1. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

2. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
Preview
• Starting Points Map
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Causes of the Revolution
• Quick Facts: Causes of the Revolution
• First Events of the Revolution
• Creating a New Nation
The Revolution Begins

3. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
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4. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
Reading Focus
• What caused the French Revolution?
• What happened during the first events of the Revolution?
• How did the French create a new nation?
Main Idea
1. Problems in French society led to a revolution, the formation
of a new government, and the end of the monarchy.
The Revolution Begins

5. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
Causes of the Revolution
Long-standing resentments against the monarchy
• Inequalities in society
– Existing social and political structure
– Called the Old Order, or ancient régime
• King at the top and estates under him
– King Louis XVI, shy and indecisive
– Unpopular, self-indulgent queen, Marie-Antoinette
– Rest of French society divided into three classes,
called estates

6. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
Varied widely in what they contributed in terms of work and taxes
• Roman Catholic clergy
• One percent of the
population
• Exempt from taxes
• Owned 10 percent of
the land
– Collected rents and
fees
– Bishops and other
clergy grew wealthy
First Estate
• Nobility
• Less than 2 percent of
the population
• Paid few taxes
• Controlled much wealth
• Held key positions
– Government
– Military
• Lived on country
estates
Second Estate
• Largest group—97% of
the population
• Bourgeoisie—city-
dwelling merchants,
factory owners, and
professionals
• Sans culottes—
artisans and workers
• Peasants—poor with
little hope, paid rents
and fees
Third Estate
The Three Estates

7. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
• Severe economic problems
affected much of the country
• France in debt, spending
lavishly, borrowing money, and
facing bankruptcy
• Hailstorm and drought ruined
harvest; harsh winter limited
flour production
• People hungry and angry;
clergy and nobility no help
A Financial Crisis
• Inspiring new ideas from
Enlightenment philosophers
• Great Britain’s government
limiting the king’s power
• American colonists rebelled
successfully against British king
• New ideas changed
government and society in
other countries
2. Enlightenment Ideas
Further Causes

8. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1

9. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
Summarize
What were the causes of the French
Revolution?
Answer(s): inequalities in society, Enlightenment
ideas, poor leadership, financial crisis, hunger and
cold

10. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
By 1789, no group happy
• Clergy and nobility lost power to
monarchy
• Bourgeoisie resented
regulations
• Poor worse off
Storming of the Bastille
• King brought in troops
• People of Paris armed
themselves
• Searching for weapons, a mob
stormed the Bastille
Estates General meets
• Desire for reforms
• Voting process a problem
• Third Estate proclaimed
themselves National Assembly
• Tennis Court Oath
Great Fear spread
• King to punish the Third Estate
with foreign soldiers
• Rumors of massacres
• Peasants destroyed records
and burned nobles’ houses
First Events of the Revolution

11. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
Identify Cause and Effect
What was the connection between
the fall of the Bastille and the Great
Fear?
Answer(s): possible answer—After the fall of the
Bastille, people were terrified that the king would
punish them.

12. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
• Louis tried to protect his throne
• Angered the common people
• Prices still high; mob broke into
the palace demanding bread
• Royal family seized; National
Assembly took bolder steps
• Passed laws against the
church, clergy, and public
employees
• Some outraged by actions
Restrictions on Power
• Feudal dues eliminated
• Declaration laid out “liberty,
equality, fraternity”
• Inspired by the English Bill of
Rights, American Declaration of
Independence, and the writings
of Enlightenment philosophers
• Men are born equal and remain
equal under the law
• The rights did not extend to
women
Legislating New Rights
Creating a New Nation

13. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
French revolutionary troops won the Battle of Valmy. New French
republic held ground against Europe’s Old Order.
3. In 1791, the Legislative Assembly is formed. Citizens gained broad
voting rights, but rights were not universal. Constitution restricted
power of king and ended distinctions of birth. King and queen feared
they would be harmed.
• Austria and Prussia warned against
harming monarchs
• Austrian army defeats French
• Financial strain of war, food
shortages, and high prices
• King blamed; action demanded
Foreign Powers
Formation of a New Government
• August 10, 1792 royal family
imprisoned by mob
• Radical faction took charge with
National Convention
• Monarchy abolished; France
declared a republic
End of Monarchy

14. The French Revolution and Napoleon Section 1
Sequence
What steps did National and
Legislative Assemblies take to
create a new nation?
Answer(s): National Assembly completed
constitution and created Legislative Assembly;
Legislative Assembly—created a new legislature,
the National Convention, which abolished the
monarchy and declared France a republic