Chapter 19 - French Revolution and Napolean
Order by
64 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 July 4, 1776 | declaration of independence from the British Empire; approval of the declaration by the Second Continental Congress; affirmed the Enlightenment's rights of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness", beginning the war for American independence |
| natural rights | Enlightenment idea of "life, liberty, and property/pursuit of happiness" |
| Yorktown | British general Cornwallis surrenders here to American and French forces; initiates the Treaty of Paris, 1783: recognition of American Independence and gives Americans control of western territory |
| the Constitution of 1789 | addition of 12 amendments, including the bill of rights, to the Constitution; many rights derived from the natural rights philosophy of the philosophes; American Revolution seen as the embodiment of Enlightenment politics |
| the American Bill of Rights | ten of the 12 amendments made in 1789, granting freedom of religion, speech, press, petition, assembly, right to bear arms, protection of property, trial by jury due process of the law, etc. |
| First Estate | Clergy members owning about 10% of the land, w/ 130,000 people (<1% population) ; exempt from the taille; radically divided between the higher clergy (aristocrats) and the parish priests (commoners) |
| Second Estate | nobility, owning 25-30% of the land, w/ 350,000 people (<2% population); divided between nobility of the robe and the sword; tax exemption |
| Third Estate | commoners w/ 98% of the population, made of peasants, artisans/shopkeepers, and the Bourgeoisie |
| Peasants | 75-80% population, 35-40% land; no more serfdom, but still had obligations to local landlords, which angered them |
| Artisans, shopkeepers, etc. | economic discontent within this class was an important factor in the revolution (sudden increase in the price of bread) |
| Bourgeoisie | the middle class within the 3rd Estate; 8% population, 20-25% land; consisted of merchants, industrialists, and bankers who controlled trade, manufacturing, and finances. Resentment for being excluded from the social/political privileges of the nobles; opposition of elites to the old order = action against monarchical regime and traditional privileges (wealthier bourgeoisie basically = to nobility) |
| the taille | France's chief tax; land tax applicable to non-nobles |
| French Parlements | 13 law courts responsible for registering royal decrees; frustrated efforts at reform. Gained new strength in the 18th century as defenders of "liberty" against the monarchy, but often pushed their own interest by blocking new taxes (financial problems = fundamental problem in monarchy) |
| the Estates-General | representatives from the 3 orders of French society; 3rd estate gets double representation because it is such a large portion of society (97%); particularly strong legal and urban representation |
| cahiers de doléances | statements of local grievances drafted throughout France during the elections to the Estates-General, advocating a regular constitutional government abolishing fiscal privileges of the church and nobility |
| "vote by order or by head?" | each order had one vote(unfair to 3rd estate) , or each person had one vote. |
| Abbe Sieyes | issued a pamphlet, saying "What is the Third Estate? Everything. What has it been thus far in the political order? Nothing. What does it demand? To become something." Not representative of general feeling; revival of reform does not = overthrowing traditional institutions |
| the National Assembly | when the 1st estate wanted to vote by order, the 3rd estate responded by making itself a "National Assembly" on June 17, 1789, deciding to create a Constitution. |
| the Tennis Court Oath | on June 20th, the 3rd estate arrived at their meeting place to find the doors locked; they moved to a nearby tennis court and made this oath, to continue to meet until they produced a French constitution. These actions (June 17 - 20) were the 1st steps in the French Revolution (3rd estate had no legal right to act as the National Assembly). This "revolution of lawyers" of the 3rd estate was threatened when the king (Louis XVI) prepared to use force to side with the 1st estate. |
| the Bastille - July 14, 1789 | most famous of the series of urban/rural uprisings( in July/August 1789, stopping the King in his attempts to halt the revolution. Increased troops and mob activity in Paris led to formation of the "Permanent Committee". They got arms from the Invalides, and needing gunpowder, attacked the Bastille(armory/state prison). Its fall became a symbol of triumph over despotism; the king could no longer enforce his will and the National Assembly was saved |
| the Great Fear - | constant agrarian revolts by the peasants resulted in a vast panic between July 20 and August 6. This fear of invasion by foreign troops and the aristocrats resulted in the formation of more citizens' militias; name for the series of rural revolts/riots that released centuries of peasants' hatred against the nobility |
| Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen - | adopted on August 26 by the National Assembly, it is the ideological foundation and an educational device for the nation, a charter of basic liberties reflecting the ideas of the major philosophes of the French Enlightenment. Reflective of the American Declaration of Independence and constitutions. Equal rights for all men (however, excluded women). |
| Olympe de Gouges | refused to accept exclusion of women from political rights and wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen; ignored by the National Assembly |
| Civil Constitution of the Clergy, 1790 | an important pillar in the old order, it was secularized and its property nationalized. This "constitution" made it so that both priests and bishops were to be elected by the people and paid by the state; the clergy had to swear alliance to the Civil Constitution (forbidden by the Pope). The Catholic church now became an enemy of the Revolution. Viewed as a mistake by the National Assembly because it gave the counterrevolution a popular base to operate from (opposition of the church). |
| the Jacobins | radical deputies who gathered at the beginning of the Revolution, especially on August 4, 1789 (when the National Assembly voted to abolish feudalism) ; largest and most powerful political club of the revolution. Leader - Maximilian Robespierre |
| escape to Varennes | forced to return to Paris and upset with revolutionary events, King Louis XVI tried to flee France in 1791 and almost succeeded before being captured at Varennes; discredited him and lost the peoples trust (formerly, politicians were unified on the basis of their trust for the king). Later used as evidence of treason to convict and execute the king. |
| Declaration of Pillnitz | afraid that other countries would follow France's lead and begin revolutions, Emperor Leopold II of Austria and King Frederick William II of Prussia issued this declaration in August 27, 1791, inviting other European monarchs to intervene on behalf of Louis XVI if his monarchy was threatened. |
| Paris Commune | composed of the sans-culottes, "without knee-breeches"/ordinary patriots without fine clothes, a government that ruled over Paris and was led by George Danton. Thousands of "traitors" / those resisting public will were executed. |
| sans-culottes | "without knee-breeches"/ordinary patriots without fine clothes, made up the Paris Commune |
| Georges Danton | (1759 - 1794) leader of the Paris Commune; newly appointed minister of justice |
| National Convention | dominated by lawyers, professionals, property owners, and a few artisans. Almost all were young, had political experience, and were distrustful of the king abolishment of the monarchy and establishment of a republic. Split into factions over what to do with the king (most important were the Girondins and the Mountain, both Jacobins). Elected by universal male suffrage and replaced the Legislative Assembly. |
| Girondins | represented the provinces and wanted to keep the king alive; lost to the Mountain, who represented Paris and condemned Louise XVI to death in 1793 by a very narrow margin |
| the Vendée | Western France; place of counterrevolutionary rebellion that started when peasants revolted against new military draft (supportive of monarchy) |
| Committee of Public Safety | Executive committee established by National Convention that was supposed to supervise the elimination of the "enemies of the revolution" |
| Maximilien Robespierre | Young provincial lawyer who led the most radical phases of the French Revolution(Reign of Terror); believed "Liberty cannot be secured unless criminals lose their heads" and Republic of Virtue; his execution ended the Reign of Terror |
| Reign of Terror | The period 1793-1794 in revolutionary France,led by Robespierre, when suspected traitors were beheaded in great numbers |
| the guillotine | instrument of execution that consists of a weighted blade between two vertical poles;"more humane" method promoted by Parisian doctor after whom it was named |
| "Republic of Virtue" | he Committee of Public Safety said that once the war and domestic crisis were over, the true "Republic of Virtue" would follow, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen would be fully realized; along with the Terror, the Committee of Public Safety created a new order called by Robespierre the Republic of Virtue--a democratic republic composed of good citizens |
| Liberté, égalité, fraternité (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) | motto of the French Revolution |
| Law of General Maximum | Law that set price controls on goods; government was unable to enforce them so they ultimately failed |
| the Thermidorean Reaction | A reaction against the violence of the Reign of Terror after Robespierre was executed ( named after month of Thermidor); Terror began to decline and National Convention curtailed power of Committee of Public Safety |
| the Directory | 5 directors elected by Council of Elders/ Constitution of 1795 as executive authority; set up after Thermidorean Reaction |
| Napoleon Bonaparte | 1769-1821. French military and political leader;overthrew Directory. General during French Revolution, Ruler of France as First Consul of French Republic, King of Italy, Mediator of Swiss Confederation, and Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine. |
| Italian and Egyptian campaigns | Napoleon was made commander of French army in Italy and he influenced them with his intelligence and confidence;after returning back to France, he tried to take Britain by taking Egypt but his supplies were cut off;he then abandoned his army and took part in a coup d'etat that led to his dictatorship |
| coup d'etat | an overthrow of the government; Napoleon took part in one after returning from Egypt |
| plebiscite | a vote of the populace in which a single question is presented to the people for a simple "yes" or "no" Napoleon made effective use of it in becoming "Consul for Life" and later emperor |
| First Consul and Emperor- | Napoleon directly controlled the entire executive authority of gov., influence over legislature, appointed members of bureaucracy, controlled army, and conducted foreign affairs; consul for life 1802, Emperor of France 1804- stabilized regime, provided permanence |
| the Concordat of 1801 | pope gained right to depose French bishops; state retained right to nominate bishops; Catholic church permitted to hold processions again and reopen seminaries; pope acknowledged accomplishments of the Revolution and agreed to not question church lands confiscated; clergy paid by state |
| the Civil Code (Code Napoleon)- | preserved most of revolutionary gains by recognizing principle of equality of all citizens before the law, the right of individuals to choose their professions, religious toleration, and abolition of serfdom and feudalism; property rights protected; trade unions and strikes outlawed; reflected uniform legal system; most rights restricted |
| the Grand Empire | 3 parts: French empire (inner core), series of dependent states (inc. Spa. Net., Ita. Swiss Republic, Grand Duchy of Warsaw, Confederation of Rhine (all Ger. States except Aus. and Prus.)), and allied states (defeated by Napoleon: Prus. Aus. Rus); Napoleon considered himself leader of all, sought revolutionary principles but demanded obedience |
| battles of Austerlitz and Trafalgar | British navy defeated French-Spanish fleet in 1805 |
| the Grand Army | Napoleon's army of over 600,000 men |
| Continental System | 1806-1807, attempted to prevent British goods from reaching European continent in order to weaken British economically and destroy its capacity to wage war; allied states resented French economic gain and cheated, helped Brit. |
| nationalism | arisen during French Revolution on emphasis on brotherhood; involed unique cultural identity of a ppl based on common language, religion, and national symbols; aroused patriotism of others in opposition to French nationalism |
| the invasion of Russia | beg. of Napoleon's downfall, 1812, b/c Russians had challenged Continental System; Rus forces refused to battle and retreated while torching |
| Russian "scorched-earth" | Russians torched own villages and countryside to prevent Napoleon's army from finding food and forage |
| Elba | after Napolean was defeated he was exiled to the island of Elba, of the coast of Tucany while the monarchy in France was restored to the Bourbon family (Louis XVIII); loyalty was soon regained by Napolean |
| the 100 Days | the number of days Napoleon ruled France following his escape from Elba |
| battle of Waterloo | raised army to attack allied forces at Belgium; met combined British and Prussian army under duke of Wellington and suffered bloody defeat |
| Saint Helena | Napoleon exiled to here by victorious allied; small forsaken island in middle of S. Atlantic |
| Jacques Necker | suggested to Louis XVI that one way to alleviate the massive French debt was through taxing the First and Second Estate; he also advised the kinf to call upon the Estates General. When he was fired, this was one of the causes for the storming of the Bastille (he was well liked by the people, an had Enlightenment ideas) |
| Ancien Régime | French political and social system in the years before 1789 |
| First Consul | title used by Napoleon following his seizure of power in France in 1799. He used it until 1804, when he declared himself to be the new "Emperor" |
| Emigres | Nobles who fled to other parts of Europe during the French Revolution; Napoleon later welcomed them back during the early days of the Empire |
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