Midterm Flashcards
Characteristics of Absolutism
All power held by the King
No limitations on his power
He can proclaim laws, levy taxes, declare war, and appoint officials
All power is held by the king not nobles (opposite of earlier periods)
Divine Right
Belief that a king’s authority came directly from God
Only God could judge the King
King Louis XIV
Absolute monarch over France
Symbol was the Sun King Apollo
Established the theories of absolutism
Palace of Versaille
Consisted of the Hall of Mirrors which was used to intimidate people
King, nobles, and government ministers lived at Versailles
Louis XIV was painted all over the palace (glorification of Louis XIV)
Illustrated the power of France (remember the mirrors)
Natural Rights
Inalienable rights that people are born with like life, liberty, and property
Philosophes
Use of reasoning to improve society (not religion)
Natural laws
Happiness in the world is inalienable
Humans could achieve progress in society through reasoning not religion
Locke
Humans were the product of their education, training, experience
Believed in natural rights to life, liberty, and property
Social contract between ruler and his people
Ruler can be overthrown if they violate the social contract
Hobbes
Social contract theory
Humans were naturally bad
Supported absolutism
Enlightenment’s Affect on Absolutism
Questioned absolute authority (Montesquieu who believed in a division of power ) Inspired revolutions (Locke’s beliefs on overthrowing the ruler) Where does power derive from? God or the people (popular sovereignty)? Intellectual attacks on the church (promote freedom of religion) Freedom of speech and the press
Political Causes of French Revolution
Resentment of royal absolutism
The King Louis XVI had total control over the government (issues, enforces, and interprets laws)
Louis XVI was clueless, incompetent, did not know how to lead
Estates general had not met for 175 without anyone’s opinion on the government
Censorship of the press
Economic Causes of French Revolution
Louis XVI refused to implement economic reforms proposed by Necker
Louis did not effectively deal with the debt (Loans, extravagant spending, Wars)
The 1st estate and 2nd estate (wealthy) not taxed
Poor harvest led to the high cost of bread (eventually led to Women’s March)
Social/Intellectual causes of the french revolution
Resentment of noble privileges (class warfare)
Rise of Enlightenment
Desire by women for power (women’s march)
Class warfare (nobility vs bourgeoisie vs peasantry)
Inspiration from American Revolution
Estates System
Social classes of France
1st Estate - Clergy - pray for france
2nd Estate - Nobility - fight for france
3rd Estate - Peasants + Bourgeoisie - work for France (paid taxes)
Bourgeoisie
middle class of France, educated class
Guillotine
In beginning: Enlightened machine, great equalizer, humane way to die
In end: weapon of mass murder, form of horror, associated with France forever
Robespierre
Leader of the committee of public safety
Executed anyone who was not loyal or patriotic to the French government
Killed by those who were afraid they would be executed themselves
Promoted civic virtue, anti religion, and loved Rousseau
Estates General Meeting
Called to deal with France’s debt
People showed up with cahiers, which are a list of grievances
Voting:
1 vote by estate instead of by person/population
The First and second estate would join together to block the 3rd estate
OR by population (which would benefit 3rd estate)
Tennis Court Oath
Third estate renamed to national assembly
Louis barred them from the estates general meeting
In response they went to Tennis Courts and formed an oath
Oath: would not disband until constitution
Storming of Bastille
Belief that Louis was sending an army against the people (needed weapons)
Symbol of royal tyranny (power)
Declaration of Rights of Man and citizen
Equal rights for all men
Purpose of government was to serve the people and protect their natural rights
Freedom religion, press, and speech
Women’s March to Versaille
Desire by Parisian women for bread and the lowering of its cost
Force Louis and Marie back to Paris
Illustrative of the violent power of women
Flight to Varennes
Louis and Marie tried to escape to Austria to get soldiers
Caught and executed
Found guilty of treason
Reign of Terror
Led by Robespieree and his committee of public safety
Anti religion
Targeted anti revolutionaries
Robespierre was executed since they were afraid they would executed next
Coup d’etat
Sudden and violent overthrow of an existing government by a military leader
Napoleon Domestic Policies
Plebiscites: vote by the people of an entire country to decide an issue
Economic: prices and supply control, Bank of France, banned trade unions, new currency (Francs), sold Louisiana Territory
Education: emphasis on patriotism, created lycees (schools),
Napoleonic Code
Concordant of 1801: brought back the Roman Catholic Church in France
Napoleon’s Foreign Policies
Egypt: took antiquities
Haiti: gave up on them and granted independence
Continental System: all trade with Great Britain was forbidden and all good coming and going were seized
Confederation of the Rhine: took over German states
Peninsular War: GB & Spain vs Nap
Invasion of Russia
Scorched Earth Policy
Russia policy to burn crops and slaughter animals as Napoleon’s forces go deeper into Russia
Invasion of Russia (include number of troops)
Scorched Earth Policy
600,000 French troops vs 100,000 Russian troops
Napoleon was forced to retreat (Great Retreat)
Winter set in and Russians attacked using guerilla warfare
40,000 French troops thousand survived
100 Days Campaign
Napoleon’s last bid for power
Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon’s final battle
Lost to Duke of Wellington (British)
Exiled again
Legacy
Domestic policies were significant and good
Foreign policies were power hungry (bit off more than what he could chew) military genius
Insitituded slavery in the colonies