Review: France before the Revolution

A. French society consisted of three social classes

i. the clergy, or First Estate

ii. the nobility, or Second Estate

iii. the rest of the population, or Third Estate

B. In 1789, France faced unrest, financial crisis, and food

shortages

1789

food shortages

financial problems (chiefly from Louis XVI giving money to the USA

to fight for their independence)

Meeting of the Estates General

to solve the financial crisis and to stabilize his rule, King Louis XVI assembled the Estates General, which had not met since 1614, comprised of representatives from the three Estates

France before the Revolution

A. French society had three social classes

i. the clergy, or First Estate

ii. the nobility, or Second Estate

iii. the rest of the population, or Third Estate

B. In 1789, unrest, financial crisis, and food shortages

C. King Louis XVI called the Estates General to carry out

reforms

The Tennis Court Oath

In June 1789 the Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly and moved from the Palace of Versailles to an indoor tennis court in town. There members swore the famous Tennis Court Oath, pledging never to disband until they had written a

new constitution for France.

France before the Revolution

A. French society consisted of three social classes

i. the clergy, or First Estate

ii. the nobility, or Second Estate

iii. the rest of the population, or Third Estate

B. In 1789, France faced unrest, financial crisis, and food

shortages

C. King Louis XVI called the Estates General to carry out

reforms

D. Third Estate defied the king and left to a tennis court

i. said they represented the people and made National

Assembly

ii. vowed not to disband until they made a constitution

Storming of the Bastille

Hundreds of hungry people in Paris stormed the Bastille, a medieval fort and prison, to search for gunpowder on July 14,

1789, signaling the start of the French Revolution. As the news spread across France, peasants began to rise in spontaneous

revolt against their lords.

France before the Revolution

A. French society consisted of three social classes

i. the clergy, or First Estate

ii. the nobility, or Second Estate

iii. the rest of the population, or Third Estate

B. In 1789, France faced unrest, financial crisis, and food

shortages

C. King Louis XVI called the Estates General to carry out

reforms

D. Third Estate defied the king and left to a tennis court

i. said they represented the people and made National

Assembly

ii. vowed not to disband until they made a constitution

E. July 14, 1789, angry Parisians stormed the Bastille, an

event that quickly became the symbol of the French

Revolution

When the Bastille fell, the rule of the Third Estate

began.

The other two estates would have to “dance” to

the tune of the Third Estate.

The National Assembly (controlled by Third Estate)

reorganized the church.

It set up a constitutional monarchy and ended the

absolute monarchy.

It also ended feudal privileges.

The National Assembly issued the Declaration of the Rights

of Man .

The Declaration called for the equality of all men. It

even ended slavery in France.

Creating a New France

A. after the storming of the Bastille, the National Assembly set

up a limited monarchy, wrote the Declaration of the Rights

of Man, and reorganized the Church

The Committees for Public Safety send over 40,000 people to their

deaths.

European monarchs and nobles are horrified at the violence in France.

Frenchmen volunteer to defend the

gains of their revolution.

French soldiers save the Republic and become very popular in France.

The most popular soldier is the

genius general, Napoleon

Bonaparte.

European countries

attack France.

IV. Creating a New France

A. after the storming of the Bastille, the National Assembly set

up a limited monarchy, wrote the Declaration of the Rights

of Man, and reorganized the Church

B. Monarchs from Europe spoke against the French Revolution.

By 1792, France was at war with most of Europe.

Maximilien Robespierre takes over and makes

the Committees of Public Safety.

King Louis XVI and his family are beheaded.

The guillotine

sends over 40,000 French

people to their death.

IV. Creating a New France

A. after the storming of the Bastille, the National Assembly

ended feudal privileges, issued the Declaration of the

Rights of Man, reorganized the Church, and set up a limited

monarchy

B. Throughout Europe, rulers and nobles denounced the

reforms of the French Revolution. By 1792, France was at

war with most of Europe.

C. Radical Days –

A. In 1792, radicals took control of the National Assembly.

B. Created the national convention that made France a

Republic

C. In 1793, they executed the king and queen.

Reign of Terror

Fearing enemies inside and outside of France, Maximilien Robespierre established special revolutionary courts, responsible only to him, which tried citizens for treason against the revolution. During two

years of the Reign of Terror; roughly 40,000 French men and women were executed, often by guillotine. Finally, in July 1794, Robespierre

himself was taken to the guillotine by members of the National Convention.

IV. Creating a New France

A. after the storming of the Bastille, the National Assembly

ended feudal privileges, issued the Declaration of the

Rights of Man, reorganized the Church, and set up a limited

monarchy

B. Throughout Europe, rulers and nobles denounced the

reforms of the French Revolution. By 1792, France was at

war with most of Europe.

C. Radical Days - In 1792, radicals took control of the National

Assembly. In 1793, they executed the king and queen.

D. During Reign of Terror (1793-1794) Robespierre and

Committee of Public Safety sent some 40,000 French

citizens to their deaths on the guillotine.

Rise of Napoleon

Following the chaos of the Reign of Terror, Napoleon Bonaparte ruled France as dictator and emperor for 15 years (1799 - 1814). He

stopped revolutionary reforms such as free speech and press, but also maintained moderate revolutionary’ reforms, such as the

abolishment of feudal privileges.

V. The Age of Napoleon Begins

A. Napoleon used his military exploits in the revolution to gain

power and took the title of emperor in 1804.

Emperor Napoleon

The Age of Napoleon Begins

A. Napoleon used his military exploits in the revolution to gain

power and took the title of emperor in 1804.

B. As emperor, Napoleon strengthened the central

government, modernized finance, instituted the Napoleonic

Code.

Napoleon’s Conquests 1799-1815

V. The Age of Napoleon Begins

A. Napoleon used his military exploits in the revolution to gain

power and took the title of emperor in 1804.

B. As emperor, Napoleon strengthened the central

government, modernized finance, instituted the Napoleonic

Code.

C. From 1804 to 1814, Napoleon defeated combined forces of

European powers and built a vast empire.

Retreat from Moscow

In 1812, Napoleon miscalculated. He tried to invade Russia in the winter. The French army lost over 500,000 soldiers to the Russian winter, and this failure led to the defeat of Napoleon.

Waterloo

V. The End of an Era

A. people across Europe mounted rebellions against French

rule

B. after a failed invasion of Russia and major defeat at

Waterloo, Napoleon was removed from power

Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)

European leaders met to make a peace that would ensure future stability in Europe. It also tried to ensure that the example of the

French Revolution would not be followed again.

V. The End of an Era

A. people across Europe mounted rebellions against French

rule

B. after a failed invasion of Russia and major defeat at

Waterloo, Napoleon was removed from power

C. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna tried to restore stability and

order in Europe.

i. they redrew national boundaries

ii. restored hereditary monarchies

iii. created the Concert of Europe, an organization pledged

to maintain the balance of power and to suppress any

uprisings inspired by the ideas of the French Revolution