History: 1848 French Revolutions
Explain the "June Days" in 1848
This is was the revolution that took place after National Workshops were closed down because many had lost their jobs and were not happy about this. The people participating had a choice of going to war or clearing provinces. They did not want this and it caused them to rebel against the Second Republic and weaken them. Over a thousand were killed in three days
What set the stage for the revolution?
- Because political gatherings and demonstrations were outlawed in France, activists of the largely middle class opposition to the government began to hold series of fund raising banquets -this campaign of banquets was intended to circumvent (round, circle) the government restriction on political meetings and provide a legal outlet for popular criticalism
Louis Napoleons Policies
- Under Louis' reign, France began a program of modernization - Downtown Paris was renovated with the clearing of slums, the widening of streets, the construction of green parks, etc. -Factories were created which employed a large number of persons from working classes - Napoleon also knew needed strong alliance in order to expand his empire. -He travelled to Great Britain and promised to British assistance to fight in the Crimean War against Russia
why was the revolution in France, in February 1848 occurred
-Censorship of the newspaper -Philippe only benefitted the wealthy class -wanted conservative government -unemployment + food shortage -Ban of reformed banquets
Causes of European Revolutions in the 19th Century
-Growing strength of nationalism -Long series of economic downturns and bad harvests - caused decade of the hungry forties -Popular impatience with reactionary rule and their limits on freedoms (reactionaries - believed that any kind of liberalism led to chaos and war) -French Revolution helped to spark many of the following Revolutions, ex. Austrian Revolution
Louis Napoleon
-It was clear that the government was once again failing to meet the needs of the people, so it was decided that they elect a new president to head the National Assembly -Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, the nephew of the first French emperor, was elected in December -At first his ruling did not run smoothly during his four years as the elected assembly did not do what he wanted -He staged a military coup and announced changes to they constitution, which he had helped to write, These took the power away from the assembly and gave it to the president and made Louis Napoleon president for 10 more years
Events Leading Up to The Revolution
-Louis Philippe has several liberal views: -He called himself the "Citizen King" and he owed his existence to the will of the people -He lived a simple life OPPONENTS: Constitutionalists, Royalists, Republicans, Bonapartists -he tried to rule moderate so that no party would against him -He tried to rule like a constitutional government of the conservative type -He failed to change with the times and it was this weakness of his, which compelled him abdicate the throne -He placed himself under the influence of Constitutionalists -In his urge to develop the industries in France, he gave lot of attention to the upper middle class, and the constitutionalists
Louis Philippe (1830-1848)
-Louis Philippe was called the Citizens King -He dressed like the middle class (wore suits, etc.) -He promoted the interest of the middle class, provided them with job opportunities -He was the first elected monarch -The French from all classes did not trust Louis Philippe because they couldn't tell his true intentions -Louis Phillipe wanted to return to conservative government
Goals of the Revolution
-On 26 February 1848, the liberal opposition came together to organize a provisional government, called the Second Republic -The poet Lamartine was appointed president of the provisional government - Elections for a Constituent Assembly were scheduled for April 23rd 1848 -In preparation for these elections, two major goals of the provisional government were -universal suffrage -unemployment relief
Beginning of the Revolution
-Shouting "Down with Guizot" and "Long Live the Reform" the crowds marched past Guizot's residence -The crowds erected barricades in the streets of Paris, and fighting broke out between the citizens and the Parisian municipal guards, -2pm the next day, 23rd of February, Prime Minister Guizot resigned. Upon hearing the news of Guizot's resignation, a large crowd gathered outside of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs -Paris was soon a barricade city. Omnibuses were turned into barricades -Thousands of trees fell, fires were set, and angry citizens began converging to the royal palace -King Louis Philippe then fled to England after things got intense in France
Most persons were not supportive of the overthrow of Louis Philippe. How far do you agree with this statement
-The Middle Class were supportive of Louis Philippe because he -gave them high positions and power of authority - he established factories and manufacturing industries for middle class - However, majority of people did not support Louis Philippe particularly the working and wealthy class -wealthy class were overtaxed -working class were treated badly
Describe the house of events during February 1848
1) Ban of reformed banquets (reformed banquets were meetings held for people to discuss their anti government views) 2)Barricades were put up/large crowds gathered around Ministry of Foreign Affairs 3) resignation of Guizot 4) Crowd rioting 5) soldier fires into crowd 6) casualties (52 people dead) 7) Louis Philippe Exiled 8) The Provisional Government is formed with Lamartine(socialist leader)
To what extent do you agree that the revolutions in France 1848 achieved very little
I somewhat don't agree with this because the revolutions did help to get a government which catered to the working class more and were able to achieve certain goals for example universal suffrage and unemployment relief
What were the "National Workshops"?
National workshops helped the many unemployed French citizens, by paying them to do unnecessary tasks like digging up railroads and putting the dirt back in By 1848 National Workshops were employing thousands of people Laws regarding freedom of speech were also relaxed and newspapers sprung up all over France However, many wealthy Parisians were heavily taxed and soon left the city with their businesses, leaving the state in a city of poverty The National Workshops had brought employment to Paris, but the scheme was poorly set up and there was very little for workers to actually do
National Workshops continued
chairman of the provisional gov. appointed 5 co-presidents, This new government set out to establish a stronger government and to support the finance need for National Workshops, new taxes were placed of farmers, and peasants, however they did not like this idea, so the taxation was widely ignored, resulting in the closing of the National Workshops
the "proletariat" class
when unemployment forced many skilled people into a lower social order