The French Struggle to Achieve Self Government 1790-1815.

The French Struggle to The French Struggle to Achieve Self Achieve Self

GovernmentGovernment1790-18151790-1815

France: Before the RevolutionFrance: Before the Revolution French society based on inequalityFrench society based on inequality France divided into three estates, or classesFrance divided into three estates, or classes

• First Estate: ClergyFirst Estate: Clergy Own 10% of the land, but paid no taxesOwn 10% of the land, but paid no taxes

• Second Estate: NobilitySecond Estate: Nobility Own 30% of the land, but paid no taxesOwn 30% of the land, but paid no taxes Hold the influential positions in French societyHold the influential positions in French society

• Third Estate: CommonersThird Estate: Commoners Pay 100% of the taxesPay 100% of the taxes Vast differences in occupation, education, and wealthVast differences in occupation, education, and wealth 98% of the population, own 65% of the land98% of the population, own 65% of the land

A financial crisis will lead to the French A financial crisis will lead to the French RevolutionRevolution• 1787 & 1788: Poor harvests lead to food shortages and 1787 & 1788: Poor harvests lead to food shortages and

unemploymentunemployment• Many French peasants lay starving in the streetsMany French peasants lay starving in the streets• Nobles still spendNobles still spend

Marie AntoinetteMarie Antoinette

The Estates GeneralThe Estates General

French version of ParliamentFrench version of Parliament Each estate has one voteEach estate has one vote

• How is this unfair to the third estate?How is this unfair to the third estate?• Supported by Louis XVISupported by Louis XVI• Third Estate wants a constitutional Third Estate wants a constitutional

government where majority rulesgovernment where majority rules Begins to draft ConstitutionBegins to draft Constitution Return 3 days later to find themselves Return 3 days later to find themselves

locked out. What do they do?locked out. What do they do? The Tennis Court OathThe Tennis Court Oath

What was the Tennis Court Oath?What was the Tennis Court Oath?

The French Revolution BeginsThe French Revolution BeginsLiberty, Equality, Fraternity!Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!

Louis XVI prepares Louis XVI prepares to use force to use force against the 3against the 3rdrd Estate, but Estate, but something something happens…happens…• July 14, 1789: A July 14, 1789: A

mob of Parisians mob of Parisians storm the Bastille. storm the Bastille. Why?Why?

Symbol of royal Symbol of royal power and power and oppressionoppression

Many political Many political dissenters sent heredissenters sent here

Declaration of the Rights of Declaration of the Rights of Man and CitizenMan and Citizen

Equal rights for all Men

Freedoms of Speech and Press

Access to Public Office based on talent

End Tax Exemptions

What about Women ? Olympe de Gouges

17901790 National Assembly sets up National Assembly sets up

limited monarchylimited monarchy•King- But he and his family are King- But he and his family are

virtually prisoners in Parisvirtually prisoners in Paris•Legislative Assembly to make Legislative Assembly to make

lawslaws

17911791 Discontent with new govt.Discontent with new govt.

•Catholic priests, nobles, lower Catholic priests, nobles, lower classes who suffered classes who suffered economically, radicals who economically, radicals who wanted more drastic solutionswanted more drastic solutions

•King tries to flee & considered King tries to flee & considered disloyaldisloyal

17921792 Many European monarchies are Many European monarchies are

uneasy because of the Revolutionuneasy because of the Revolution France declares war on AustriaFrance declares war on Austria

• Does not fare wellDoes not fare well• Look for a scapegoatLook for a scapegoat• The Paris Commune emergesThe Paris Commune emerges

Sans-culottesSans-culottes Takes King Louis captive and force the Takes King Louis captive and force the

formation of the National Assemblyformation of the National Assembly

17931793 Nat’l convention splits into factions Nat’l convention splits into factions

over fate of kingover fate of king• Girondins: Fear radicalism and want Girondins: Fear radicalism and want

king aliveking alive• Mountain: Represent radicals and want Mountain: Represent radicals and want

king deadking dead Paris radicals convince convention to Paris radicals convince convention to

condemn king to death by guillotinecondemn king to death by guillotine King’s execution outraged European King’s execution outraged European

monarchsmonarchs

1793, contd.1793, contd. European coalition set to invadeEuropean coalition set to invade

• France reacts by giving more power to France reacts by giving more power to the Committee of Public Safetythe Committee of Public Safety

• Dominated by Maximilien RobespierreDominated by Maximilien Robespierre• Thus, the Reign of Terror Thus, the Reign of Terror begins…begins…

The Reign of TerrorThe Reign of Terror 1793-17941793-1794

• Acts to defend France Acts to defend France against foreign and against foreign and domestic threatsdomestic threats

• Suspend all democracySuspend all democracy• ““Dechristianize” to Dechristianize” to

assert reasonassert reason• Revolutionary courts Revolutionary courts

set up to prosecute set up to prosecute enemiesenemies

40,000 die40,000 die 16,000 die at the 16,000 die at the

guillotineguillotine• This includes Queen This includes Queen

Marie Antoinette and Marie Antoinette and Olympe de GougeOlympe de Gouge

The End of TerrorThe End of Terror• Eventhough threats to Eventhough threats to

France had been dealt France had been dealt with, Robespierre with, Robespierre continues to massacrecontinues to massacre

• National Convention National Convention condemns him to death condemns him to death by guillotine on July 28, by guillotine on July 28, 17941794

• Moderates take controlModerates take control• Establish the Directory Establish the Directory

to rule France…to rule France…

1795-17991795-1799 New constitution establishes New constitution establishes

bicameral legislature: five bicameral legislature: five directors act as executive directors act as executive committee—The Directorycommittee—The Directory

Era of corruption & graftEra of corruption & graft• Only military keeps Directory in powerOnly military keeps Directory in power• Coup d’etat led by Napoleon Bonaparte Coup d’etat led by Napoleon Bonaparte

seizes powerseizes power

1799-18151799-1815 Napoleon rules FranceNapoleon rules France

•Product of Revolution: Product of Revolution: commoner who rose rapidly in commoner who rose rapidly in ranks of militaryranks of military

•Absolute power though France Absolute power though France is a Republicis a Republic

•Crowns himself EmperorCrowns himself Emperor

Were ideals of Revolution Were ideals of Revolution maintained by Napoleon?maintained by Napoleon?

Made peace with Catholic ChurchMade peace with Catholic Church Napoleonic Code: codification of Napoleonic Code: codification of

lawlaw•Equality before the lawEquality before the law•Freedom of religion, Freedom of religion,

opportunity, end to serfdomopportunity, end to serfdom•Protection of property rightsProtection of property rights

Were ideals of Revolution Were ideals of Revolution maintained by Napoleon?maintained by Napoleon?

Developed efficient bureaucracy Developed efficient bureaucracy based on meritbased on merit

Insisted on govt. censorshipInsisted on govt. censorship•Shut down many newspapersShut down many newspapers•Mail opened by policeMail opened by police

Conquest of an EmpireConquest of an Empire Master of Europe 1807-1812Master of Europe 1807-1812 Spread principles of French Spread principles of French

RevolutionRevolution Tried to destroy old European Tried to destroy old European

order order

Why Napoleon’s Empire Why Napoleon’s Empire CollapsedCollapsed

Survival of Great BritainSurvival of Great Britain Force of nationalismForce of nationalism

•The unique cultural identity of The unique cultural identity of a people based on common a people based on common language, religion, and nat’l language, religion, and nat’l symbolssymbols