FRENCH REVOLUTION LOUIS XIV Sun King Wars (most go badly for France) LOUIS XV 7 Years War (F + I War) Death bed prediction of great change in France Deluge LOUIS XVI m. Marie Antoinette
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
Why are the people of France upset? Poor Leadership Louis XVI indecisive and was a poor judge of character (Marie Antoinette) Spend lavishly while country is in financial trouble Economic crisis Brought on by debt (War); Large tax burden on middle and lower classes Structure of society
Estates: Order of Society First Estate: Roman Catholic Clergy Higher Clergy, Lower Clergy Second Estate: Nobility Government officials, Military leaders Third Estate: Everyone else Bourgeoisie, Artisans, Peasants
Adding fuel to the fire Enlightenment Ideas Ideas of Locke and philosophes like Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau Salons social gatherings (ideas discussed) American Revolution (Successful example)
Revolt Begins!!! Louis calls Estates together (Estates General) to raise tax revenues Each Estate had one vote Fair to 3 rd Estate? Want a greater voice King locks them out of meeting place National Assembly Some members of 1 st and 2 nd Estates join the 3 rd Estate Tennis Court Oath
Revolt Begins!!! (Cont.) Bastille Forced way into fort Gunpowder for weapons to defend themselves Why symbolic?
Revolt continues The Great Fear Peasants fearing retaliation from nobles begin raiding and destroying nobles property Women s March on Versailles Why? Rising price of bread King and family forced to move to Paris
End of Old Order Violence forced Nobles to give up privileges Feudalism is dead Declaration of Rights of Man Still in constitution today States all people are equal before the law Freedom of speech, press, religion, habeas corpus Who is left out? Women
End of Old Order continued Church Forced to give up land to pay debts Each parish would elect a priest Royal family caught trying to flee Constitution of 1791 Limited Monarchy Louis forced to accept Publicly supports but privately is against
Radical Stage 1792 National Assembly suspends Monarchy Believe it or not, this is a radical idea for those living in 18 th century France Why do they suspend the monarchy? King cannot be trusted (plots with Emigres) France becomes a Republic
Political Division in Assembly Jacobins (The mountain ) Considered themselves voice of the people, upholders of the revolution Moderates (the plain ) Girondins (more conservative) Moderates persuaded to side with Jacobins 1792 King Louis XVI sentenced to the death; executed in Jan. 1793
Reign of Terror Committee of Public Safety 12 member group who runs France Robespierre Essentially a dictator At least 17,000 people executed Why? Enemies of the state Ironically they are mostly members of the Third Estate Enlightened thinking?
Reign of Terror Ends Robespierre is executed The Directory replaces the Committee of Public Safety Doesn t solve France s problems however Who Does? Napoleon Bonaparte What contributes to Napoleon s rise to power? Instability (chaos creates opportunity) Enlightenment (The man or Man of the times?)
Napoleon Bonaparte Takes over France even though he is neither French nor noble Contradictions: Elected leader through plebiscite but quickly suspends freedoms (speech) Brings many needed reforms to France (legal code and merit system) but rules as a dictator Napoleon s armies invade and take over large amount of European territory - brings glory to France but ultimately violates people s sovereignty in areas he takes over
Napoleon s defeat Napoleon decides to invade Russia lays siege to St. Petersburg but ultimately defeated. Why? Troops exposed to harsh climate (General Winter ) Tactics used by Russians Hit and run (guerrilla) Scorched Earth Policy Forced to retreat French forces return to France decimated (only approximately 1/5 of military force remaining)
Napoleon s defeat (Cont.) Napoleon exiled to Isle of Elba (house arrest) 100 Days Napoleon returns to France rallies troops amazing feat able to raise 100,000 man army (unfortunately mostly very young, old, or inexperienced) Battle of Waterloo 1815 (June 18 th ) Final defeat of Napoleon s forces Napoleon sent into exile on St. Helena where he dies in 1821 (May 5 th )
Goals: Congress of Vienna 1. Restore the Balance of Power in Europe A. Not too strong Not too weak B. Surround France with strong countries to prevent future aggression (ex. German Confederation) C. Legitimacy (restore monarchies) 2. Provide a means of settling disputes
Results of Congress of Vienna 1.Somewhat successful politically; no major conflicts for 40 years; major wars 100 years 2.Concert of Europe (series of alliances to resolve conflicts, revolutions) 3.Reactionaries (conservatives) vs. Liberals A. Revolutions 1830 and 1848
Latin American Independence Colonial empires begin to unravel in late 18 th century Why? 1. Effect of Enlightenment Ideals - Rigid class structure in many Latin American States. Peninsulares, Creoles, Mestizos, Mulattoes, Native, and Africans 2. American and French Revolutions By 1830 a large majority of Latin American states are independent of colonial rule