French Revolution

Problems facing monarchy

*Food shortages due to bad harvests, rising prices for food, unemployment. The poor reached crisis proportions and were estimated to be one third of the population. *Social Structure: French society was based on inequality of rights and idea of privilege *Government: 3 Estates - Clergy, Nobles, and Commoners *Ideas of Philosophes: Criticized the existing privileges, social and political institutions *Failure to Make Reforms: French Parliament resisted reforms. *Financial Crisis of Government: Costly wars, royal extravagance; on verge of collapse

Original ideas behind the French Revolution

*Social Structure: French society was based on inequality of rights and idea of privilege *Government: 3 Estates - Clergy, Nobles, and Commoners *Ideas of Philosophes: Criticized the existing privileges, social and political institutions *Failure to Make Reforms: French Parliament resisted reforms. *Financial Crisis of Government: Costly wars, royal extravagance; on verge of collapse

Robespierre

A member of the National Convention, Robespierre was one the committees leading members on The Committee for Public Safety, which instituted the Reign of Terror. Robiespierre gave the Speech on Revolutionary Government, which tried to justify the violence to which these believers in republican liberty resorted. In 1794, the Committee of Public Safety turned against its radical supporters and realized the Robiespierre was the one driving the Reign of Terror. They guillotined him in 1794, ending the Reign of Terror.

Committee of Public Safety

A political body of the French Revolution that gained dictatorial control over France during the Reign of Terror. The Committee of Public Safety was set up on 1793 during one of the crises of the Revolution, when France was beset by foreign and civil war. The new committee was to provide for the defense of the nation against its enemies, foreign and domestic, and to oversee the already existing organs of executive government.

Thermidorean Reaction

After the execution of Robespierre, revolutionary fervor gave way to the Thermidorean Reaction, named after the month of Thermidore. The Thermidorean Reaction was a revolt in the French Revolution against the excesses of the Reign of Terror It was triggered by a vote of the National Convention to execute Robespierre and several other leading members of the Terror. This ended the most radical phase of the French Revolution.

Napoleon Bonaparte - reforms

As First Consul, Napoleon presided over the Council of State, and instituted many reforms to help stabilize the government: - New judges - Better policing - Better tax collection - Stabilization of the franc - Creation of the Banc of France - Creation of public secondary schools and universities - "settled" with the Catholic Church Sell off Church lands Replace the old bishops, with new prelates

Sans-culottes

As power passed from the assembly to the new Paris commune, called Sans-culottes, the French Revolution passed into a radical stage. The word sans-culottes represented ordinary patriots without fine clothes. Many of the san-culottes were working class people or poor, but some were merchants and better-off artisans that were the elite of their neighborhoods.

Estates General

Consisted of representatives from the 3 orders of French society. The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate was the nobility, and the Third Estate was the commoners. The 1st and 2nd Estate got 300 votes, the Third Estate getting double representation or 600 votes.

Napoleon' Embrace of the ideas of the Enlightenment - YES and NO

Ideas Napoleon Embraced: *Was the body of civil law, and it aimed to solidify the gains of the Revolution: • Individual liberty • Freedom of work and freedom of conscience • Equality in the eyes of the law Ideas Napleon Did not Embrace: • Diminished freedom by centralizing government • The protection of landed property • The rights of employers at the expense of employees • Divorce, but with few other legal rights, for women

Bastille

In 1789, the Parisian crowds in search of weapons attacked and capture the royal army, know at the Bastille. It had been a state prison and its fall marked the triumph of liberty over absolute rule of King Louis XVI rule.

Proclamation to the French Troops

In 1796, Napoleon was given command of the French Army in Italy. He made this proclamation to the French troops in Italy. Napoleon was tough with his officers, but made a point to eat with his soldiers, provide them with good food and clothing. Through his speech, which was a pep talk to the soldiers, he showed that he was a master of psychological warfare.

Declaration of Pillnitz

In August 1791, Austria and Prussia announce that the nations of Europe ought to put Louis XVI back on the throne, to ensure the "rights of sovereigns and the wellbeing of the French Nation." The nations of Europe are unable to effectively work together, but somewhat surprisingly, many French welcome a foreign war.

deChristianization & new calendar

In its attempt to create a new order, the National Convention pursued a policy of de-Chritianization. The word Saint was removed from streets, churches were pillaged and closed by revolutionary armies and priests were encouraged to marry. Another form of deChristianization was the adoption of a new republican calendar in 1897. Napoleon abandoned it once he realized it was unpopular.

"Après moi, le déluge"

Means "After me, the flood." A remark attributed to King Louis XV of France in reference to the impending end of a functioning French monarchy and predicting the French Revolution.

1812 Russian Campaign

Napoleon began expanding his Grande Armée to a massive force of over 600,000 men (despite already having over 300,000 men deployed in Iberia). Napoleon ignored repeated advice against an invasion of the vast Russian heartland, and prepared his forces for an offensive campaign. On June 23, 1812, Napoleon's invasion of Russia commenced. The Russians retreat, avoiding battle. The Russians use the "scorched earth" tactic. They burned crops and slaughtered livestock so the French would have nothing to eat. Supply lines - over 800 miles long- begin to fail. Along with hunger, the French also have to face the harsh Russian winter. By the next spring, only 40,000 return to France.

Speech on Revolutionary Government

Robiespierre gave the Speech on Revolutionary Government, which tried to justify the violence to which these believers in republican liberty resorted. In the speech he states, "To good citizens revolutionary government owes the full protection of the state; to the enemies of the people it owes death." In this way he justified the Reign of Terror and the violent activities of the French Revolutionaries.

Problems for Directory

The Directory had to contend with political enemies from both ends of the political spectrum. On the right, the loyalists who dreamed of restoring the monarch continued their agitation. On the left, the Jacobin hopes of power were revived by continuing economic problems. By 1797, the Directory had to increasing rely on the military to maintain its power. Napoleon led a coup to take over the seize power of the government in 1799.

Reign of Terror

The National Convention and the Committee for Public Safety established the "Reign of Terror." Revolutionary courts were organized to protect the Republic from its internal enemies "who either by their conduct, words, or writings, showed them enemies of liberty." In the course of 9 months, 16,000-50,000 people were killed by the guillotine. Many of the victims were persons who had opposed the radical activities of the sans-culottes. The purpose was to bring districts back under the control of the National Convention.

Mountain

The National Convention split into 2 factions. The Mountain were called this because their members seats were on the side of the convention hall where the floor slanted upward. The Mountain (representing Paris and its radical mobs) want Louis XVI to die, which will then do away with the monarchy for good.

Jacobin

The National Convention split into 2 main factions, both which were members of the Jacobin club: the Girondins and the Mountain.

Girondins

The National Convention split into 2 main factions. The Girondins were called this because their leaders came the from Gironde. The Girondins (from France's provinces and somewhat less radical) wanted to keep Louis XVI around, just in case.

National Assembly

The Third Estate, in 1789, voted to constitute itself the National Assembly and decided to draw up a constitution. After the March on Versailles, King Louis XVI was forced to accept the National Assembly's decrees and forced the King to be a virtual prisoner in Paris.

Tennis Court Oath

The Third Estate, in 1789, voted to constitute itself the National Assembly and decided to draw up a constitution. When they arrived at the meeting place, the doors were locked and they moved to a nearby tennis court and swore that they would continue to meet until they produced a French Constitution.

Declaration of Independence

The colonist in America decided to declare their independence from the British Empire. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress approved a declaration of independence written by Thomas Jefferson. It affirmed the natural rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and declared the colonies to be free and independent states absolved from all allegiance to the British crown.

Women's March on Versailles

The crowd of Parisian women that set off for Versailles, 12 miles away, to confront King Louis XVI and the National Assembly. Armed with broomsticks, lances, pitchforks, swords, and pistols, they met with King Louis XVI to demand bread for their starving children. The crowd insisted the King return to Paris and as a goodwill gesture, he brought back wagon loads of flour from the palace stores.

Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen

This was adopted in August 1789 by the National Assembly. It affirmed that "men are born and remain free and equal in rights, that government must protect these natural rights and that political power is derived from the people.

Continental System

Was a Europe-wide commercial boycott of Britain, which was considered an economic war. The Boycott hurt the French economy, and was hurt by the fact that not all European nations participated.

Napoleonic Code

Was the body of civil law, and it aimed to solidify the gains of the Revolution: • Individual liberty • Freedom of work and freedom of conscience • Equality in the eyes of the law • Forbade privileges based on birth • Allowed freedom of religion •Specified that government jobs should go to the most qualified But the Code also supported: • The protection of landed property • The rights of employers at the expense of employees • Divorce, but with few other legal rights, for women