Report in SocStud 107:

World History 2

(CHAPTER 3: NAPOLEON AND THE

FRENCH REVOLUTION)

Sub Topics:
 Moderate start to the
revolution
 A more violent revolution
 Napoleon Bonaparte

Submitted by: Aisel Bactong

Krisna Gilbaliga
Cristopher Lhean Rey
(Social Studies 2)

Submitted to: Jhenina Oducado

(Course facilitator)
 The French Revolution
The French Revolution (1789-99) was a violent and bloody tableau with royal executions and various
massacres, an infamous Reign of Terror, and several changes of government.
As Charles Dickens, the British novelist, wrote in The Tale of Two Cities, "It was the best of times, it was
the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was
the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Light, it was the season of
Darkness."
The French Revolution was more influential than the American Revolution in changing the political order
and map of the world. France was a superpower then (the US was not).
Napoleon came as the savior of France (1799-1815) after the Reign of Terror. Napoleon turned into just
another tyrant and megalomaniac (power-hungry). He drove France into wars that made him a menace to
humanity.
 A Moderate Start to the Revolution
Differences between the French and American Revolutions.
The French Revolution came a decade after the American Revolution. Unlike the American Revolution,
which was successful, the French Revolution was a failure.
The French Revolution degenerated into a period of terror and quarrels among its leaders. The French
Revolution should have been less important; but, on the contrary, it became more influential than the
American Revolution.
The French Revolution had a greater impact on the world at the time because of the power and influence of
medieval France.
France was not a struggling colony; it was a global power at the time of its revolution. America was only a
former colony of Britain and a struggling new nation. The French Revolution shook up monarchies
everywhere, mobilized them into a global conflict against Napoleon, and profoundly changed the balance of
power forever. After the French Revolution, no absolute monarch sat so comfortably on the throne anymore.

The French Revolution: Its Causes

The French Revolution (1789-1815) was the bloody and violent revolution that convulsed France for nearly
two decades. It ended feudalism and absolute monarchy, established different experiments in government,
and ended with the rise of a military strongman named Napoleon. The causes of the French Revolution were
as follows:
 Political Cause. People were fed up with the "Old Regime," led by the absolute rule and
extravagance of the Bourbon French kings. King Louis XIV and his successors dragged the country
to poverty and misery. His grandson, King Louis XV (1715-74), lived with "wine, women and song."
With his two mistresses, Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry, Louis XV did not care
about the people, and made the infamous remark, "After me, the deluge." The last king was his son
Louis XVI (1774-92). He and his Queen, Marie Antoinette, ruined France with extravagant parties
and overspending.
 Intellectual Cause. The writings of Voltaire, Diderot, and others spread the ideas of the
Enlightenment. French intellectuals used these works as the cure for the awful conditions of their
nation.
 Economic Cause. The French merchants and masses were the most miserable and heavily-taxed
people in 18th century Europe. The king, the nobles, and the clergy lived in luxury and did not pay
any taxes or tolls at all. The commoners paid all the taxes and tolls. For example, a merchant
 shipping wine to Paris had to pay 11 customs duties and 12 different tolls. Commoners paid salt tax,
residence tax, and farm tax.

The Tennis Court Oath. In 1789, the countryside was in famine, and the royal treasury was bankrupt. King
Louis XVI was forced to call for the help of the former consultative body dismissed by his great grandfather
in 1614.
The reactivated Estates-General met at the Palace of Versailles on May 5. 1789, with over 1,000 delegates,
half of them from the commoners. The commoners brought a list of grievances through two trusted
representatives-Count Mirabeau and Abbé (Bishop) Sieyes. Mirabeau, was the greatest crator of the
meeting, and Abbé Steyes was a freedom-loving priest.
On June 20, 1789, the commoner delegates walked out. They went to a nearby tennis court, and took a
solemn vow not to leave until they had changed the government The Oath of the Tennis Court took a
peaceful first step in a resolution that would transform France.
The Estates- General turned itself into a National Assembly and began to draft a new constitution. The
revolution had begun moderately, but soon took a violent turn.
Fall of the Bastille (July 14, 1789). The new assembly had scarcely begun work, when the people of Paris
and peasants in the countryside took the French Revolution on a bloody path.
On July 14, 1789, an angry mob stormed the royal prison, called the Bastille in Paris (Bastille Day is French
Independence Day today) The Bastille was the most hated symbol of the injustice and inequality of the old
regime. Many of the prisoners were only debtors and food thieves.
Reforms of the National Assembly On August 16. 1789, the Assembly passed the Declaration of the Rights
of Man. It echoed the Enlightenment ideas of Voltaire, Locke, and the oncuments of the American
Revolution. Among others, the French Declaration provided for sovereignty of the people, equality belute
the law, freedom in religion, freedom of speech and press, and the right of the people to life and liberty.
the National Assembly passed a law that reduced the power and privileges of the Catholic Church in France.
The law provided for the popular election of bishshops and priests, payment of salaries of the slergy by the
state, and renunciation of the clergy's allegiance to the pope.
The Constitution of 1791. The National Assembly drew up the Constitution of 1791, which made France a
limited monarchy and set up a separation of powers. The constitution guaranteed equal rights under the law
to all citizens. "The feudal system is forever abolished in France," it declared. From now on, all French
people-king, noble, clergy and commoner were equal before the law But, it was too little, too late.

Aisel Bactong

A More Violent Revolution

The Radicals Take Over.
Nobody was happy with the moderate reforms. The radical revolutionaries wanted a republic, not a
monarchy. The nobles thought the reformers had gone too far, and hastily fled the country, fearing for their
safety. These political exiles urged European rulers to help the king in France.
In June 1791, King Louis and his family decided to flee the country. They were recognized at the border,
arrested, and detained at the Paris city hall. The king's attempt to flee had doomed the monarchy and
destroyed the reforms.
The Jacobins, the most radical party, gained the upper hand. The Jacobins were led by Maximilien
Robespierre, a judge: Jean Paul Marat, a physician and journalist, and Georges Jacques Danton, a brilliant
lawyer. These radicals gained the support of the proletariat (masses) of Paris who were disappointed with
the results of the reforms. The poor were just as poor as ever, and they became impatient. Inspired by radical
newspapers and propaganda, the people demanded, "Liberty Equality and Fraternity!" This became the
slogan of the revolution.

Foreign Invasion
Soon, other European monarchies became involved in the troubles in France. Queen Marie Antoinette
appealed to her brother, the emperor of Austria, who asked Prussia to help. By August 1702 Austrian and
Prussian armies were advancing on Paris. The Prussian commander issued an ultimatum demanding that the
king be restored to absolute rule. If Paris did not surrender peacefully, he said the Austrian and Prussian
troops would burn the city and torture all the revolutionary leaders.
Instead of being frightened by the ultimatum, the patriotic French people rallied defend their country. In that
summer of 1792, young volunteers offered to fight the foreign invaders. From Marseilles, came hundreds of
patriots, who sang a stirring hymn, the Marseillaise. It became the national anthem of France: "Let's go,
children of our country, our day of glory has arrived. Against us stand the tyrants. The bloody flag is raised.
To arms, citizen and fight! Let’s march! Let’s march!

End of the Monarchy.

Beginning September 1792, the French revolutionary army pushed back the foreign invaders. Despite these
victories, the war worsened the economic mess. High prices and food shortages led to new popular uprisings
in Paris. On August 10 1792, a ragtag group of commoners and rouge soldiers took over the Paris city hall
and set up a new administration called the Commune. They attacked the hall where the king and his family
lived ant arrested the king for ‘crimes of then the rebels demanded a National Convention to make a new
constitution.

First French Republic.

The atmosphere was tense. While the people's Commune imprisoned the king, Austrian and Prussian troops
still threatened France at the border. Mobs of poor people roamed the streets of the capital, killing anyone
they suspected of being an enemy.
At this time, two main groups contended for the destiny of the nation the moderates (these opposed to
violence and extreme changes) and the radicals (in favor of violence and total change). In addition, there
were a few members of the Old Regime, who wanted the monarchy and aristocracy. Finally, there were the
vast numbers of "have-nots" the riotous mobs who were hungry, angry and hated all the upper-class "haves”
even the moderates.
Radical and moderate leaders hastily formed a constitutional convention to make a new government. On
September 22. 1793, they met in National Convention and established a French Republic. The moderate
delegates sat in the right of the hall and the radicals sat to the left of the hall. This started the tradition of the
political seating arrangement of “rightist” and “leftist” in most parliaments today. Nobody chaired the
session, it became a shouting match. The radicals got the upper hand, because the mobs cheered them. "Off
with his head!” was the vote against the king. By a majority of only one vote, the radicals sentenced the king
to death, he was considered a tyrant and now a traitor to France.
At this time, they built a wooden platform in the center of the city (Place de la Concorde), and mounted a
new killing machine, guillotine (a hanging blade). On January 21, 1793, Louis mounted the steps of the
guillotine, and cried, "My people, I die Innocent!".
From 1792-95, the governing body of France was the National Convention. Originally intended to draft a
constitution, the Convention finished the new charter in 1793 but did not put it into effect. Instead, it simply
voted to prolong its life from year to year. The Convention became the First Republic.
At first, leadership in the convention was shared between the Girondists (moderates) and the Jacobins
(radicals). But later, the three radical leaders Marat, Danton and Robespierre took over. Then, in 1793.
Marat was assassinated by a fanatical female moderate. And then, there were only two left. Danton and
Robespierre.

Attacks on the Revolution.

Meanwhile elated by their success in battle, the French Republic issued a proclamation to all peoples in
Europe to overthrow their king with the help of France. In effect, the proclamation was a declaration of war
against all European monarchies. News of Louis XVI's execution sent shock waves through the capitals a
Europe. Other monarchs now had reason fear the spread of the revolution.
By March 1793, France was at war with eight European monarchies (Austria, Prussia England, Spain,
Portugal, Holland, Sardinia and Naples). They formed the First Coalition against the new republic. Once
again, the French people rallied to the front with patriotic fervor and repulsed the invasion of their country
by the foreign armies. The French army was victorious in all battles.
The war caused starvation and economic hardships in many parts of France, people felt the revolution had
gone too far. Uprisings started in western France and the cities of Marseilles, Bordeaux and Lyon.

Reign of Terror.
To destroy all opposition to the revolution in France, the National Convention created a powerful smaller
body, called the Committee of Public Safety on April 6 1793. This committee, dominated by Robespierre,
used secret agents to hunt for royalist and other critics. It was responsible for a horrible "Reign of Terror"
(1793-94) which put to death some 20,000 to 40,000 people in France and shocked the civilized world by its
brutality.
During the Reign of Terror, kangaroo (unfair) trials were held daily throughout France. Men, women, and
even children, were condemned to the guillotine. A dignified Queen Marie Antoinette and many nobles and
clergy were executed "O liberty, what crimes are committed in thy name!" a noblewoman and writer
Madame Roland, exclaimed before she was executed. Most victims were commoners, including peasants,
workers, shopkeepers and professionals. The ruthlessness of the Reign Terror had one good effect-the mob
revolts ended because the radicals killed each other.
Then, Danton and Robespierre, the founder of the Reign of Terror, quarreled. When Danton wanted to end
the terror, Robespierre, accused him of treason and condemned him to die. And then, only one was left. In
April 1794, on his way to the guillotine, Danton shouted, "Evil Robespierre, you will follow me!" Three
months later, Robespierre fell from power and was guillotined, too, on July 28, 1794. Danton's prophecy
was fulfilled, and the Reign of Terror finally came to an end. It was said that the French Revolution, like all
bloody revolutions, had devoured its own children.

Mistakes of the French Revolution.

The French Revolution was an historic turning point in world history. But it committed at least two serious
blunders. Its biggest mistake was the Reign of Terror. The Reign of Terror snuffed out the lives of many
illustrious. French men and women and disgusted many lovers of freedom. Unlike the American Revolution,
the French Revolution did not end in a stable and prosperous new nation. It was a tragic series of unfortunate
events. After Robespierre's death, a tidal reaction swept France against the violence. The radical part of the
revolution had ended. To many the revolution itself seemed to be a failure. A period of stagnation.
corruption and cynicism followed. The zeal for reform has burned out in France, until a strong military
genius came along.
Another serious mistake of the revolution was its effort to abolish Christianity during the Reign of terror. At
the end of 1793, revolutionary leaders established atheism to replace Christianity. A beautiful girl
impersonating the "Goddess of Reason" was placed upon the altar of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris
as an object of worship. They held a festival for "Beason," in the Cathedral which was a corruption of the
spirit enlightenment. In 1794, Robespierre discarded atheism and introduced the “Worship of the Supreme
Being” a deism which recognized the existence of a god but not Christianity. The revolution had alienated
the devout French Catholics and other Christians. They thought the anti-Christian policy of the revolution
was too extreme.

Results of the French Revolution.

To summarize, these are the results of the French Revolution:
1. It was unsuccessful in establishing a lasting, stable and good government, due to violence and lack of
unity among its leaders
2. It awakened the spirit of French nationalism and transformed France into a strong military power.
The army of the First French Republic repulsed the combined forces of European monarchies and
extended French frontiers to the Alps and the Rhine.
3. It briefly abolished the monarchy and feudalism in France. All feudal lands and property were
confiscated, and entrepreneurship encouraged.
4. It introduced democracy into, Western Europe. More than the Americans or the British, the French
became the champions of "liberty, equality and fraternity. All titles of nobility were abolished. A
man was addressed as "Citizen," and a woman. "citizeness". For example, the blue blooded Duke of
Orleans, a cousin of King Louis XVI, became "Citizen Philippe Egalite. The system of adult male
suffrage was adopted, and all property qualifications for voting were abolished Women were given
equal rights with men regarding suffrage and property. Imprisonment for debt was abolished. Family
inheritance was distributed among all the heirs, not only the oldest son.
5. It established a free elementary educational system for French child and founded the first normal
France for the training of teachers
6. It adopted a uniform and simple standard of weights and measures, called the "metric system," which
is still in use today
7. It abolished slavery in the colonies, which was then still legal in civilized countries, including
England, the United States Austria, and Holland.
8. The destruction of life and property by the French Revolution, and the Napoleonic Wars afterwards,
caused the decline of France, and Britain became the leading Big Power in Europe in the 19 century.
9. Finally, its ideals of liberty spread to the colonies and became the model for many revolutions in
Latin America and elsewhere from the 18 century onwards. Even Filipino revolutionaries -Rizal,
Aguinaldo, and others - read and admired the ideals of the French Revolution. Unfortunately,
Aguinaldo and Bonifacio also quarreled and destroyed their revolution.

Krishna
Gilbaliga
 Napoleon Bonaparte
The Directory
 When Abbé Sieyès, the famous leader of the revolution, was asked what important thing did he
achieve, he replied dryly, "I lived." Indeed, it was an achievement for anyone at all to live through
the French Revolution.
 The Directory was like a committee which could not agree or enforce its decisions. The Directory
proved inefficient and corrupt.
Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.
 Napoleon Bonaporte (1769-1821), who was short and known as the "Little Corporal", was an
outsider to Paris, born in the tiny Mediterranean island of Corsica.
 He was only 5 feet two inches tall.
 He was a fighter, and later developed a brilliant military reputation. He defeated the English fleet at a
naval battle in the Mediterranean in 1793.
 Two years later he protected the National Convention from a mob riot.
 Through the influence of his first wife, Josephine, widow of a general, he was given command of the
French army that conquered Italy in 1796. He was then only 27 years old.
 Later, he divorced Josephine and made a marriage of convenience with Maria Louisa, daughter of
the Austrian Emperor.
Napoleon Seizes Power in France.
 Upon hearing of the crisis at home, Napoleon returned to France. "The reign of lawyers is over," he
told his friends. On the night of November 1799, Napoleon and his troops overthrew the Directory
by coup d'état (seizing political power by force).
Peace and Brief Prosperity under the Republican Consulate (1799-1804).
 After overthrowing the Directory, Napoleon framed new constitution which was overwhelmingly
ratified by the French people on December 24, 1799 due to his popularity.
 The new government was called "The Consulate," with Napoleon as a dictator. This was modeled
after the Roman Triumvirate system of Julius Caesar.
 According the new constitution, the executive power was exercised by three elected consuls.
Napoleon was the First Consul, with Abbé Sieyès as Second Consul, and Ducos (a lawyer) as Third
consul.
 The administration of Napoleon as First Consul was eminently successful assisted by Charles
Maurice de Talleyrand, a nobleman diplomat, in running foreign policy.
 For the next five years, the French were happy, and the rest of Europe relieved, but wary of the new
"little corporal" in town In 1802, Napoleon was elected for life by a grateful nation.
Achievements of Napoleon.
 Restoration of peace and order in France
 Promotion of economic progress
 Beautification of Paris
 Establishment of a national system of public education from elementary to university level.
 Founding of the Legion of Honor, a French order of knighthood.
 Promulgation of the Napoleonic Code.
The French Empire of Napoleon.
 Napoleon now wanted to become an Emperor of France and Europe.
 On December 2, 1804, the new French emperor was inaugurated amidst colorful ceremonies at Notre
Dame Cathedral.
 With the Pope and other dignitaries in attendance, Napoleon surprised everyone as he snatched the
crown from the Pope, and crowned himsell emperor, then he placed another crown on the empress.
 Napoleon's coronation symbolized the supremacy of enlightened secular kings over the religious
power, represented by the Roman Pope.
Return to War in Europe.
 Napoleon now dreamed of conquering all of Europe. England, Austria, Russia and Sweden formed
the Third Coalition to stop him.
 He had a traditional hatred of the English people whom he called "a nation of shopkeepers.". To raise
funds for the war, he sold Louisiana to the US in 1803.
 In October 1805, Napoleon's naval invasion of Britain was defeated by the British Navy led by
Admiral Lord Nelson in the Battle of Cape Trafalgar, off southwest Spain.
Napoleon Defeats the Allies.
 On December 2, 1805, the anniversary of his coronation, he defeated the allies in the Battle of
Austerlitz. After Austerlitz, Napoleon humiliated both Austria and Prussia.
 Austria was forced to cede territory to France, and sank to the rank of a second-class power.
 Napoleon annexed Prussia and triumphantly entered Berlin. Prussia was stripped of its dominions
and made to pay a huge war indemnity to France.
 Napoleon reached an agreement with Russia in 1807 after a bloody but stalemated battle Napoleon
also defeated the German city states and abolished the Holy Roman Empire, which had existed since
926 AD.
The Continental Blockade.
 After 1807, Napoleon became the supreme master of continental Europe. His sole remaining enemy
was England.
 Because he could not cross the English Channel, he resolved to strike at its most vulnerable spot to
boycott its commerce.
 His decrees established the Continental Blockade, known as "Continental System."
Napoleon Conquers Europe
 By 1811, Napoleon was enjoying his dream - he had conquered continental Europe and disabled
England. "The Little Corporal" from tiny Corsica had risen to a place not previously attained by
anyone.
 Nobody could doubt that he was no longer the little corporal, but "Napoleon the Great."
Disastrous Russian Campaign
 In June 1812. Napoleon invaded Russia to enforce the Continental Blockade on them with the largest
army ever gathered together (600,000 troops.
 By September 1812, he entered Moscow But the Russian Czar and people had fied The Russian
strategy was to trap and tire him in the huge interior.
 The return march to France became a disastrous retreat. Hundreds of thousands of his men perished
victims of the snow, ice, mud and starvation.
 The great Napoleon was beaten by "General Winter," as the Russian winter was called by historians.
Napoleon's Empire Ends.
  The horrible loss of France's Grand Army in Russia inspired the European powers Prussia, Russia,
England, Sweden, and Austria rise in arms.
 On April 18, 1814, he abdicated his throne and signed the surrender. He went into exile in Elba, a
tiny island within sight of his native Corsica.
"The Hundred Days."
 Napoleon escaped from exile. He returned to Paris and ruled a hundred days from March 20 to June
29, 1815.
 The victorious allies were quarreling at the Congress of Vienna over the division of the spoils and
the remaking of the map of Europe.
 In the midst of their squabbles, the disturbing news came that Napoleon had and strike again.
The Battle of Waterloo and Final Exile.
 Napoleon raised an army of old soldiers and young boys, and marched north into Belgium.
 On June 18, Napoleon fought his last battle in Waterloo, a valley near Brussels.
 The battle turned against the French. Napoleon's complete defeat at Waterloo marked his and the end
of his empire.
 He died a lonely exile at the rocky island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic on May 6, 1821.
 The French people forgot their hardships and defeats under him, and regarded him as a martyr and
hero.
 In 1840, his remains were reinterred at Les Invalides (The Fallen) mausoleum in Paris. Tales of his
brilliant victories were told and retold in the villages and cities of France, and, in due time, the
Napoleonic legend arose.
Results of the Napoleonic Wars.
 The Napoleonic wars ran from 1803 to 1815, and were a continuation of the French Revolution of
1789.
 According to historians, the Napoleonic wars changed armies, societies and world civilization.
 The early victories of Napoleon led to the expansion of French revolutionary ideas and reforms, such
as the metric system, the Napoleonic Code, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
 His wars led to the decline of the power of the Roman Church and absolute monarchs.
 His occupation of Spain weakened Spain's power over its colonies and opened the door to Latin
American and Philippine revolutions against Spain.
History's Judgment.
 Napoleon is hailed by military historians as "the ablest military commander in the annals of history,"
perhaps even better than Genghis Khan, Alexander, and Julius Caesar.
 His downfall came due to a combination of circumstances - the naval weakness of France, the
unpopular Continental Blockade, the disastrous Russian campaign, the uprisings in his European
territories, and the exhaustion of France's manpower and resources.
 Most historians regard Napoleon's downfall as a blessing for everyone. He had become dangerous to
the world a crazy (power-hungry).
 In the end, he was just another tyrant and a menace to everybody
 As the French author Victor Hugo eloquently wrote, "It was time that this great man should fall. His
excessive weight in human destiny disturbed the balance and would have proved fatal to civilization
had it endured.
SKILL LESSON - Analyzing Sources
Historian uses documents understand to historical events. But sometimes, documents describe events in very
different ways, or come to very different conclusions. This is true especially, when events are highly
controversial.
1. Read the sources to find out what information is given. What do they say about.
the attitude of the French people about the king's execution;
a) the conditions in France; and
b) the outcome of the execution.
2. Compare the two sources. Do they agree? In what points do they disagree?
3. Evaluate how reliable is the source.
a) Does the narrow vote in the National Convention affect their proclamation?
b) Does the nobleman's background affect his opinion?
c) Which source is more reliable? Are they both unreliable in some ways?

4. Use the sources to draw conclusions.

a) Based on the sources and what you read in this chapter, what conclusions do you make about
the reaction to the king's execution?
b) How do the differences in the sources reflect the divisions in France during the revolution?
c) Would there be similar divisions in our society over a highly controversial event or policy?

Cristopher Lhean Rey