FRENCH REVOLUTION (1789-1799)

Background

Cause/Reason

Course

Consequence/Impact
 POST FRENCH REVOLUTION - NAPOLEAN ERA (1799-1815)
Napoleon Reforms

Napoleon wars

Continental System

Fall of Napoleon
 POST NAPOLEAN – VIENNA CONGRESS(1815)
Provisions

Limitations
 FRENCH REVOLUTION (1789-1799)

Background

Ruled by Bourbon dynasty

Pre-modern Economic system

High Social inequality

Catholic Church Domination

 CAUSE OF FRENCH REVOLUTION

Political

Enlightenme
nt Ideas Cause Economic

Social
 Political Causes
1) Absolute monarchism

2) Corruption & weak administrative machinery

3) Arbitrary Judicial system

4) Louis XVI weakness

 Social causes
1) Social Inequality and Discrimination were rampant in French society

3 Estates Clergies
1st Estate

Nobles
2nd Estate

Peasant, Artisans,
3rd Estate
Traders, Businessman
1) The Clergy (First Estate)
oThe clergy were only 0.5% of population and yet they owned 15% of the
land
oAs an institution, the Church was both rich and powerful. It also paid no
taxes

2) The Nobility(Second Estate)

oOnly 2% of population yet they owned 20% of land
oThey exercised the right of hunting and forestry, exacting forced labour
from peasants, enjoying exemption from the property tax, monopolizing all
the offices in the army, navy and Church
3) The Third Estate:
oIt was not a homogeneous body. It comprised the bourgeoisie or the
upper middle class, the artisans and the peasants.
oThe peasant had to pay rent to his feudal lord, tithes to the Church and
taxes (land tax, income tax, poll tax and other duties) to the king
oArtisans suffered because of low wages, high taxes, guild corporations
oThe Bourgeoisie or the upper middle class resented inequality of tax
assessments between them and nobles, lack of privileges and they also
wanted to implement enlightenment ideas
 ECONOMIC CAUSES

1) Government Debt increased because France was constantly involved in war

(Seven Years’ War and the American Revolutionary War) and also lavish lifestyle
of king’s family. This resulted in excess wasteful expenditure

2) Faulty Taxation system

The privileged classes exempt from taxation but the burden of taxation fell
heavily on the common people

3) Failure of Tax Reforms

4) Food Scarcity because of series of crop failures in 1780s

 ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS

1) Enlightenment ideas caused Revolution in realms of Ideas

2) Enlightenment ideas caused Resentment against existing Institution like

absolute monarchism, Faulty taxation methods, Church domination,etc

3) Enlightenment ideas also popularized new Aspirations like

Liberty,equality,Constitutionalism, Secularism, Separation of powers,etc

4) Voltaire,Rousseau,Montesque,etc were important Enlightenment thinkers

 COURSE OF FRENCH REVOLUTION

1789

1791

1792

1793-94 (Reign of Terror)

1795
 COURSE OF FRENCH REVOLUTION
1789

1) May 1789 - Meeting of the Estates-General

2) June 17. 1789 -Third Estate declaring itself the National Assembly and set
itself to frame constitution

3) July 1st week, 1789 -Considerable bodies of soldiers began to appear near
Paris

4) 14th July, 1789 - Fall of the Bastille, Formation of the National Guard under
Lafayette, Rising in Provinces
5) 4th of August 1789 - Nobles voluntarily surrendered their feudal rights and
privileges in the National Assembly session

6) 26 August 1789 - Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen was
adopted

7) 5th October,1789 - March of women to Versailles to storm the king’s

palace (bread riots)
 1791

1) New Constitution adopted

Monarchy maintained but more powers given to Legislative assembly
Church property nationalized

2) October, 1791-The Legislative Assembly began its work

3) Formation of Clubs- Jacobians & Girondist

4) King attempt to flee France

5) Declaration of Pillnitz in August 27, 1791 by Austrian King Leopold

6) France declares war against neighboring kingdoms

 1792
1) War against neighboring kingdoms

2) Suspension of 1791 Constitution

3) Formation of National Convention to frame new constitution

4) National Convention active from 1792 to Oct. 25 1795

5) Jacobins gained power

6) Formation of Public Safety Committee under Robespierre

7) Suspension of Monarchy

8) September Massacres (Sept. 2 & 3, 1792) by Jacobians

 1793-94 (Reign of Terror)
1) Reign of Jacobian Terror

2) Committee of Public Safety enacted strict measure to safeguard Republic

The Law of Suspects, which authorized the arrest of any person suspected
of being attached to the cause of monarchy
Revolutionary Tribunal which was an extraordinary criminal court created
for the speedy trial of the suspects
Square of the Revolution where the head of victims fell under the stroke
of the guillotine

3) Even the king Louie XVI and his family were Executed
 1795

1) Thermidorian reaction against Reign of Terror

2) Robespierre guillotined

3) Committee of Public Safety suspended

4) Convention completes framing of new Constitution

The executive was entrusted to a Directory consisting of five members
Legislative power was entrusted to two Houses

5) Napoleon Gaining Popularity because of many military success

 Directory Rule (1795-1799)

1) The Directory rule failed satisfy people needs became unpopular

2) In 1799 Napoleon enacted military coup to seize power from Directory

3) Napoleon created new system called Consulate and brought back Peace,
Order in France
CONSEQUENCE OF FRENCH REVOLUTION
 CONSEQUENCE OF FRENCH REVOLUTION

On France On Europe On Rest of the world

 Impacts on France

1) End of monarchy -> establishment of constitutional and republican govt

2) Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen

3) End of privilege + establishment of Equality

4) End of Feudalism, Serfdom –strengthening of middle class, improvement in peasant

conditions

5) Church power reduced ; Freedom of faith and religious tolerance were ensured

6) Administrative & Judicial reforms by Napoleon led to establishment of France as

Modern Nation state

7) Tax collection methodology changed

 Impact on Europe

1) All over Europe, the French Revolution gave the hope to the people to end
the despotic rule and establish Popular government

2) Led to Abolition of serfdom and establishment of egalitarian society in

Europe

3) Aroused feeling of Nationalism in Europe

 Impact on World

1) Inspired anti- colonial revolutionary movements at Latin America, Africa and

Asia in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

2) Ideas of Liberty,Equality,Fraternity,Secularism,etc enshrined in constitution

of many countries

3) French Political doctrines like Republicanism, Separation of Powers, Uniform

Civil & criminal code, Representative govt,etc inspired many Third world
nation
 POST FRENCH REVOLUTION - NAPOLEAN ERA(1799-1815)
Napoleon Reforms

Napoleon wars

Continental System

Fall of Napoleon
 RISE OF NAPOLEAN

1793-
Ordinary 1799-First
officer Consul

1795- 1804-
Military Emperor of
General France
 NAPOLEON REFORMS
Napoleon was called both “Child of French Revolution” as well as “Destroyer
of Revolution”

Through his Reforms, Napoleon merged Old France and New France

REFORMS

Political Economic Socio-Cultural

 POLITICAL REFORMS

1. Napoleon created a “Modern State” in France based on the principles of

equality, rule of law and secularism

2. Internal Re-organization of administrative system, Province & local govt

3. Merit based govt appointments

4. Code of Napoleon -1804 (Uniform civil and criminal law)

 ECONOMIC REFORMS

1) Established Bank of France

2) Abolition of Guild system

3) Push towards Industrialization

4) Uniform Tax Policy

5) Constructed Roads and Bridges

 SOCIO-CULTURAL REFORMS

1) Educational Reforms
Primary Schools, Grammar Schools, High Schools, Vocational Schools
& Teacher training institute
More emphasize on Science & Mathematics

2) Abolition of Feudal privilege

3) Reconciliation with Church

NAPOLEON WARS AND EXTENT OF HIS EMPIRE
Europe map
pre-French
revolution
 CONTINENTAL SYSTEM(1806-1813)

Continental Blockade also called Continental System was Economic policy

introduced by Napoleon to prevent British goods entering Continental
Europe

Aim of the blockade:

• To defeat and subjugate Britain

Limitation of Continental System

 FALL OF NAPOLEON

1) Spanish Ulcer(1808-14)

2) Failure of Napoleon’s Campaign against Russia(1812-13)

3) The War of Liberation, 1813

Battle of Leipzig(Battle of Nation),1813

4) Napoleon’s Abdication (1814)

5) Napoleon’s escape from Elba-the hundred days(1815)

6) Battle of Waterloo
 POST NAPOLEAN – VIENNA CONGRESS(1815)
Provisions

Limitations
 VIENNA CONGRESS(1815)

The Congress of Vienna was an assembly in 1814–15 that reorganized Europe

after the Napoleonic Wars (and defeat of Napoleon)

All the European states, except Turkey, were represented

Main business of the Congress was transacted by four Great Powers(Austria,

Russia, Prussia, England)
 Provisions of Treaty signed in Vienna Congress(1815)

1. Principle of Balance of Power (Security against French aggression)

2. Principle of legitimacy

3. Principle of compensation to the victors

Europe map
after Vienna
Congress
(1815)
LIMITATIONS