Patricia Leistner
Week 1: Introduction: Europe in the World – The Age of the French
Revolution 1789-1815
KEY WORDS
- Third Estate = common people in France / clergy = First Estate / nobles = 2nd Estate
Representative body in estates general
- National Assembly = Legislative body formed in France in June 1789
Members of Third Estate in Estates General joined by members of clergy
Representatives of the nation
- Tennis Court Oath = pledge signed in France in 1789
Deputies meet until constitution was drafted
- Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen = document issued by National Assembly
of France in Aug. 1789 (modelled on US constitution)
The “natural, inalienable + sacred rights of man”
- Sans-culottes = ordinary citizens of revolutionary Paris nickname resulted from their
inability to afford fashionable knee pants
- Jacobins = in France republican political club named for a monastic order
- Maximilian Robespierre = F. lawyer + revolutionary leader, influential member of
Committee of Public Safety (1793-1794) advocated terror to suppress internal dissent
- The Terror = systematic repression of internal enemies (by F. revolutionary government)
from 1793-94 14.000 executed
- Society of Revolutionary Republican Women = powerful political club in Paris
Represented interests of female sans-culottes
- Directory = F. revolutionary government from 1795-1799
Executive council of 5 men chosen by upper house of legislature
- Napoleon Bonaparte = F. general, participated in coup 1799 against Directory
Consolidated power as first consul, emperor from 1804-1815
- Civil Code = Law Code established under Napoleon in 1804
Limited acceptance of military gains (guarantee of equality before the law, taxation of all
social classes)
- Francois Dominique Toussaint-Louverture: former slave, governed Haiti as independent
state after slave revolt of 1791
CHAPTER 19
The Origins of Revolution, 1775-1789 (p.546-553)
• Inspired by events in America, elites in Ireland, NL + Poland pushed for greater political
liberty
• change in public opinion → as citizens = right to representation in government
• reason for crisis of Old Regime in 1780s:
1) bankruptcy
F. government debt increased by support for American colonies against GB
2) institutional constraints on monarchy → defended traditional privileges
3) public opinion → pushed monarchy towards reform
F. soldiers + courtiers exposed to revolutionary ideas in America
Agitation for reform within elite society
• beginning of Revolution 1789: Establishment of National Assembly
commoners in 3rd Estate claimed mandate to write a constitution + enact changes in law
,Patricia Leistner
• July 1789: Storm of the Bastille → emergence of popular militia → symbolic action
showed reversal of Old Regime → new principles
• The Women's March to Versailles → shortage of bread → women accompanied by popular
militas (National Guard)
king agreed to demands + accepted constitutional role
Assembly starts to govern in name of the “nation”
The Phases of the Revolution, 1789-1799
1st Phase 1789-1791
Constitutional Monarchy
Tensions between moderate reformers (satisfied) + republicans (against any kind of
monarchy)
nd
2 Phase + Foreign War, 1791-1793 (p.556-557)
April 1972: Louis declared war against Austria (under pressure from Assembly)
War becoming ongoing factor in revolution
Assembly abolished personal guard of king, now provincial National Guardsmen
Emergence of well-organized popular assemblies (sans-culottes) petition for exile of
king, election of new city officials + exemption poor from taxation aim: saving the state
Aug 1791: storming of Tuileries Palace (2nd major phase)
Establishment of republican government declared 1792 by National Convention
elected by universal manhood suffrage
Phases shaped by elites’ desire for change, demands of common people + need to
defence F. against foreign monarchs
1789-1791: National Assembly wrote constitution, seized + sold church property, ended
traditional obligations of peasants + reorganized local government
1791: constitution implemented + Legislative Assembly elected
1792: Parisian citizens overthrew monarchy, Convention (elected by universal manhood
suffrage) governed the republic
1793: Louis XVI guillotined
The Faltering Republic and the Terror
1793: Establishment Committee of Public Safety led by radical Jacobins
Transfer of power from National Convention to Committee of Public Safety
Controlled government + defended F. from foreign invasion, economic assistance to
common people
1793-94: policy of official terror, declared by Robespierre systematic repression of
internal enemies
Law of Suspect: arrest on suspicion
1793: The Law of the Maximum (first to control price of grain was extended)
Mass conscription of citizens into the army (levee en masse) effective popular army
Elimination of traditional calendar, churches + related holidays peasant uprisings loss
of poor relief, community life + familiar ritual
Terror ended by members of Convention no need for terror F. armies besieged Austria
Robespierre + followers guillotined in July 1794
The Thermidorian Reaction + the Directory, 1794-1799 (p.561-62)
Thermidorian = post-Terror phase began in revolutionary month of Thermidor(July-
August)
Continued royalists uprising, local political issues between Jacobins + moderates
,Patricia Leistner
Government + Directory could not bring stability
Directory turned to army commanders coup by 2 members of Directory + Napoleon + his
brother Lucien 1799
The Napoleonic Era and the Legacy of Revolution, 1799-1815 (p.563-
Carefully expanded his power after coup emperor in 1804
Recruited former royal officials, old nobility + recent revolutionaries in government
resolved partly political tensions (resulted from revolution)
Napoleon’s law code + agreement with Catholic church made permanent key changes
from 1st phase of Revolution
Free political life ended
Senate chosen by Napoleon + press under heavy censorship, political clubs banned
1804: Napoleon declared himself Emperor
1804: Civil Code equality before law, modern forms of property ownership + civil
contracts
NO individual rights + limited acceptance of revolutionary gains
legal domination of women by fathers + husbands
elite tolerated N. claims to power safeguarded fundamental revolutionary gains +
reconfirmed their status
by 1810: N. transformed Europe into allied or dependent states
exception: Britain + parts of Spain + Portugal
- Napoleon’s armies exported French Revolution brought political (Civil Code) +
economic reform/ political liberty
In Americas: inspired movements for independence from colonial rule, ex: Haiti
slaves + free person without politic. Rights overthrew F. rule
Napoleon’s Continental system closed off the Continent to British trade
High costs of Nap. foreign conquests resulted in overthrow of regime + contributed to
long-term problems of F. government
Defeat and Abdication, 1812-1815
Alliance with Russia was supposed to marry sister of Tsar Alexander chose Austrian
princess
Seized lands in Germany of Alexander’s family wanted to end alliance invasion of
Russia by Napoleon campaign started 1812 Outcome: failure
Principle battle: Borodino
1812 Emerging resistance in Spain supported by British troops collapse of F. control
Anglo-Spanish force planning to invade France together with Tsar Alexander
1814 invaded France + forced Napoleon to abdicate
Final defeat of Napoleon 1815 at Waterloo
The Legacy of Revolution for France and the World
Monarchy restored, but absolute monarchy discredited in theory + practice
After revolution: regime rested on fragile political system division over legitimacy
In comparison to E politics established on new principles
Questions pertaining to the lecture
, Patricia Leistner
1. Explain why between 1780 and 1945 the position of Europe in the world both expanded and
was reduced. Include the role of economics, international politics and culture in your
answer.
Expansion Reduction
- Industrialization (economics) - Modernization in Asia: Japan +
- Imperialism (intern. Politics + China (economics)
culture) - Conflict/ war: Japan vs Russia,
- Clashes between different cultures China
ideals + technology spread - Americanization (culture)
- Provincializing Europe only one
part of world impact of WW +
d.c
2. Explain why the course of the French Revolution evoked great fear of revolutions and
democracy both in bourgeoisie and the ruling classes in 19th century Europe.
- Louis as symbol for Absolutism was under pressure due to different uprisings
Was realized by other European powers/ rulers
Tried to flee to Austria (June 1971) shows weakness Louis deposed + legislature
dissolved
- Clergy + nobility wanted to keep their privileges, ex: picture: nobility + clergy crushing
bourgeoise rock = taxes
Resisted taxation
Questions pertaining to the textbook
3. Discuss and explain eighteenth-century European reform movements outside France.
◦ All movements = results of American Revolution/ affected by their ideas
◦ 1775-1783: American Revolutionary War against Britain
◦ 1779-1782: Irish Volunteer Movement against Britain
▪ Ruling class (English + Scottish) demanded greater autonomy from Britain
▪ policies favoured B. imperial interests, i.e.: exclusion of Irish ports from oversea
commerce
▪ parliamentary debates + military defiance
▪ 1782: greater parliamentary autonomy + repeal of restrictions on commerce
◦ Netherlands: Patriots vs Orangists
▪ as Irish influenced by economic + political consequences of B. relationship with
colonies → inspired by success of A. rebels + claim for politic. Self-determination
◦ Poland: 1791 Constitution → first codified one in Europe
▪ 1792 suppressed by Catherine the Great
▪ 1794 suppressed by alliance of R. + Prussian troops
4. What was the attitude of the French government to the American Revolution? What were
some of the reasons France supported the Americans, and how important was that support?
What were the results for France of involvement in the Revolution?
