Chapter 19: The French Revolution
US Constitutional Convention 1787- slavery
1787 Constitutional Convention was whether slaves would be counted as part of the population in determining representation of the states in the Congress or would instead be considered property and, as such, not be considered for purposes of representation.
Napoleonic Code
A comprehensive and uniform system of laws established for France by Napoleon
Why did members of the National Convention turn against Robespierre on the Ninth of Thermidor?
He was responsible for the Reign of Terror and execution of thousands of anti-revolutionists. The National Convention arrested him, tried him for treason, and executed him and 21 of his followers.
Laws passed by National Assembly (1789-1791)
It retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The franchise was restricted to "active" citizens who paid a minimal sum in taxes; about two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and to choose certain local officials directly. TL;DR- only property owning males could vote
How did the Concordat resolve the crisis over Catholicism in France in the Napoleonic era?
The Concordat gave Catholics the right to worship freely
How did the Continental System impact the middle class?
The Continental system created a British blockade of European ports. This backfired and made for a scarcity of goods for the middle class.
How did the government restore order after the Great Fear?
The government issued the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens; driven to more radical action
Olympe de Gouges
A proponent of democracy, she demanded the same rights for French women that French men were demanding for themselves. In her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen (1791), she challenged the practice of male authority and the notion of male-female inequality. She lost her life to the guillotine due to her revolutionary ideas.
After the arrest and deportation of Toussaint L'Ouverture, how was the war of Haitian Independence resolved?
Jean-Jacques Dessalines led the resistance to a crushing victory over France, declaring independence for Haiti.
Edmund Burke
(1729-1797) Member of British Parliament and author of Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790), which criticized the underlying principles of the French Revolution and argued conservative thought.
Victor Hugo
(1802-1885) French writer, an exponent in the French Romantic movement, best known poems were La Légende des siècles and Les Contemplations, best known novels- Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Miserables
What military victories in 1796 and 1797 did Napoleon achieve?
-Napoleon wins the Battle of Lodi -Napoleon wins the Battle of Arcole -Napoleon wins the Battle of Rivoli
What was the biggest problem with France's financial system in the 18th century?
-difficulty to afford food -rising population in towns and cities -inflation rose with population
What two fundamental principles of the French Revolution were incorporated into the Napoleonic Code?
-equality of all males under the law -absolute security of wealth and private property
Members of the Third Estate
Anyone other than nobles or the clergy
How did Napoleon consolidate his rule?
Bonaparte consolidated his power by gaining the favor of the people. He strengthened many of the reforms of the Revolution and limited the power of the church. By eliminating competition as he expanded territoraly, Napoleon was able to become even more influential.
What "mixed message" did the invading French army send when conquering territories?
French armies targeted princes, abolished feudalism, and found support in the middle class and peasants. But French armies lived off the land, requisitioned food and supplies and plundering local treasures. The liberators began looking like foreign invaders.
Napoleon's Grand Empire
French empire, dependent states, allied states
Why did GB tax the American colonies in the 1760's?
Great Britain taxed the American colonies to pay off war debts from the French and Indian war and the Seven Years War.
1794- how did the French government reassert control?
Harnessing the explosive forces of a planned economy, revolutionary terror, and modern nationalism
Describe the socio-economic characteristics of Loyalists during the Am Rev.
Loyalists were American colonists who stayed loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution. Loyalists were farmers, artisans, and shopkeepers who relied on Britain's mercantilism system.
Why did the Directory continue to engage in war?
The Directory continued to support French military expansion abroad because war was no longer as much a crusade as a response to economic problems. TL;DR- war = financial and economic benefits
Reasons for conflicts between Jacobins and Girondins
The Jacobins were a radical group and aimed to abolish monarchy and execute Louis XVI. During the "Reign of Terror", the executed anyone against them. The Girondins were more moderate thinkers, supporting the king and advocated for foreign war to bring the country closer together.
Abbe Sieyes' thoughts on the Third Estate
The Third Estate was the strength of France and was why France was so great.
Political impact/effect of storming the Bastille
The Bastille symbolized royal authority in Paris and abuse of power by the monarchy. Storming the Bastille showed the power of "mob rule" and signified the beginning of the French Revolution.
Main profession of those representing the Third Estate in the Estate's General?
lawyers, merchants, bankers (bourgeoise)
The string of French military victories after the winter of 1793-94 owed largely to...
patriotism and the superior numbers supplied by the draft
In the summer of 1789, the National Assembly was driven toward more radical action by...
revolutionary actions by French peasants and the common people of Paris
In the 1780's, over 50% of France's budget went to this expenditure: ___________________.
interest on debt because they didn't have a National Bank
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Adopted August 26, 1789, created by the National Assembly to give rights to all (except women).
Mary Wollstonecraft
English writer and early feminist who denied male supremacy and advocated equal education for women
Committee of Public Safety
Established and led by Robespierre, fixed bread prices and nationalized some businesses. Basically secret police and also controlled the war effort. Instigated the Reign of Terror.
What was so great about the Declaration of Independence?
It gave colonists liberty and equality
Why did the French Commissioners in Saint-Domingue abolish slavery in 1793?
They were desperate to rally against the rebel forces against the Spanish and English forces on the island
Women's March to Versailles
This was the march by the women of Paris to the home of Marie Antoinette in order to demand action for the ridiculous raise in the price of bread
Describe the main cause and outcome of the Women's March to Versailles
Women marched to Versailles to riot against the lack of bread and the extreme prices of bread. Despite no changes were made, it gave revolutionaries confidence in the power of the people over the king.
Lycees
french government-run public schools
Jacobins' policy for women's political participation
Jacobins sought to exclude women from political and intellectual participation
Federalists v. Anti-federalist platforms
Federalists believed the Constitution only limited the government, not the people. Anti-federalists believed the Constitution gave the central government too much power and, without the Bill of Rights, people risked oppression.
"Hundred Days" in France
The time period between Napoleon arrived in Paris after escaping exile on March 20, 1815, to the day of return of Louis XVIII on July 8, 1815.
How did the delegates to the Legislative Assembly that convened in October 1791 differ from the delegates to the Estates General/National Assembly?
There were property requirements for voting for the legislative assembly, but none for the national convention. All adult French males could vote for the convention.
