Palina Hornaya Chapters 9 and 10: The French Revolution and Napoleonic Europe Theme: France, although it was one of the most advanced countries in Europe, quickly fell due to the Enlightenment ideas and people’s critical perspective of their government and society. When Napoleon Bonaparte came to power, he ended the revolution through reforms, and created a French Empire. His political unity and great military skills led to more modern and enlightened reforms in Europe. Subtheme: BACKGROUNDS 1. Identification: The Old Regime, or the prerevolutionary social structure, was very feudalistic and was divided into three estates. All Estates had different privileges or obligations. The Enlightenment contributed to the rise in criticism of the society …show more content…
Relationship to theme: The distinctions between social classes, Enlightenment ideas, and the public opinion during the Old Regime contributed to the start of the revolution. THE REVOLUTION AND THE REORGANIZATION OF FRANCE 1. Identification: In order to help him solve the financial crisis, Louis XVI called for the assembly of the Estates General. The Third Estate formed the National Assembly. The threat of the king led to the arming of the common people by storming the Bastille. After the Constitution of 1791, France became a constituent monarchy. 2. Summary: The French involvement in numerous wars led to government debt. For more than one and a half centuries the Estates General did not meet. The opposition of the king, bad harvest, and high food prices led to a chaos and the Great Fear in the countryside. The National Assembly then began to split into more radical groups such as the Jacobins. 3. Relationship to theme: France was revolutionized by transforming into a constituent monarchy, which benefited more people, and led to the complete abolishment of the king. THE REVOLUTION AND EUROPE: THE WAS AND THE “SECOND” REVOLUTION, …show more content…
Summary: The first free election of France elected candidates who were vaguely royalist, and most people could not afford having another monarch. Napoleon, through his victories, began to establish his own foreign policies that needed the support of a republican government. 3. Relationship to theme: The inconsistency of a powerful government in France led to the rise of Napoleon and the start of an empirical France. THE AUTHORITARIAN REPUBLIC: THE CONSULATE, 1799-1804 1. Identification: Napoleon, being in charge of the Consulate, restored France and ended the revolution. His reforms brought back the traditions of the Old Regime, but they also reconstructed France. 2. Summary: Napoleon established new reforms that applied to everyone equally. Napoleon’s enlightened thoughts helped him create the idea that people in a society should be able to move up the social class hierarchy by talent rather than birth or status. 3. Relationship to theme: Napoleon brought back reason to France, and created a more just political system. THE FORMATION OF THE FRENCH IMPERIAL SYSTEM 1. Identification: Napoleon began to advance and spread French influence. Napoleon also pronounced himself Emperor, and made his empire hereditary. His empire consisted of France, Italy, parts of Germany, a father-in-law who was an Austrian Emperor, and his brother the king of
The French revolution was an era of hardship, innovation, and change. France would not be the same today without events and organizations that helped shaped France in the late 1700’s. The many organizations that helped shaped France consist of the National Assembly, The Directory, The National Convention, and the Committee of Public Safety. Dictionary.com states that the word revolutionary means “radically new or innovative”; moreover, The French Revolution was revolutionary. In 1789 the National Assembly was formed by the 3rd estate.
The French Revolution of 1789 marks a watershed in the political development of France and its role in European history. Many events contributed to the adversity that France was already facing before the revolution had even begun. The nation’s intervention in the Seven Years’ War, the American War of Independence, and their already problematic taxation system, ultimately caused it to go into state debt. This, combined with France’s rapidly growing population, is what most of France’s economic crisis revolved around. The French population had actually grown by about 8 million people from 1700 to 1789, making it Europe’s most populous state.
The French Revolution was a time of political and social unrest between 1789 to 1799. Many factors contributed to the start of the French Revolution like social structure under the Old Regime, political grievances from members of the Third Estate, and overspending in the government. Since France was controlled by absolutism and divided into classes brought on by the Old Regime it allowed for clear boundaries to be established and uproar to occur because of the overwhelming disadvantages that the Third Estate had to deal with. This system divided France into three estates; the clergy who made up the First Estate, followed by the nobility in the Second Estate and everyone else was part of the Third Estate. This division of classes caused many
The French Revolution is often described as the Revolution of France and developed over several decades in the mid to late 1700?s. The leadership of mid 18th century France has been described as a Monarchal King reigning by the grace God with absolute power over the people, economy, and politics of the Empire.[footnoteRef:1] The decades following the Seven Years War and King Louis? XVI quest to restore the glory of the French Empire through wars ultimately devastated the French economy. Many historians state the attempts of the King to further tax the people and subjugate the church were significant influences in the Revolution of the French. Thomas Carlyle believed that revolution and anarchy are the products of the Social Contract.[footnoteRef:2]
The French Revolution, from 1789 to 1799, was a turning point in history and created enormous change. France, for centuries, had been divided into three classes; churchmen, nobility and Peasants. The nobles and churchmen had huge wealth while ordinary people were very poor. The Monarchy did not do enough to help ordinary people and this class of people became increasingly angry with their circumstances. This eventually led to an uprising by ordinary people against
The French Revolution was one of the most important historical events that occurred during the eighteenth century, developed since the first months of 1789 until the late 1790’s. This revolutionary movement drastically changed France from a Monarchy to a Republic, making Louis XVI one of the last kings of France, and Napoleon Bonaparte rise as a Republican leader. The enlightenment ideals where what triggered the general discontent among all citizens, making them want liberty, equality and fraternity. The French Revolution not only influenced its own country but it also influenced countries all around the world and in different time periods. The social classification was a general discontent among the population and a first factor to the
P1)One major cause of the revoultion was poor leadership from King Louis XVI. He burdened the lower class with unreasonably high taxes, in which they could not pay. Additionly, Him and his ife spent large sums of money on luxeries which caused France have a large amount of debt. Even though the King saw this problem, he put in very minimal efforts to mend it.
King Louis XVI, who was the ruler at the time, was a main contributor to these problems that led France to its downfall. The country had a massive lack of resources and food, which led King Louis XVI to borrow more money than he could afford, thus putting the country in immense debt. Despite the very visible crisis overthrowing the country, the king was incapable of accepting his mistakes and refused to change his ways. He maintained the unjust voting system, known as the Estates-General, and worsened the taxing system in order to pay off his debts. The people, especially those of the Third Estate, were clearly angry and dissatisfied with the state of the country, which led them seek out a movement for what was right.
The French Revolution was one of the most significant wars that changed France’s history. The Revolution started in 1789 and ended in 1799 and was mainly initiated by the conditions affecting the Third Estate. Louis XVI was predominately the king during this time period but little did he know that an uprising among the peasants was happening. The French Revolution was caused by the Enlightenment ideas because of the American Revolution, the knowledge of rights, and the questioning of France’s government. The American Revolution was basically the “fire” that ignited the change the Third Estate wanted to see in their country.
Ideas that were formed by the enlightenment philosophers were used in the new government. The French, however, did not make significant progress toward ending absolutism and instead were subject to another absolute ruler immediately after the revolution. After the French revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte became emperor. In this role, Bonaparte had absolute power over France. But some traces of progress were seen, as Bonaparte created a fairer tax system, new schools and a new set of laws (some still in place over 200 years
In France during the French Revolution in 1787 to 1799 there were many struggles between the government and its people. King Louis xiv ruled under absolute monarchy and divine right, his actions angered the third estate sparking a revolution. The revolution lead to many changes and views in the world that stand even today. In the economy with the taxing of France it only effected the third estate, the first and third estate weren’t touched by the government.
Napoleonic Rule The late 1700’s was a time of great discontent in France. The people of France revolted against their government in an attempt to gain power in political decision making. In this time, France experienced many forms of governments as the people fought for change. It was during the 1790’s that Napoleon Bonaparte became known to the people as a strong military leader.
The French Revolution was bound to happen. With the oppression of the lower class, a broke government and nobility questioning the government it was only a matter of time before the people fought back. Crane Brinton in The Anatomy of Revolution says that oppression and a broke government are just some of the reasons that the revolutions happen. Brinton argues that every revolution especially in the western hemisphere follows a pattern. He believes that the French revolution is clear example of that pattern.
Napoleon rooted out corruption, the downside of this France was always at war. Napoleon fought for land and France never stopped warring he wanted to take over Brittan, but it was just out of reach for him. So, he tried to invade Russia with six thousand men, Russia retreated but while burning Frances crops as they left, with this loss to Napoleon he slowly fell off his pedestal as
By far the most popular solution to the crisis of authority in the era of religious wars was absolute monarchy. What is absolute Monarchy you may ask? Absolute Monarchy is a form of government where it’s ruled by a king and he has an absolute power over everyone and that there is no one higher or equal to him. Even though they are similar, Absolute monarchy is not the same as dictatorship. In a dictatorship it’s ruled by one person and they usual get their power through force the people are forced to follow their orders or they will be killed or hurt.