AP European History Chapter 19 Reading Guide

Describe the social/demographic breakdown of the victims of the Terror? Who was most affected by it?

8% were nobles, 25% were middle class, 6% were clergy, and 60% were peasant and laboring classes. Peasant and laboring classes were most affected.

When Napoleon ran the coup, what kind of government was established? What was Napoleon's title?

A new form of the Republic was proclaimed with a constitution that established a bicameral legislative assembly elected to reduce the role of elections. Really it was just a consulate in which the 1st consul had all the power. Napoleon's title was Emperor Napoleon 1.

What was the Great Fear? Who was most responsible for these uprisings?

A period of panic during the French Revolution by the peasants in which they heard rumors of an aristocracy conspiracy that would attempt to get rid of the Third Estate b/c of the peasant revolts. The reason for this was the gathering of troops around Paris provoked people to revolt and on 14th July they stormed the Bastille.

After the start of war, how did the French perform initially? Explain how fears of an invasion stoked some dissent in Paris. What did they have to do in September of 1792? Why did this happen?

After the start of the war, France performed terribly. As fears of invasion grew, people started looking for scapegoats. They took the king captive and forced the Legislative Assembly to suspend the monarchy and call for a national convention. This happened because defeats in war plus economic shortages renewed political demonstrations against the king.

What major foreign threat did France face by the start of 1793? How did the National Convention respond to this crisis?

An informal coalition of Austria, Prussia, Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Dutch Republic were pitted against France. The National Convention adopted a program of curbing anarchy and counterrevolution at home while attempting to win the war by a vigorous mobilization of the people.

Explain a little bit about the early background of "Napoleone Buonaparte". How did Napoleon come to be an artillery commander?

Buonaparte was the original spelling of Napoleon's last name because he wasn't French. He was born in Corsica, an island off the coast of France and was ruled by France. He was made to go to French schools and eventually he went to military school and changed his name to the French version of it. His father's connections in France enabled him to get a scholarship for military school.

Who were France's enemies in the early part of Napoleon's consulate? What did he do early on in his reign at Amiens? How successful was this?

France was enemies with Russia, Great Britain, and Austria. He achieved peace at Amiens. It wasn't really successful because neither the British nor the French intended on adhering to its terms

Who are the Girondins? What did they stand for? Who were the Mountain? Why were they called this? And what did the Girondins and the Mountain have in common?

Girondins were the bourgeoisie of 3rd estate who stood for keeping the king alive. Mountains were Jacobins who wanted to execute the king. They both wanted to establish a republic

Describe the "Reign of Terror"? Who were some of the casualties of this movement? What kinds of activities, behaviors, or sentiments were targeted as threats during this time?

It was a period in which masses of people were guillotined for being suspected of being against the revolutions. A lot of peasants, feminism and bourgeoisie were executed. Anyone who didn't show full support of the revolution was executed.

How well did the Directory function? What were its weaknesses? What is a coup d' etat?

It was not very efficient because it relied on the military. It didn't solve economic problems and it was still carrying wars. A coup d' etat is a hostile takeover

Who was Josephine Beauharnais? What events defined Napoleon's career from 1795 to 1797?

Josephine Beauharnais was the widow he fell in love with and eventually married. His military promotions, rescue of the National Convention from a Parisian mob, marriage, military campaign, and abandonment of his army defined his career from 1795-1797

Who was the king of France at the outset of the Revolution? Describe his qualities and how he responded to the economic crises France faced.

Louis 16th was the ruler at the start of the Revolution. He was: stubborn, Weak-willed, Didn't want to take responsibility for the financial crisis and fix it as seen in his attempts to flee Paris.

Read the yellow section on page 563. What happened to Marquis de Launay? What location was he defending? Who slaughtered him?

Marquis de Launay, the leader of the garrison at the Bastille that was being stormed by a mob of 8,000 in search of weapons. After surrendering to the mob, he was beaten to death by the mob that had won over his troops because they were angered by the loss of 98 of their men. They also chopped his head off and put in on a stick, parading it around in the streets as a symbol of their victory.

What role did censorship play in Napoleon's growing despotism?

Napoleon shut down 73 newspapers and insisted that all manuscripts were to be inspected by the government. Government police even opened mail. Germaine de Stael wrote novels and political works that denounced Napoleon's rule as tyrannical. Napoleon ended up banning her work and exiled her to the German States

The French social order was divided into 3 orders, or estates (classes). Describe in detail each of the classes below (2)

Nobility: 350,000 people - Under the rule of Louis XV & XVI, they played a critical role in French society - held many leading positions in govt, military, law courts & higher church offices - Controlled heavy industry in France - through investment - ownership of mining & metallurgical enterprises - Also divided: - Nobility of the robe: derived status from officeholding (allowed for commoners to attain a noble rank) - dominated royal law courts & important administrative offices - Nobility of the Sword: alleged descendants of the original medieval nobility - Owned ~25-30% of the land - They wanted to expand their privileges while the monarchy suffered: - maintain their monopolies over positions in military, church and govt - 1781: Reacted to the ambitions of the aristocracy→ bourgeoisie passed the Ségur Law: - Limited sale of military officeships to fourth generation nobles→ excluded newly enrolled members of nobility - Were exempt from paying the taille as well

Describe the Tennis Court Oath. Why did it happen? What did the Third Estate do at this particular event?

The 3rd estate was overridden once again by the majority vote of the upper classes. When the 3rd estate realized they didn't have any representation, they walked out of an estates general meeting and decided that they would not leave the Tennis court until they had drafted a new form of government which is when they created their declaration.

Describe in detail the impact that the American Revolution had on Europe. What role did Marquis de Lafayette have when he returned to France?

The American Revolution had a huge impact on Europe because it proved to many Europeans that the ideals of natural rights and other Enlightenment ideals that intellectuals had spouted were achievable. A new social contract had come into place following the liberation of the Americans, making the concepts of liberty and equality a reality

What was the original document that established the government of the United States? Was it centralized or decentralized? Why? Did it succeed? Why or why not?

The Document that had initially established the government of the US was the Articles of Confederation which was very decentralized because there was a strong fear of a centralized government in the US. This form of government didn't succeed because it was not able to support a strong central government.

What was the biggest problem Napoleon faced with regards to Great Britain? What happened at the Battle of Trafalgar?

The biggest problem was the Britain was the greatest naval power in Europe at the time and he had no way of defeating them. In the Battle of Trafalgar, Napoleon suffered an epic loss at the hands of the British due to their naval superiority

What was the reaction of the Parisian common people in the days immediately following the establishment of the National Assembly? What was the most major event of this particular period?

The common people started rural and urban uprisings. The Fall of the Bastille was the most major event of the period and became a symbol of triumph over despotism.

What were the grievances of various opposition groups in Paris? Which groups were most opposed?

The cost of living had increased, Dues had not been abandoned and this lead to continued opposition of the peasantry, and political clubs were offering radical solutions to the nation's problems. Groups such as the Jacobins were most opposed.

How did the ideas of the philosophes play a role in the French Revolution?

The ideas of the philosophes circulated heavily around those of the bourgeois and nobility that could read. The actual influences is hard to prove but after the Revolution started, lots of Revolutionary leaders quoted Enlightenment writers, Rousseau being the most commonly quoted.

With respect to the fate of Louis 16th, what was the major difference between the Girondins and the Mountain? What ended up happening to the king?

The king ended up being executed in the guillotine because one group wanted him alive and he other wanted him dead but it didn't work out for him

Explain the situation in in Saint Dominugue. Who was Toussaint L' Ouverture and what role did he play in the events?

The slaves in Haiti were inspired by the ideals of French Revolution and revolted against French plantation owners. Toussaint L' Ouverture took leadership during the Haitian revolution.

When did the National Assembly complete the constitution? What kind of government did it establish and how was it structured? What was the new name of the body that replaced the National Assembly?

They completed in 1791. In this constitution, it established a limited constitutional monarchy in which the monarchy was subject to the Legislative Assembly which replaced the National Assembly.

What was the Jacobin Club? What kinds of people were part of the Jacobins and what was their stance?

They were a radical political club composed of radical deputies, provinces that met mainly as discussion groups, elite members of local societies as well as artisans and traders. The Jacobin's stance on the revolution was that the king should be removed immediately.

The French social order was divided into 3 orders, or estates (classes). Describe in detail each of the classes below (3)

Third Estate: - Commoners of French society - the vast majority of French population - Divided by differences in wealth, education level & occupation - 75-80% of the total population - Owned ~35-40% of the land - landholding varied in different areas - some had little or no land at all - Serfdom had been on the decline - yet peasants had still had obligations to local landlords - relics of feudalism→ pay fees for use of village facilities (flour mill, community oven & winepress) as well as tithes to the clergy. Nobles could also hunt of peasant land - There were also artisans, shopkeepers and other wage earners in the Third Estate - Both the aristocrats & bourgeoisie shared sentiments on liberal political thought: - Both felt that the monarchial system that rested on privileges and old rigid social order (estates) was frustrating. - Those that opposed the elites of the old order → drastic measures against monarchical regime - The Revolution had its roots in political grievances. a.) Bourgeoisie: - 8% (2.3 million) people made up the bourgeoisie (middle class) - controlled the merchants, industrialists, bankers→ controlled resources of trade, manufacturing & finance - They benefited from economic prosperity after 1730 - Also made up of lawyers, public office holders doctors & writers (professional people) - They gained security & status by purchasing land - Grievances: excluded from the social/political privileges that the nobles held b.) Peasantry: - They make up 75-80% of the population - often were unemployed - some owned land but most are too poor too and were involved in the form of federalism that was still ongoing despite it not being called that c.) Urban Workers: - They worked jobs and were artisans or traders. - like the bourgeois, they were engaged in liberal thought because they were literate

Explain the " Civil Constitution of the Clergy".

This basically said that the Catholic church would be subordinate to the French government but it also nationalized the church.

What is the significance of the Declaration of the Rights of man and Citizen? What principles did it suggest?

This was the first piece of legislation created that reflected ideals that were presented during the enlightenment and during the American revolution. It also raised question on the topic of equality for all men, did it include women? Besides rights, it went on to call for the destruction of aristocratic privileges with the end of tax exemptions and the access to public office for all men based on their merit rather than their place in society.

What was Napoleon's connection to Tsar Alexander 1 of Russia? How did the nature of their relationship change over time?

Tsar Alexander 1 had a connection with France in fighting England for dominion of Sweden and was eventually given control over the East. Over time, Alexander began to dislike the changes that Napoleon was making and viewed him as a disturber of world peace and decided to go against him in 1812

What kind of events comprised the Thermidorean Reaction?

a political revolt that led with the death of Robespierre

What was the Committee of Public Safety? Who was Maximilien Robespierre?

an executive committee led by Danton and later Robespierre, a small town lawyer who was dedicated To using power to benefit the people.

What 3 parts comprised Napoleon's Grand Empire? How did Napoleon administer such a vast territory? What role did his family play in this?

The empire was composed of the French Empire, a series of dependent states, and allied states. He demanded obedience and promoted certain revolutionary principles. He appointed his brother as king of Westphalia and explained the importance of using Enlightenment and Revolutionary principles while ruling

The French social order was divided into 3 orders, or estates (classes). Describe in detail each of the classes below (1)

First Estate: - Clergy: 130,000 people - Radically divided: - higher clergy: aristocratic families that shared interests of the nobility - Parish priests: poor commoners - Church owned ~10% of the land and were exempt from taxes (tailles) - Did pay a "voluntary" tax every 5 years to the state.

Who was Johann Gottlieb Fichte? What made his philosophical ideas significant? How did Napoleon's vision of France influence change in Prussia?

He was a philosopher whose ideas would awaken the dream of German nationalism. Napoleon's changes in France inspired reforms in Prussia such as the abolition of serfdom, election of city councils, and creation of a larger army

What is the "Republic of Virtue"? What kinds of measures did they attempt to put into place? Was it success or failure? Why?

It was a political theory present by Robespierre that advocated for the use of the terror if it was defending democracy. It proposed a new state religion that was meant to become a utopia that would be the ideal republic in France. They tried to implement laws dealing with the wartime emergency and provide more economic controls. It didn't work because the government lacked the machinery to enforce them.

What was the response of foreign monarchs to the French Revolution? In particular, explain the reactions of Leopold 2nd of Austria and King Frederick Wilhelm 2nd of Prussia. How well did the 2 get along? What was the Declaration of Pillnitz? How did the French Legislative Assembly respond?

Many political leaders feared that unrest would erupt in their own countries as a result of the Revolution and deemed it a threat to sovereignty. Leopold and Frederick signed the Declaration of Pillnitz which was mainly symbolic of their agreement to contribute troops if all major European leaders got involved. Neither of them trusted each other to follow through with the agreement. The Legislative Assembly eventually declared war on Austria in 1792.

Why did the American colonies of Great Britain revolt against the British Empire? What enlightenment ideals inspired this movement?

The American colonies revolted against the British Empire because they believed that the Parliament had no right to tax the people of America without the consent of the assembly who represented the people. The enlightenment ideals of natural rights, "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".

Describe the Continental Army established by the Second Continental Congress. Who led it? What main concerns did they have? What role did the French play in this conflict?

The Continental Army was a group of untrained, undisciplined volunteers that served only short term led by George Washington. The primary concerns were the internal divisions within the colonies with both the Loyalists and Patriots being in the minority, the majority of the population being apathetic to the idea of a revolution. The French were a big help to the Americans during the revolution because they helped the Americans with finances, weapons as well as sending some officers and soldiers to serve under Washington.

How did the monarchy and the parlements relationship change in the 18th century? What effect did this have?

The monarchy had forced the parlements into submission but the 18th century saw them take on the role as "liberty defenders" against the unnecessary power of the monarchy. However, despite their noble claims, they still pushed their own interests, often in the form of tax blocks.--> led to opposition because the problems of the monarchy was financial

How did the Committee of Public Safety go about defending Paris, the newly formed republic, and the overall revolutionary effort? What did Spielvogel mean when he called it a "Nation in Arms"? In what way have historians described the French revolutionary army as fundamentally different from those that fought in previous wars?

They decreed a universal mobilization of the nation. A "Nation in Arms" basically meant the people's army raised by universal mobilization to repel the foreign enemies of the French Revolution. Previously, wars had been fought between governments or ruling dynasties by small professional armies. The new French army was the creation of a "people's" government and its wars were now "people's" wars

What did Louis 16th try to do in the midst of all this dissent in June of 1791? What was the result of this?

- He tried to flee to Varennes in the midst of the dissent in 1791. He failed and the result of this was a charge of treason and his eventual execution in 1793

Describe the differences between the delegates of the first, second, and third estates at the Estates General meeting.

1st and 2nd estates had about 300 delegates each while the 3rd had 600 delegates. The upper classes were 90% liberal and open to ideas of the enlightenment while the 3rd estate was wary and hostile of those with privilege.

Who was Gracchus Babeuf? What was his view an early vision of? What happened to him?

A French political journalist that believed in an early version of communism. He was executed for his role in the conspiracy of equals

Who was Olympe de Gouges? Why is she such a critical figure of the French Revolution?

A French writer and intellectual thinker that wrote the declaration of the rights of women. She advocated for women's rights but women's rights were considered radical even during the revolutionary times and she was imprisoned and executed for it.

How did the French bureaucracy become more administratively centralized during Napoleon's rule?

He instituted prefects, who were responsible for supervising all aspects of local government. He made tax collection efficient by employing professional tax collectors. Demonstrated abilities determined promotion in civil and military offices.

How did Napoleon go about making peace with the Roman Catholic Church?

He signed the Concordat of 1801 which made the Roman Catholic Church a state church again but it still had it under the French government

Who was Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes? From which estate did he emerge? What role did he play at the start of the Revolution?

He was a churchman and constitutional theorist drafted the declaration of the rights of man and citizens as a member of the 3rd estate during the tennis court oath.

What happened in 1787? Did they revise the Articles of Confederation? What role did the federal government play in the newly formed United States?

In 1787, the Philadelphia convention was held in order to revise the Articles. In the new doctrine, the federal government was given more power than the individual states, allowing for the federal government to levy taxes. raise a national army, regulate domestic and foreign trade, and create a national currency. The federal government was also divided into 3 branches and given the power to check each other to keep a balance of power.

How did the most radical stage of the French Revolution (the Reign of Terror) end? What happened to Robespierre?

It ended when Robespierre was executed by guillotine

What is a guillotine? How many met their fate in this manner? Where did the majority of the losses during the reign of terror come from? Why these places?

It was a revolutionary device for the quick and efficient separation of heads from bodies. 16,000 people died by guillotine. The bulk of the Terror's executions took place in the Vendee and in cities such as Lyons and Marseilles. They had been in open rebellion against the authority of the National Convention.

Continuing on the yellow section on page 564, why does Spielvogel say that it might be more accurate to say the French Revolution was actually liberal movement rather than a democratic revolution? What were the three main principles of the slogan of the French Revolution? What do they mean?

It was more a liberal movement because the revolution was in pursuit of and extension of political rights to the bourgeoisie in possession of wealth. The revolution did create new liberal and national political ideals often summarized in the slogan of the French Revolution, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity"

What was the Treaty of Tilsit?

It was signed by Napoleon and the rulers of Prussia and Austria which ended the fighting and gave Napoleon an opportunity to create a new European order

Explain what nationalism is and why was it such a massive obstacle for Napoleon's effective conquering of distant territories

It's the idea of pride in one's nation and feeling a sense of unity because of it. Napoleon unintentionally spread ideals of nationalism not only to the French people but surrounding countries as well, because with nationalism came the idea that they deserved rights and with that came a revolution

What happened when Napoleon was first exiled? Where did he go? What was the "100 Days"? How did it end? Then what happened?

Napoleon was abdicated by the Treaty of Fontainbleau and was sent to Elba the first time he was exiled. The 100 days was the period of time between Napoleon's escape from exile and his return to Paris. It ended with him losing at the Battle of Waterloo after his attempt to use his newly amassed army to fight the 7th coalition and lost, ending the Napoleonic wars and exiling him once more

Read the excerpt by Jacques Necker on pg 570. Explain the extent to which Necker supports the idea that the French government's financial woes contributed to the start of the Revolution.

Necker believes that if the French government should have been more careful and effective in the spending of money because he brings up quite often the successful monetary state of England and how France should have taken more care to develop a better banking system and lower interest rates so they were able to pay off debts.

The National Convention did not control all of France, what were some places that remained outside their control?

Some areas outside their control were: western France, department of vendee

What was the cahiers de doleances?

Statements of local grievances- drafted during elections in the estates general that advocated for a constitutional government free of fiscal policies that benefited the upper classes.

What was the Civil Code, aka the Napoleonic Code? How well did it represent the revolutionary ideals the French fought for during the previous decade?

The Civil Code preserved most of the revolutionary gains by recognizing the principle of equality of all citizens before the law, the rights of individuals to choose their professions, religious toleration, and the abolition of serfdom and feudalism.

Did the French win or lose the Battle of Borodino? Did France conquer Russia? What happened?

The French suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Borodino despite the fact that they were able to capture Moscow. They lost a lot of soldiers and eventually had to retreat, so overall it wasn't a victory because they were unable to conquer Russia

What was the National Convention's approach to religion? What policy did they put into place? What was the cathedral of Notre Dame redesignated? What effect did this policy have on the rest of the French population?

The National Convention pursued a policy of d-Christianization. The cathedral of Notre Dame was renamed The Temple of Reason. de-Christianization was highly opposed because France was still very Catholic.

What was the Paris Commune? Who were the Sans-Culottes? Who was their leader? And how long did it last?

The Paris Commune was a municipal form of government that gained formal authority when Paris was divided into sections. The Sans-Culottes were ordinary patriots without fine clothes. Their leader was Georges Danton.

After the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly, what was the brand new legislature called? What was the primary social makeup of this new law making body? What new form of government did they establish?

The Paris commune took over this role and their primary social makeup was the Girondins and the Mountain

What happened to the Roman Catholic Church in France after the start of the Revolution? How did the role of the clergy change at this time?

The Roman Catholic church had their properties seized by the National Assembly and their lands were sole. They were also delegated to being subordinate to the State with the Civil constitution of the clergy in 1790.

What was the "assembly of notables"? What was the estates general? When was the last time it had been called together?

The assembly of notable was exactly as it sounded. An assembly of nobles and elite members chosen by the King to discuss matters of the State. The estates general was a legislative and consultant body of people that we want to represent all the classes in France with clergy in the 1st estate, nobles in the 2nd and everyone else in the 3rd. The last time they were called was in 1614.

Describe the new republican calendar. Why was it established?

The calendar contained 12 months; each month consisted of 3 10 day weeks called decades, with the 10th day of each a day of rest (decadi). It was supposed to be another manifestation of Christianity.

Spielvogel says that the causes of the French Revolution can be attributed to both immediate causes and long term causes. Below, list a few of each. Generally speaking, (think premises of an argument in a thesis statement) what kinds of ideas could you say were either long-term versus immediate causes of the French Revolution?

The long term causes: French society was steeped in inequality of rights/privileges, The population was divided into legal categories; 3 estates, weak leadership of the king, Enlightenment ideals and the American revolutionary thought started to resonate with people. Immediate: Rising cost of bread, financial crisis, dissatisfaction with the monarchy.

When the new constitution of 1795 was established, how was it different from the preceding one? How was the government to be structured and what was it called?

The new constitution reflected conservative republicanism or a desire for stability that did not sacrifice the ideals of 1789. The constitution of 1795 established a national legislative assembly consisting of 2 chambers: a lower house, known as the Council of 500, and an upper house of 250 members called the Council of Elders

Explain how the upper bourgeois classes were both similar to, and different from, the nobility

The upper bourgeois were able to join the ranks of nobility by getting public offices & entering the nobility of the robe. - 1774-1789: 2,500 bourgeois joined the nobility→ 6,500 noble families created - Aristocrats began to engage in capitalistic activities→ mining, metallurgy, glassmaking, investments in foreign trade

What was the voting discrepancy? Why did the third estate desire to make a change to the voting rules? How did they want it to work?

The voting discrepancy in the Estates General was that each estate counted as one vote so the upper classes always ended up getting 2⁄3 of the vote despite their low numbers and lack of representation for the majority of the population.

What was the women' march to Versailles all about? How did it end? What were their demands? How did Louis XVI respond?

The women were upset because the price of bread had been increased. They marched to Versailles, demanding a fair price for bread. Louis responded by actually coming out of his palace and irradiated the doubt that the monarchy could not be bent to the will of the people.

What was the first order of business of the National Assembly? Why?

They destroyed relics of feudalism and aristocrats privileges. They wanted to calm the peasants down and restore order to the country.

What did the Paris Commune (and Sans-Culottes) end up doing to the Girondins? What effect did this have?

They executed the Girondins b/c they felt they were not representing the people well enough. The effect of this was mass hysteria as a result of this newfound reign of terror that began to arise in France.

Describe the importance of the Battle of Austerlitz

This battle was one of Napoleon's greatest victories in which Napoleon defeated the combined forces of Russia and Austria

What role did women play in the French Revolution? Why weren't men of the revolution receptive to female participation?

Women advocated for equality for all people not just men which meant that women would gain rights as well. Men weren't that receptive to it b/c they felt that women belonged in the home

What effect did the Napoleonic Code have on women?

Women had a harder time obtaining a divorce. A wife caught in adultery could be divorced by her husband and even imprisoned. Women were now "less equal than men". When women married their property went to their husbands. In lawsuits they were treated as minors and their testimony was regarded as less reliable than that of men