French Revolution Flashcards

1
Q

the old regime

A

the feudalistic system remaining from the Middle Ages

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2
Q

estates

A

large social classes or castes that determined each person’s place and rights/expectations in society

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3
Q

the first estate

A

church and upper clergy

exempt from taxes, owned 10% of French land, gave 2% of income to the government, about half of the population

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4
Q

the second estate

A

the nobility

exempt from taxes, owned 20% of french land, 2% of population

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5
Q

the third estate

A

98% of population, controlled 70% of French land, comprised of a wide variety of occupations and economic status, few privileges, paid the vast majority of the taxes- on everything like water and salt

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6
Q

the bourgeoisie

A

merchants and artisans, well educated and strong supporters of enlightenment ideals, paid high taxes, had few privileges or access to government positions, wanted greater social status, tax relief and political power

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7
Q

the workers

A

urban
part of 3rd estate, got poor wages, worked long hours and paid high taxes, poorly educated, lots of unemployment, motivated by food, greatly affected by food shortages and high inflation

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8
Q

the peasants

A

rural
largest group of 3rd estate, 80% of population, paid half of their annual income to nobles(rent), the church(tithes) and the king/gov’t(taxes, fees, tolls)
resented privileges of 1st and 2nd estates, wanted tax relief, lower prices, higher wages, and equality

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9
Q

what role did the american revolution play in moving France toward revolution

A

successful implementation of enlightenment ideals

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10
Q

economic problems in france

A

high taxes and feudal fees/tolls, hampered commerce, cost of living rose, inflation was high, food shortages due to bad weather and crop failures, famine and rising prices

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11
Q

Louis XVI

A

spent money on luxuries, gave money to American Revolution, doubled gov’ts debt, preferred hobbies like hunting and locksmithing to ruling

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12
Q

Marie Antoinette

A

“Madame le Deficit” Austrian daughter of Queen Maria Theresa, married Louis XVI at age 14, very unpopular (seen as a foreigner), spent heavily on clothes, jewels and parties to keep herself entertained

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13
Q

The estates general

A

French Parliament

called for first time in 175 years in may 1789 where Louis proposed to tax the nobles

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14
Q

why is the estates general unfair

A

each estate gets 1 vote, clergy and nobles will always outrule the 3rd estate (the bourgeoisie)

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15
Q

The National Assembly

A

June 17, 1789

passed laws and reforms in the name of the French people in opposition to the King and other estates

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16
Q

Abbe Sieyes

A

catholic priest/reformer, sympathetic to the 3rd estate, suggested that the 3rd estate withdraw from the estates general and rename themselves (the national assembly)

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17
Q

results of the national assembly

A

Ended French monarchy, began representative democracy, 1st direct action of french revolution

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18
Q

the tennis court oath

A

June 20th, 1789

3rd estate met and vowed not to leave until a new French constitution was written

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19
Q

Bastille prison bombarding

A

On July 14th, 1789 parisian citizens invade an old prison castle called the Bastille hoping to free prisoners and steal weapons & gunpowder, guards overwhelmed
Became symbol of the beginning of the French Revolution, today this is France’s ‘‘4th of July”

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20
Q

The Great Fear

A

Rumors spread, causes a panic that nobles were attacking the peasants, they began attacking and looting the nobles and their homes

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21
Q

Women’s march to Versailles

A

In October of 1789 Parisian women angered over rising prices on bread marched to Versailles, killed 2 guards, demanded Louis XVI and Marie move to Paris where they could be kept under watch

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22
Q

Declaration of the Rights of Man

A

August 27th, 1789
Some nobles and clergy joined with the 3rd estate to remove the privileges of the 1st and 2nd estates
Made all Frenchmen equal
Reflected influence of Enlightenment and the Declaration of Independence
Guaranteed citizens equal justice, freedom of speech and freedom of religion
“Liberty, equality, fraternity”
Did not apply to women

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23
Q

Olympe de Gouges

A

An early french feminist, writer and playwright
Supporter of true democracy, demanded equal rights for women
Wrote the “Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen”
For this and other writings was beheaded by the Guillotine

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24
Q

The Revolution and the Church

A

Priests were to be elected by landowners and paid by the government
Church lands were seized and sold to pay off the debts of the government
The church lost its property and power in France

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25
Q

Louis trying to flee

A

Louis XVI tried to flee in June 1791 but was stopped at the border and returned to Paris
This convinced many that the king was a traitor to the Revolution and must die

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26
Q

Emigres

A

nobles who believed they were in danger and fled France

considered “enemies of the revolution”

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27
Q

The Legislative Assembly

A

1791
new constitution with a limited monarchy
king lost much of his power
Said the Assembly would make the laws and the King would enforce them

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28
Q

The Radicals

A

AKA “Sansculottes” urban workers who sat on the left side of the hall, were called left-wing, opposed the king and the idea of a monarchy, wanted changes in gov’t and proposed that common people have full power in a republic, wanted lower prices, more food and to kill the king and all nobles

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29
Q

The Conservatives

A

AKA reactionaries
emigres, nobles outside of France who wanted to invade France, restore the monarchy and Old Regime and crush the revolution, sat on the right side of the hall, were called right-wing, upheld the idea of a limited monarchy

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30
Q

The Moderates

A

sat in the center of the hall and were called centrists, wanted some changes in gov’t but not as many as radicals

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31
Q

War and Extremeism in France

A

in 1792, France faced internal reform and chaos as well as an external war, european leaders feared the revolution would happen in their own nations
Prussia and Austria demanded that France return Louis XVI to the throne
The Legislative Assembly declared war on them in response

32
Q

War between France and Prussia/Austria

A

Summer of 1792- Austrian and Prussian forces were marching on Paris, crushing the French
In july the Prussian commander threatened France to not harm the royal family or Paris would be destroyed
20,000 Parisians invaded the Tuileries Palace and seized the royal family and locked them in a tower

33
Q

Chaos in Paris

A

In September 1792 angry mobs stormed Parisian prisons murdering clergy and nobles
The Legislative Assembly abolished the monarchy and created a new gov’t
The National Convention dominated by a radical faction known as the Jacobins
Louis XVI was executed for treason by the Guillotine

34
Q

The Jacobins Rule

A

The Jacobins and the National Convention issued a draft of men ages 18-40 into the army adding 300,000 soldiers to the army

35
Q

The First Coalition

A

Britain, Holland, Spain, Austria and Prussia

36
Q

Maximilien Robespierre

A

Parisian lawyer and Jacobin leader
Supporter of the rights of the poor
Led the Commitee of Public Safety

37
Q

The Commitee of Public Safety and The Reign of Terror

A

made to root out “enemies of the revolution: for execution and remove all traces of monarchy and the Old Regime from France
Known as Reign of Terror
40,000 people guillotined

38
Q

End of the Reign of Terror

A

on July 23, 1794, the Convention arrested Robespierre and killed him the next day
The French people were tired of revolution

39
Q

The Directory

A

a new gov’t oligarchy formed in 1795 of 5 “directors” from the upper middle class
had a 2-house legislature
Brought stability to France
Appointed Napoleon Bonaparte as General of French forces

40
Q

Napoleon Bonaparte

A

born 1769
from ages 9-16 lived in a military school in France
Finished school and became an artillery officer
Officer in the Army of the Revolution

41
Q

Hero of the Hour

A

October 1795
A young Napoleon defended the National Convention from a “Royalist” rebellion by firing grapeshot at the crowd- ending the revolt
Napoleon gained fame as a hero of the Revolution
The Directory appointed Napoleon General of French forces

42
Q

France vs. Austria

A

Napoleon crossed the Alps, won a series of battles against the Austrian forces in Italy
This ended the Austrian threat to France and the Revolution

43
Q

Disaster in Egypt

A

To protect French trade and disrupt British supply lines from India, Napoleon invaded Egypt and took it, but the navy and support ships were destroyed by Britain at the Battle of the Nile
Napoleon left his troops and returned to Paris before the news of his defeat reached France

44
Q

Horatio Nelson

A

British Admiral who destroyed Napoleon’s navy at the Battle of the Nile

45
Q

Overthrow of the Directory

A

Napoleon and 2 members of the Directory led a coup d’etat, overthrowing the Directory, creating a 3-man Consulship
Napolean made a new constitution where he was named First Consul then had himself appointed First Consul for life and assumed dictatorial powers

46
Q

The 2nd Coalition

A
formed by Britain
consisted of Britain, Austria & Russia
to opposed France and Napoleon
Signed a peace treaty w/ France after some defeats
Brought peace to France
47
Q

Plebiscite

A

A vote/referendum of the people, in this case to approve the new constitution
Gave Napoleon all real power as first consul

48
Q

Napoleon’s policies

A

kept many of the Revolution’s changes
Efficient and more equitable tax collection system
Established national bank- led to economic stability
Improved delivery of gov’t services
created Lycees
Promoted officials based on merit not birth
passed the concordat

49
Q

Lycees

A

gov’t run public schools

50
Q

the Concordat

A

said French gov’t would appoint bishops and the bishops appointed priests

51
Q

The Napoleonic Code

A
comprehensive law code, uniform, removed some freedoms
Said:
women could not sell property
restricted freedom of speech and press
restored slavery in French colonies
52
Q

Haitian Slave Rebellion

A

Napoleon tried to crush the Slave Rebellion in Haiti led by Toussant L’ouverture by sending over 23,000 troops only to be defeated or die of heat or fever

53
Q

The Napoleonic Code Influences

A

All men equal before the law
Guaranteed freedom of religion & one’s right to work in any occupation
Outlawed labor unions, workers could not testify against their employers in court
Set laws on property, contracts, debt payment, joint stock companies
Recognized civil marriage and divorce
Very male-oriented, women could not own property and men got custody of children

54
Q

Emperor Napoleon

A

French people approved him crowing himself Emperor through a plebiscite, Napoleon took the crown from the pope and literally placed it on his own head

55
Q

European Territorial Gains

A

Annexed the Austrian NEtherlands (now Belgium) and parts of Italy
Set up a puppet gov’t in Switzerland

56
Q

Battle of Austerlitz

A

Where Napoleon defeated the 3rd Coalition (Britain, Russia, Austria and Sweden)

57
Q

The Battle of Trafalgar and results

A

Napoleons only major military loss
Naval battle off the coast of Spain
Horatio Nelson defeated Napoleon
Resulted in British naval supremacy for next 100 years and forced Napoleon to abandon his plans to invade Britain

58
Q

Napoleonic Influences

A

His empire was huge but unstable, only lasted for 5 years, never completely removed external threats from Russia, Austria and Britain, conquered peoples increased their loyalty to their own nations, leading to increased European nationalism
Radically altered map of Europe (changed borders)

59
Q

Costly Mistakes of Napoleon (3)

A
  1. The Continental system: trying to blockade France to prevent trade
  2. The Peninsular War: sending army through Spain to force Portugal to enforce the continental system, making the Spanish angry and fighting them
  3. The Invasion of Russia, invading further and further into Russia, taking Moscow, waiting to long to retreat, losing many many men and were attacked by Prussia and Austria on the way home
60
Q

The 4th Coalition

A

Britain, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Sweden

61
Q

The End Nears

A

Armies from Russia, Prussia and Austria marched on Paris until Napoleon gave up his throne and surrendered agreeing to terms drawn up by Czar Alexander I

62
Q

Napoleon Exiled

A

Napoleon tried to abdicate in favor of his son
The Allies demanded unconditional surrender
Given a small pension and banished to Elba a tiny island off the coast of Italy

63
Q

Louis XVIII

A

Brother of Louis XVI took the throne of France, quickly became unpopular

64
Q

Napoleon escapes and returns

A

Napoleon escaped from Elba and returned to France in 1815, Louis XVIII fled and Napoleon re-crowned himself emperor

65
Q

The 100 Days

A

The British & Prussian armies defeated Napoleon for the last time at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815

66
Q

Re-exilation of Napoleon

A

Exiled to a remote South Atlantic island- st. Helena where he lived for 6 years then died in 1821

67
Q

Napoleon’s Legacy

A

A military genius and great leader

Excellent law code and organization of gov’t

68
Q

The Congress of Vienna

A
After the fall of Napoleon, European powers wanted long period of peace
Meeting at Vienna, Austria
Lasted 8months
Signed June 13, 1815
Brought about peace for almost 40 years
69
Q

the “Big 5” great powers

A

King Frederick William III of Prussia
Czar Alexander I of Russia
Emperor Francis I of Austria
Prince Klemens von Metternich of Austria

70
Q

Prince Klemens von Metternich

A

opposed to the dangerous democratic experiments of the French Rev
An Austrian noble who wanted a return to the Old Regime of pre-napoleon and pre-revolution Europe

71
Q

Metternich’s goals for congress

A
  1. Prevention of future french aggression
  2. restore balance of power
  3. restoration of Europe’s monarchies
72
Q

Changes made by congress

A

weak areas around France were made stronger
Austrian Netherlands and Dutch Republic combined= Kingdom of Netherlands
Created the German Confederation
Switzerland became independent
Kingdom of Sardinia was given Genoa

73
Q

The German Confederation

A

made up of 39 former small independent states, controlled by Austria

74
Q

France after all this

A

Went back to its pre-Napoleonic borders

Kept most of its colonies and its army and its independence

75
Q

Legitimacy

A

idea that as many of the pre-Napoleonic rulers as possible should be returned to their thrones

76
Q

Concert of Europe

A

created by Metternich to ease monarch’s fears of revolutionary ideas leading to new revolutions, agreement to aid each other if that happened

77
Q

Long Term Significance

A
Size and power of France decreased
Power of Britain and Prussia increased
Nationalism increased
# of revolutions increased
Spanish colonies gained independence
Model for United Nations