In the 1770 France ad a political system called The Old Regime. The Old Regime was a system that was divided into the classes. The First estate were clergy or church members, the second estate were rich nobles, and the third estate was peasants
French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte
In the 1700's France was the best country during the age of the Enlightenment, but as the time passed, France slowly went down hill with the Enlightenment ideas of Locke, Rousseau, and Voltaire. One of the greatest military geniuses in history, became from being an officer in the French army to becoming the master of France in only 4 years from 1795 to 1799.
The French Revolution Begins
In 1780s France's economy was in decline many workers in the third estate lost a lot of money. The other two estates were doing fine but taxes were being raised and bad weather was making crops harder to grow which made food cost more. This happened because in 1770 and 1780 France's government was in serous debt because of the King and Queens extravagant spending.
In 1789 France had a meeting of the Estate-General during the meeting Emanuel-Joseph Sieyes had and a dramatic speech and suggested that the third estate should become the National assembly. They will be able to pass laws and reforms in the name of the french people. After a log night of debating they agreed. Three days later the third estate found themselves locked out their meeting room. They broke down the door and pledged to stay until a new constitution was drawn up, this became the Tennis Court Oath. On July 14 a mob stormed to Bastille a prison that had guns, they gained control and hacked a prison commander. Now every July 14 people will march to Bastille
Rumors spread about nobles hiring outlaws to terrorize peasants. The peasants responded by arming themselves and attacking other outlaws. They marched into the homes of nobles and and destroyed legal papers and made them pay federal fees. I some cases they burned the houses. In October of 1789 Parisian women rioted over the rising prices of breed. After that they marched to the place of the king and queen they demanded that they go back to Paris. Louis agreed and hours later he moved back to Paris.7
Revolution brings Reform and Terror
Throughout the night of August 4, 1789 noblemen made some speeches declaring their love of liberty and equality. when they did that they joined other members of the national assembly to make commoners equal to nobles and the clergy. By the morning Old Regime was dead.
Three weeks later after the death of Old Regime they decided to make the Declaration of Rights of Men, where it would give every man and citizen equal rights. the Declaration of Independence influenced the people who made the Declaration of Rights of Men. the equal rights were liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.
On August 10 about 200,000 men and women invaded the Tuileries, the palace where the royal family was staying. they killed the royal guards and imprisoned the royal family. the citizens feared that the french army would seize control of the city, so they raided the prisons and murdered 1,000 prisoners and nobles. The legislative Assembly set aside the Constitution and called for the election of a new legislature. They quickly abolished the Monarchy and granted male citizens the right to vote.
The guillotine was a major tool in France. they used it to kill king Louis XVI and his wife Marie. Dr. Joseph Ignace Guillotine was the person who created the guillotine.
Napoleon Forges an Empire
Napoleon Seizes Power
Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769, on an Island called Corsica. He went to a military school at age nine and graduated early at age 16. He then became lieutenant in the Artillery. Napoleon first became a hero when he was appointed to defend the delegates and succeeded. This led to Napoleon leading a french army against Austria and Sardinia, and through Italy where he fought and won battles. It was not Until Egypt that he had lost a navy battle on the Nile River, however he managed to keep that off of newspapers. After the Directory lost control of the French people, Napoleon staged a coup d'etat and gained control of France.
Napoleon Rules France
After Napoleon started ruling, a plebiscite was held to approve a new constitution. The majority of the people voted for the constitution, which gave all real power to Napoleon as first Consul. Instead of trying to go back to the day's of Louis XVI, Napoleon kept many changes and supported laws that strengthened the central government. First, he worked on fixing the economy of France. He set up an efficient method of tax collection and established a national banking system. Then he took steps to end corruption in the government. He dismissed corrupted officials and set up lycees which are government-run public schools. Graduates of these schools were appointed to public offices. Napoleon also signed a concordat which showed that the government recognized the influence of the church but did not let it meddle in National Affairs. He also set up the Napoleonic Code, which was a set of laws that eliminated many injustices while promoting authority over individual rights. In 1804 Napoleon made himself Emperor, and crowned himself to show that he was more powerful than the church.
Napoleon Creates an Empire
Napoleon wanted to control all of Europe and wanted to reassert French power in the Americas. His western territories included Louisiana, Florida, French Guiana, and the French west Indies. In 1789, the ideas of the revolution reached planters in Saint Dominigue. They demanded the same privileges as the people of France, and enslaved Africans demanded their freedom. A civil war broke out but the French forces were devastated by disease and the rebels were fierce fighters. Instead of dealing with this, Napoleon sold off his territory to the United states. He then turned his attention to Europe again. Fearful of what he could do, Britain persuaded Russia, Austria, and Sweden to fight against France. They were crushed by Napoleon and after the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, Napoleon forced the rulers of Austria,Prussia, and Russia to sign peace treaties.
The Battle of Trafalgar
The one battle Napoleon lost was the Battle of Trafalgar. This battle was one of the most important battle of all, and took place in 1805 off the southwest coast of Spain. Horatio Nelson was just as good on sea as Napoleon on Land, he destroyed the French Fleet. It showed British supremacy for 100 years and it forced Napoleon to give up his plans on invading Britain. However, the rulers of the European countries he took over were his puppets so he still had a great influence. The French Empire was unstable but Napoleon was able to maintain it for give years, then it fell.
Napoleon's Empire Collapses
In November 1806 Napoleon made a barricade closing ports to prevent trades going into Great Britain. This was a policy known as the Continental System which in tended to destroy Great Britain army. Many of napoleons alleys and family disregarded the barricade. The British responded by making a barricade of their own they stopped neutral ships bound to the continents and searched and taxed them, US ships were one of these and got angered. Congress declared war on Britain but only lasted 2 years
In 1808 Napoleon made another costly decision by sending an invasion on Spain. Napoleon through out the kind and replaced him with his brother. The Spanish people didn't like that and protested against Napoleon. For years fighters known as Guerrillas fought against France by attacking the troops and than going back to hiding. The British helped Spain by adding 300,000 men into Spain. French later lost the war and decided to go for Russia. In June 1812 Napoleon sent over 410,000 of his men into Russia. Russia decided to hold back because of an unequal battle. On the retreat Russia burned down fields of grains. Later on France would move up to Moscow. Russia let them move in but destroyed the city of Moscow. On their way back to France many soldiers died from weather or starvation.
Napoleon had lots of enemies that joined forces and then declared war on him and France. these countries were Britain Russia Prussia and Sweden. Austria also declared war on napoleon , despite his marriage with Marie Louise. After his defeat, Napoleon was exiled to an Island called Elba.
Louis XVI's brother assumed the throne as Louis XVIII. However he became unpopular and the peasants suspected him of wanting to undo the Revolution's land reforms. Napoleon escaped from Elba on March 1, 1815 and landed in France. Within days, he was emperor again. In response, European allies sent armies preparing for the battle near the village of Waterloo. On June 18, 1815, Napoleon attacked, Napoleon lost in two days. The defeat ended Napoleon's last big for power, called the Hundred Days. The British Shipped Napoleon to St. Helena where he then lived in exile for six years before dying of cancer.