The French Revolution and Napoleon

(1789-1815)

Creating a New France

WEX II

Chapter 2, Section 2

Creating a New France

At the end of this section, I will be able to answer the following questions:

How did popular uprisings contribute to the French Revolution?

What political and social reforms emerged in the early states of the revolution?

How did people outside France respond to the revolution?

Vocabulary: émigré, sans-culotte

Creating a New FranceThe French Revolution can be divided into

four (4) phases: Moderate phase of the National Assembly

– France became a constitutional monarchy (1789-1791)

Radical phase leading to the Reign of Terror (1792-1794)

Reaction against extremism – The Directory (1795-1799)

The Age of Napoleon (1799-1815)

Creating a New France

Phase 1, the National Assembly What was happening in France in 1789?

–Worst famine in memory–Prices for grain soared –People paid 80% of their pay for bread

Creating a New France

The “Great Fear” - rumors ran wild Flocks of starving peasants attacking towns

and villages for food Troops seizing peasants crops Defiant peasants attacking homes of nobles

– Burning old manor records– Stealing grain from storehouses

Creating a New France

Paris became a revolutionary center Moderates looked toward Marquis de

Lafayette for leadership– “Hero of two worlds”– Fought along side George Washington– Headed the National Guard

They wore the tricolor – red, white, & blue The tricolor became the national flag

Creating a New FranceThe Radicals looked for more extremist

groups: The Paris Commune took the place of the

royalist government in Paris– They could mobilize whole neighborhoods for

violent action Extremist newspapers and political clubs

were everywhere– Some demanded an end to monarchy

Creating a New France

August 4th, The National Assembly got the nobles to give up their privileges:– Gave up manorial dues– Ended exclusive hunting rights– Gave up special legal status– Even agreed to pay taxes

This satisfied a key Enlightenment goal – the equality of citizens before the law

Creating a New France Later in August, they wrote the

Declaration of Rights of Man– All men were “born and remain free and

equal in rights”– Natural rights to “liberty, property, security,

and resistance to oppression”– Modeled after the U.S. Declaration of

Independence This satisfied another key Enlightenment goal –

– Governments exist to protect the natural rights of citizens

Creating a New France

The Declaration of the Rights of Man stated– All male citizens were equal before law– Each man had an equal right to hold office– Freedom of Religion– Taxes to be levied based upon a person’s ability

to pay Slogan, “Life, liberty, and fraternity”

Creating a New France

However, things didn’t get better fast. Louis XVI was slow to accept the reforms Parisians became more suspicious as more

royal troops surrounded the city Nobles continued to enjoy gala banquets People were still starving Anger continued to grow, leading to action

Creating a New France

The Parisian women loose their patience. On October 5th,thousands of woman march

from Paris to Versailles Demand to see the King The king agree to go with them to Paris Return to Paris with the King, Marie

Antoinette, and their son

Creating a New France

What did they do with the King and his family?

Royal family stayed at Tuileries Palace Prisoners in his own capital Women continue to take action during the

revolution

Creating a New France

The National Assembly moves to Paris and drafted a constitution:– Reorganize the Church– Sell church lands– Put the Catholic Church under state control

Creating a New France

Civil Constitution of the Clergy – 1790– Bishops & priests were elected salaried officials– Ended Papal authority over the French Church– Dissolved convents and monasteries

Creating a New France

How did the world react? Many Bishops & priests refused to accept

the Civil Constitution The pope condemned it Many peasants rejected it

– When the government punished clergy who refused to support the Civil Constitution, the peasants became upset with the government

Creating a New France

The French Constitution of 1791 Established a constitutional monarchy New legislature had the power to

– Make laws– Collect taxes– Decide on issues of warfare & peace– Lawmakers were elected by tax-paying males

citizens 50,000 of 27 million could run for Assembly

Creating a New FranceWhat changes did the legislature make? Replaced with 83 provinces with

departments Abolished old provincial courts Reformed laws Protected private property Supported free trade Compensated nobles for land taken Forbade guilds & strikes

Creating a New France

The king and family decide to escape. Leave Paris in disguise They were discovered in a small town by a

soldier who recognized Marie Antoinette When they were returned to Paris, the

people thought they were traiters to the revolution

Creating a New France

What was the reaction outside of France? Supporters of the Enlightenment applauded European rulers & nobles denounced the

French Revolution– They called it the “French Plague”– Horror stories were told by the émigrés

Nobles, clergy, & others who fled the revolution

– Enlightened rulers turned against French ideas

Creating a New FranceHow did Marie Antoinette's brother react to

news of their failed attempts to flee Paris?

Her brother was the king of Prussia and emperor of Austria – Issued the Declaration of Pilnitz– Threatened to intervene to protect French

monarchy, if necessary– Declaration was intended to be a bluff, but

revolutionaries in France prepared for war

Creating a New France

How did the new assembly do? Lasted less than 1 year due to

– Severe economic problems– Prices rose rapidly– Shortages– hoarding

Creating a New France

Who were the sans-culottes (

http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=sans-culottes&submit=Submit)

Working class men & women who pushed the revolution into more radical action– They demanded a republic and a government to

guarantee them a living wage– Found support radical legislatures– appealed to the Jacobins– Mostly middle class lawyers or intellectuals

Creating a New France

How did the different legislators react? Members with similar views sat together

– Right - people who felt that they had changed enough

– Center – supporters of moderate reform– Left – people who wanted to abolish the

monarchy & other radical changes including the Jacobins

There terms are still used today

Creating a New France

How did this conflict show itself in April 1792?

Legislature wanted to fight tyranny abroad, so it declared war on Austria, Prussia, Britain, and other states

France fought off and on for the next 23 years

Creating a New France

Marquis de Lafayette http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aieGJwqNFwM

Horrible History http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OSv5it5VnY

Creating a New France

The end!