The French Revolution

The French Revolution CH 18

WHAT WOULD YOU RIOT ABOUT?

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable" JFK "When the truth is buried underground it grows, it chokes, it gathers such an explosive force that on the day it bursts out, it blows up everything" Emile Zola French author and newspaper writer 1840-1902 "O liberty! O liberty! What crimes are committed in thy name" Jeanne Manon Roland Girondists, executed by the guillotine 1754-1793

Basic Vocab rev⋅o⋅lu⋅tion –noun *an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed. *Sociology: a radical and pervasive change in society and the social structure, esp. one made suddenly and often accompanied by violence *a sudden, complete or marked change WHAT THINGS NEED TO BE REVOLUTIONIZED HERE AT EAST? “Political Revolution” video clip

FRANCE ~ 1789

France still clung to ancien regime, or old order, social system where everyone was divided into different estates, or classes.

1 Estate st

• Who? -----Clergy • Facts? – 10% of land – Collected tithes – Paid no taxes – Provided some services

• What did they complain about? – Enlightenment ideas, possibility of paying taxes

2 Estate nd

• Who? ----- nobility • Facts? – Many were actually struggling Financially – Received little income

• What did they complain about? – Absolutism, bureaucracy that took away jobs

3 Estate rd

• Who? – Bourgeoisie • Middle class (bankers, doctors)

– Rural Peasants – Urban Workers (journeymen, apprentices, jobless)

• Facts? – Many turned to begging, earned little – Influence by enlightenment ideas

• What did they complain about? – Resented privileges, taxes, rising prices

Five A’s of a Revolution Five A's necessary for Revolution to occur: 1. At least two opposing sides 2. Access to weapons 3. Aims expressed in a slogan 4. Accomplished leaders 5. Ailments present socially, economically, and politically

Additional Notes _ 18.1 (back side of w/s) 1. Financial Troubles • • • • •

Deficit spending – gov’t spends more than it has Louis XIV leaves country in debt – borrowed much, raised taxes (who was exempt?) Louis XV – wasted money Louis XVI – good intentions, bad leadership Next move – call Estates General A. Why would this be such an odd thing?

1. Louis calls Estates General • • • •

1788 – things are bad (bread riots, fear of taxes) Louis XVI calls meeting of EG at Versailles Each estate prepared cahiers (kah YAYZ), or notebooks, listing their complaints Complaints highlighted anger among people

“bloodsuckers of the nation who drink the tears of the unfortunate from goblets of gold”

“vampires pumping the last drop of blood” “20 million live on half the wealth of France while the clergy….devour the other half”

1. Tennis Court Oath A. May 1789 – convened only to argue mostly about voting B. Current system – each estate had ONE vote (think about how this might affect the 3rd Estate)

– Desired system – single body, “by head” – June 1789 – 3rd Estate is frustrated, form their own National Assembly – Take Tennis Court Oath after being shut out of meeting hall – Some clergy/nobles joined them – rumors spread that Louis was up to something Swore “never to separate and to meet wherever the circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution”

1. Storming the Bastille • • •

July 14th, 1789 Rumor was: troops were to occupy city 800 Parisians stormed Bastille a) Prison thought to have weapons

D. Broke through, but no weapons E. Celebrated today as Frances independence day

18.2 The French Revolution Unfolds

Poster Project/Letter to the Editor “LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY” • Create a poster that creatively displays this popular slogan. Remember who the slogan applied to. Letter to the Editor • Pick one event outlined in Section ½ and write two editorials. One from the viewpoint of a peasant (3rd Estate) and the other from the viewpoint of a nobleman (2nd Estate)

18.3

Radical Days of the Revolution

Definition. Noun (n) terrorism, act of terrorism, terrorist act (the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear)

Terrorism. • What do you remember about the terrorist attacks on 9/11? • Why do you think these people did the things that they did? • What drove them to act in such a violent and destructive way? • How can we tie this into our discussion of the French Revolution?

If we had to… • Summarize the revolution up to this point, what are some key words (adjectives) that we could use?

Napoleon's Challenges/Downfall • Begins with decision to invade RUSSIA • Nationalism backfires: – Many began to see Napoleon and his armies as oppressors

• Grand Army descends on Russia. – Tsar Alexander had once been an ally – Russia soon would turn on Napoleon

Scorched Earth Policy Fails • 1812 – 600,000 soldiers, 50,000 horses, Napoleon invades Russia. • Russians retreated, burning crops and villages as they went. THINK ABOUT THIS TACTIC “SCORCHED EARTH POLICY” • The Long Hard Russian Winter would set in • Napoleon returned to Paris with only 20,000 men --- his reputation damaged.

Napoleon Falls • Disaster in Russia brings new alliance of Russia, Britain, Austria and Prussia • 1814 – Napoleon briefly abdicates and Louis XVIII takes over….the restoration of the king did not go smoothly…. – He is exiled to a small island called ELBA – economic depression resumed, many émigrés sought revenge, many feared old order return

• Napoleon escaped exile in March 1815 and returns to Paris

Return is Short Lived… • 100 days ---- Napoleon was a “star” • Meanwhile, Allies were assembling forces • June 18, 1815 the two sides met at the battle of Waterloo, in Belgium • France crushed --- Napoleon forced again into exile on St. Helena

Legacy • Napoleonic Code • France became centralized state w/ constitution and expanded suffrage (voting) • French citizens had expanded rights • Spread ideas of revolution (freedom) • 1803 – sold Louisiana Territory to US… which ushered in American Expansion

Congress of Vienna • Goal: Restore stability in Europe after years of war – Needed a balance of power – Redrew the map of Europe to surround France with strong states – Legitimacy --- went back to 1792 to reseat monarchs that the Revolution and Napoleon had unseated