The French Revolution was a period of creation and discovery

The spread of the Enlightenment at the upper levels of French society created new expectations and possibilities

France was a nation of wealth and poverty existing at once

• Conflicts over taxes were common

France didn’t have the adequate bureaucratic infrastructure to apply royal policies

• The monarchy was constantly competing with the nobility for power

• Government authority was closely tied with medieval concepts

Conflict between the social classes was common

Growing urbanization and mercantilist behavior caused an expansion in literacy and publication of things such as newspapers and pamphlets

French Government

• Combination of centralized government and feudal system (under leadership of monarch)

• King was in theory absolute, but in reality was limited by the power of nobles and the feudal system

• Legislative Body consisted of the Estates Generals

  • First Estate: Clergy

  • Second Estate: Nobles

  • Third Estate: everybody else

  • In accordance with tradition, each estate normally received one vote

Parisian Parlement was prestigious and powerful

Regional government was guided by the feudal system and seen as repressive by peasants, and necessary by the nobles

Parlement of Paris was disbanded as it refused taxes and loans for the king, leading the king to call a meeting of the Estates Generals

• The three Estates and the king had different goals in mind

• The first meeting ended in a stalemate

• Third Estate met alone in response to the stalemate

National Assembly met in a Tennis Court

• Wanted to establish a representative government based on the constitution

• Louis XVI tried to reconcile, fearing popular support

• Louis XVI called the Swiss Guard which was seen as a step towards oppression

• People of Paris stormed Bastille on July 14, 1789

• Rioters formed National Guard

National Assembly responded to Peasant Revolt on August 4, 1789

National Assembly adopted Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens on August 27, 1789 which promised equal justice and freedom of speech and religion

Counter-revolutionary enthusiasm started to develop between 1789-1790

The Legislative Assembly was elected per the new Constitution in September 1791

France declared war on Austria in April, 1792

The National Convention met to plan a new course of action, eliminate the monarchy, and place Louis XVI on trial in September, 1792

The National Convention faced an economic crisis

• Food shortage

• Failures in war

The Committee of Public Safety (“Great Committee”) was given the power to govern while the National Convention focused on the new constitution

“Terror is the Order of the Day”

• Means for re-establishing stability when faced with counter-revolutionary forces a losing effort against Austria

• Saved France from foreign invasion while destroying the democracy

Napoleon inducted himself as “First Consul” in a coup in 1799

• Power was consolidated through reforms

Napoleon was declared “First Consul” for life in 1802

Fall of Napoleon

• Continental System

  • Berlin Decree (1806)

  • “Order in Council” (1806)

  • Milan Decree (1807)

• Peninsula War (Spain: 1808-1814)

• Russian Campaign (1812)

• Grand Alliance

  • Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, and Russia vs. France

    • Battle of Nations at Leipzig (1813) the Great Alliance won

    • First Treaty of Paris (1814)

    • Second Treaty of Paris