French

Revolution
 Causes of the French Revolution
1) French Social
Divisions
– 1st Estate: Clergy
– 2nd Estate: Nobility
– 3rd Estate: Commoners
(middle class and
worker class)
– The 3rd Estate paid
What does this cartoon
most of the taxes
show about French society
prior to the revolution?
 Causes of the French Revolution
2) Enlightenment Ideas
– 3rd Estate was unwilling to
accept the divine right of
kings
– 3rd Estate did not accept the
privileges of the clergy and
nobility
– Enlightenment ideas stressed
reason and logic behind laws
that benefit society as a
whole, not just a select The Awakening of the 3rd Estate
group.
What message is the author of
the picture trying to convey?
 Causes of the French Revolution
3) Financial Crisis
– France’s tax system was
unequal across the classes
and country.
– France borrowed a lot of
money to fight Great
Britain.
– In 1787 the King suggested
that the nobility pay off
the debts. How did the King’s
– Nobles called for an actions lead to the
Estates general or call for a National
Assembly?
 The Estates General
July 14, 1789
• The 3 Estate had twice as many
rd

delegates to the Estates General

than the other 2 classes.

• The 3rd Estate took over the

meeting and called themselves
the
National Assembly.

• The king tried to forcefully stop How It Really Happened…

them, but they stormed the
Bastille and the king finally
recognized the National
Assembly.
1)The 3rd estate realized they were locked out of the Estates
General.
2)Went to an indoor tennis court and pledged that they would
not leave until there was a new constitution (Tennis Court
Oath).
3)King Louis XVI made all estates join together, to give the
illusion that he controlled the National Assembly.
National Assembly
– Abolished hereditary
privileges.
• No more freebies just
because of your bloodline.
– Issued the Declaration of
the Rights of Man and the
Citizen.
• Similar to the American
Declaration of
Independence
– Wrote a new constitution
turning France into a
constitutional/limited
monarchy.
• Just like England
 Vive la France!
• Those most passionate of the revolution were known as
the Sans-Culottes, which literally means “without
breeches.”
– Refers to their clothing in lower class status.

• The Sans-Culottes made up the bulk of the revolutionary

army.

• Anything/Anyone considered counter-revolutionary

became a target of the Sans-Culottes.
– Used violence and physical enforcement for their ideals
of the revolution.
– Wear the tri-color pin in public

• Political Ideals:
– Social equality
– Economic equality
– Popular Democracy

• Social Demands:
– Abolish the authority & privileges of the monarchy,
nobility, and clergy.
– Fixed wages
– Fixed price controls
 The Revolution Takes a Radical Turn
• At first, the King Louis XVI tried to
accept the new government… but
that did not last.
• In June 1792 he tried to escape
France, but he was caught, and was
executed in January 1793.
– Marie Antoinette was executed in
October 1793.
– Their son died in prison in 1795, at age
10.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-6ruyZFfZs
Louis XVI 0:41:50, Marie Antoinette 1:13

• France became a republic in which

every male citizen could vote.
– “Universal manhood suffrage”
 The Revolution Takes a Radical Turn
• A Committee on Public Safety was
created to stop those rebelling against
the new government.
• The revolution leaders were inspired by
the ideals of Rousseau from the
Enlightenment.
– “Civilization is evil.”
– “Abolish the nobility.”
What does this event say
• A “Reign of Terror” began as the about unchecked power?
Revolutionary Tribunals arrested and
executed anyone opposed to them.
– Used the guillotine
– Led by a man named Robespierre.
• 40,000 nobles, priests, and others were  Robespierre
killed.
– Those who fled the country in fear were
known as Émigrés.
 The Revolution Takes a Radical Turn
• At the same time, France was at war
with other European countries.
– All male citizens were forced to join the
army

• This abuse of power over the French

people helped France gain back some
land and start to win their wars.

• After the threat of war ended, French

revolutionaries turned against their own
leaders, and the leaders of the “Reign of
Terror” were rounded up and executed.
– Including Robespierre
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-6ruyZFfZs
• Robespierre & ending 2:26:00
 http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=PyZsLYxaIuM

Impact of the French Revolution

• Challenged the ideas of divine
right and privileges of nobility.
• Removed feudal restrictions from
France which helped free-
enterprise/capitalism grow in the
economy.
• Introduced democracy and social
equality.
• Served as a model for other
countries seeking political
How were the American
change.
and French Revolutions
– Especially South America wanting
independence from Spain & similar?
Portugal. How were they different?
 Freakin’ Awesome Cartoon
• https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1_2NwmIobU
Napoleon Bonaparte 1769-1821
 The Rise of Napoleon
• In 1799 Napoleon seized power
in France and negotiated peace
with all France’s enemies.
• Napoleon introduced new legal
reforms for protection.
• He negotiated peace between
the government and Catholic
Church.
• He consolidated his power so
he had the most control.
• Crowned himself Emperor in How did making peace with
December 0f 1804 his enemies help him rule
France?
 War with Europe
• By the end of 1805,
Napoleon had conquered
all of Europe except for
Britain.

• He placed his relatives and

friends in charge of many
of the European countries.
– Ex: Made his brother
Joseph the king of Spain.
 The Fall of Napoleon
• Problems:
– Could not invade Britain.
– His boycott of British
goods led to economic
problems and lack of
money or financial
growth.
– French rule was
unpopular throughout Why do people oppose
Europe and the people rule from another
wanted their “own kind” country, even if it is a
good ruler?
 The Fall of Napoleon
• 1809: Spain revolted
• 1812: Napoleon invaded
Russia and won, but the
winter and lack of supplies
destroyed much of his army
and he retreated.
• Britain, Russia, Prussia, and
Austria joined together to
fight Napoleon.
• They invaded France and
reinstalled the old French
royal family. (Louis XVIII)
Why would the foreign
invaders put the old
king’s family back on
the throne?
The Fall of Napoleon
• Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba.
• With help from accomplices and spies in
France, he returned to power in 1815.
• June 1815 he was defeated at the Battle of
Waterloo.
• He was imprisoned on the island of Helena
and died in 1821.
 The Impact of Napoleon
• His law code created stability
in France.
• European countries that still
used medieval feudalism
eventually dropped the
system.
• Sparked the growth of
nationalism among countries.
• Sold Louisiana Territory to USA.
• Weakened Spain and allowed
for the Latin American
Revolutions Was the rule of
Napoleon a good thing
or a bad thing for
Europe?
 Restoring the Old Order
• Congress of Vienna:
– Restored former monarchies
and borders in Europe from
before the Napoleonic Wars.
– Britain, Russia, Prussia, and
Austria made all the
decisions
– Wanted a balance of power
to keep France from doing William Wilberforce
this again was the driving
– Formally abolished European force for the
abolishment of
involvement in the slave slavery in Europe.
trade.
 The Revolutions of 1848
• King Louis Philippe continued to
put unequal burden upon the
lower class.
• Rebellions and riots erupted in
1848, frightening the king to
abdicate his throne.
• Fighting continued for over four
months.
• They elected a President, who
ended up being Napoleon’s
nephew.
– Declared himself Emperor in 1852.
– France had a new government, but
once again they had a dictator.