The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

The Revolution Begins

Preview
• Starting Points Map
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Causes of the Revolution
• Quick Facts: Causes of the Revolution
• First Events of the Revolution
• Creating a New Nation
The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
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The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
The Revolution Begins
Main Idea
Problems in French society led to a revolution, the formation of a
new government, and the end of the monarchy.

Reading Focus
• What caused the French Revolution?
• What happened during the first events of the Revolution?
• How did the French create a new nation?
The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
Causes of the Revolution

Long-standing resentments against the monarchy

• Inequalities in society
– Existing social and political structure
– Called the Old Order, or ancient régime
• King at the top and estates under him
– King Louis XVI, shy and indecisive
– Unpopular, self-indulgent queen, Marie-Antoinette
– Rest of French society divided into three classes,
called estates
The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
The Three Estates
Varied widely in what they contributed in terms of work and taxes

First Estate Second Estate Third Estate

• Roman Catholic clergy • Nobility • Largest group—97% of
the population
• One percent of the • Less than 2 percent of
population the population • Bourgeoisie—city-
dwelling merchants,
• Exempt from taxes • Paid few taxes factory owners, and
• Owned 10 percent of • Controlled much wealth professionals
the land • Sans culottes—
• Held key positions
– Collected rents and artisans and workers
– Government
fees
– Military • Peasants—poor with
– Bishops and other
little hope, paid rents
clergy grew wealthy • Lived on country
and fees
estates
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Further Causes
Enlightenment Ideas
• Inspiring new ideas from
Enlightenment philosophers
• Great Britain’s government
limiting the king’s power
• American colonists rebelled
successfully against British king
• New ideas changed
government and society in
other countries
Section 1
A Financial Crisis
• Severe economic problems
affected much of the country
• France in debt, spending
lavishly, borrowing money, and
facing bankruptcy
• Hailstorm and drought ruined
harvest; harsh winter limited
flour production
• People hungry and angry;
clergy and nobility no help
The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Summarize
What were the causes of the French
Revolution?

Answer(s): inequalities in society, Enlightenment

ideas, poor leadership, financial crisis, hunger and
cold
The French Revolution and Napoleon
First Events of the Revolution
By 1789, no group happy
• Clergy and nobility lost power to
monarchy
• Bourgeoisie resented
regulations
• Poor worse off
Storming of the Bastille
• King brought in troops
• People of Paris armed
themselves
• Searching for weapons, a mob
stormed the Bastille
Section 1
Estates General meets
• Desire for reforms
• Voting process a problem
• Third Estate proclaimed
themselves National Assembly
• Tennis Court Oath
Great Fear spread
• King to punish the Third Estate
with foreign soldiers
• Rumors of massacres
• Peasants destroyed records
and burned nobles’ houses
The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Identify Cause and Effect

What was the connection between
the fall of the Bastille and the Great
Fear?

Answer(s): possible answer—After the fall of the

Bastille, people were terrified that the king would
punish them.
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Creating a New Nation
Legislating New Rights
• Feudal dues eliminated
• Declaration laid out “liberty,
equality, fraternity”
• Inspired by the English Bill of
Rights, American Declaration of
Independence, and the writings
of Enlightenment philosophers
• Men are born equal and remain
equal under the law
• The rights did not extend to
women
Section 1
Restrictions on Power
• Louis tried to protect his throne
• Angered the common people
• Prices still high; mob broke into
the palace demanding bread
• Royal family seized; National
Assembly took bolder steps
• Passed laws against the
church, clergy, and public
employees
• Some outraged by actions
The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
Formation of a New Government
In 1791, the Legislative Assembly is formed. Citizens gained broad
voting rights, but rights were not universal. Constitution restricted
power of king and ended distinctions of birth. King and queen feared
they would be harmed.
Foreign Powers End of Monarchy
• Austria and Prussia warned against • August 10, 1792 royal family
harming monarchs imprisoned by mob
• Austrian army defeats French • Radical faction took charge with
• Financial strain of war, food National Convention
shortages, and high prices • Monarchy abolished; France
• King blamed; action demanded declared a republic

French revolutionary troops won the Battle of Valmy. New French

republic held ground against Europe’s Old Order.
The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

Sequence
What steps did National and
Legislative Assemblies take to
create a new nation?
Answer(s): National Assembly completed
constitution and created Legislative Assembly;
Legislative Assembly—created a new legislature,
the National Convention, which abolished the
monarchy and declared France a republic