established unifIed national law code—the Napoleonic Code • Cut crime rate by creating local police forces • Improved internal transportation • Balanced budget

  19. NAPOLEON I • PROCLAIMED HIMSELF EMPEROR IN 1804 AND BEGAN DYNASTY • TOOK OVER KINGDOM OF NAPLES, POLAND, AND SWEDEN • CONSOLIDATED GERMAN STATES INTO “CONFEDERATION OF THE RHINE UNDER FRENCH CONTROL • FORCED RUSSIA, AUSTRIAN EMPIRE, AND PRUSSIA TO BECOME HIS UNWILLING ALLIES • ONLY ENGLAND REMAINED OUTSIDE HIS CONTROL

  20. FIRST FATAL MISTAKE • INVASION OF SPAIN • Spanish people launch guerilla war against French occupation • Napoleon cannot decisively defeat guerillas • Continually sends more men, supplies, and money to Spain

  21. SECOND FATAL MISTAKE • INVASION OF RUSSIA (1812) • Grand Armee (430,000 men) • Russians refuse to fight and instead withdraw, drawing French deeper into Russia • Moscow burned before Napoleon occupies it • Forced to return to Europe in middle of fierce Russian winter and loses 330,000 men to elements and guerillas • ENEMIES CLOSE IN FOR THE KILL • FORCED TO SURRENDER AND ABDICATE IN APRIL 1814

  22. TEMPORARY SETBACK • ALLIES INSTALL LOUIS XVIII AS KING • Keeps much of legacy of Revolution • NAPOLEON EXILED TO ELBA • Off coast of Italy • Given title of king and two million franc annual allowance

  23. END OF THE ROAD • ESCAPES ELBA AND RETURNS TO FRANCE • Forces Louis XVIII to flee • The 100 Days • DEFEATED AT WATERLOO • By British and Prussian army led by Duke of Wellington • Louis XVIII brought back again • EXILED TO ST. HELENA WHERE HE DIES IN 1821

  24. SUMMARY • French Revolution was not a complete failure • Many of the gains made since 1789 were retained after 1815 • Destruction of feudal privileges • Expansion of career opportunities based on ability • Improved administration • Public education system • National legal code • Absolute monarchy was gone forever and ideas of liberty and equality had been permanently planted in the French mentality • Start of a new era

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