The French Revolution and Napoleon:1789-1815

The French 

Revolution and 

Napoleon:1789-1815 

1. On the Eve of Revolution 

2. The French Revolution 

3. Radical Days of the Revolution 

4. Age of Napoleon

6.1 On the Eve of the Revolution 

• Describe the Social divisions of France’s old 

order 

• List reasons for France’s economic troubles in 

1789 

• Explain why Louis XVI called the Estates-General 

and summarize what resulted 

• Understand why Parisians stormed the Bastille

Terms, People, and Places 

• Ancien Regime 

• Estate 

• Bourgeoisie 

• Deficit spending 

• Louis XVI 

• Jacques Necker 

• Estates-General 

• Cahier 

• Tennis Court Oath 

• Bastille

French Society Divided 

• Before the revolution, France is ruled under an 

ancien regime, or old order in which the country 

is divided into three classes 

• The three classes are called the Estate 

• The First estate is the Clergy 

• The Second Estate is the Nobility 

• The Third Estate is the Peasant Class

The Clergy Enjoy Wealth 

• Clergy of France still enjoyed great wealth 

• Clergy still provided social services 

• Schools 

• Hospitals 

• Orphanages 

• Philosophes targeted the Clergy for reform criticizing 

the church for involvement in politics

Nobles Hold Top Government Jobs 

Second Estate 

• Second Estate was the 

titled nobility 

• Under strict royal control 

the Nobles were granted 

top jobs in government, 

the army and courts 

• Nobles hated 

Absolutism, resented the 

Royal Bureaucracy that 

took their Jobs 

Third Estate 

• Vastly Diverse 

• Bourgeoisie-middle class 

lawyers, bankers, 

doctors, journalist, 

merchants 

• Bottom was the rural 

peasant class 

• Also included urban 

workers

Life of Privilege 

• The top two classes paid 

almost no taxes 

• Majority of taxation 

came from the Third 

Estate 

• Peasants angered when 

Nobles tried to re instate 

the manorial dues 

• Enlightenment ideas 

began to take hold in the 

Third Estate calling for 

the First and Second to 

pay their fair share

Checkpoint 

• What was the social structures of the old regime in 

France 

1. First estate: Clergy 

2. Second Estate: Nobles 

3. Third Estate: The majority of the population

Financial Troubles 

• France finical troubles came from Deficit Spending 

• Deficit Spending – government spends more money that it 

takes in 

• King Louis XIV lost Seven Years’ War 

• Louis XV spent on an extravagant lifestyle 

• Louis XVI (dull witted) lost money on the American Revolution 

• Louis choose Jacques Necker as his finance minister 

• Necker was removed from his job when he imposed taxing the 

First and Second Estate

Checkpoint 

• What economic troubles did France face in 1789 

and how did they lead to further unrest 

• France had a large national debt and soaring 

food prices. This caused people to go hungry 

and then caused unrest among the people

Louis Calls The Estate General 

• With Pressure from the Wealthy and powerful 

upper class Louis calls the Estate General 

• Estate General – legislative body that 

encompasses representatives from all three 

classes 

• Called to meet at Versailles 

• Cahiers – notebooks filled with grievances to be 

presented before the Estate General

Delegates take the Tennis Court Oath 

• Estates General met May 1789 

• First and Second Estate would 

always vote together 

• Third Estate felt this was unfair 

since they represented the 

majority wanted a “Head Count” 

• After being left out of the votes 

the Third Estate convened on the 

tennis court next to the palace 

and voted themselves to be the 

National Assembly 

• Tennis Court Oath: declaring they 

would not leave until there was a 

sound and just constitution

Checkpoint 

• What actions did delegates of the Third Estate take when the 

Estate General met in 1789 

• They declared themselves the National Assembly representing 

the people of France and took the Tennis Court Oath, 

swearing to meet until they created a new constitution.

Parisians Storm the Bastille 

• July 1789 Violence 

breaks out in the streets 

of Paris 

• Looking of weapons and 

gunpowder the people 

head to the Bastille 

• Bastille – a medieval 

prison for political 

prisoners 

• The captain of the 

Bastille denies entry 

• Parisians storm the 

Bastille and chop off his 

head

Checkpoint 

• What was the significance of the storming of the Bastille 

• This was a new sense of empowerment of the people.

Section Review 6.1 

2. What led to the storming of the Bastille and the beginning of 

the revolution 

Inequalities between the Third Estate and the other two estates. 

Hunger and poverty, increasing cost. This led to the Third Estate 

to attack the nobles and demand a new constitution. In this 

tense atmosphere, fear that the royal troops would occupy Paris 

led Parisians to storm the Bastille in search of weapons.


3. How did the views of Society differ between the nobles and 

peasants in 1789 France 

Inequalities between the Second and Third estate.


• How would your economic reform program benefit France


5. What issues arose when Louis XVI called the Estates-General 

in 1789 

Issues about voting, which led the Third Estate to proclaim itself 

the National Assembly and take the Tennis Court Oath

6.2 The Revolution Unfolds 

• Explain how the political crisis of 1789 led to popular revolts 

• Summarize the moderate reforms enacted by the National 

Assembly in August of 1789 

• Identify additional actions taken by the National Assembly as 

it pressed onward 

• Analyze why there was a mixed reactions around Europe to 

the events unfolding in France

Terms, People and Places 

• Faction 

• Marquis de Lafayette 

• Olympe de Gouges 

• Marie Antoinette 

• Émigré 

• Sans-culotte 

• Republic 

• Jacobin

The French Revolution Unfolds 

Historians divide the French Revolution into phases 

• The moderate phase (1789-1791) The national assembly 

turned France into a constitutional monarchy 

• The radicle phase (1791-1794) period of escalating violence 

which led to the end of the monarchy and the Reign of Terror 

• The Directory (1795-1799) a movement away from the radicle 

ideas if the revolution 

• The Age of Napoleon ( 1799-1815)

Political Crisis Leads to Revolt 

• Rumors run wild of soldiers attacking towns and 

stealing grains 

• This leads to a “Great Fear” 

• Peasants motivated by famine and fear attack 

nobles 

• Peasants destroy manorial records and steal 

grain

Paris Commune Comes to Power 

• Paris is in turmoil and 

• Revolutionaries are 

splitting into factions 

• Factions – dissenting 

groups of people 

struggling to gain 

power 

• Marquis de Lafayette - 

fought along side of 

George Washington 

was in charge of the 

French National Guard

Two Main Factions 

Moderates 

• Largely Middle Class 

• Organized the National 

Guard against the Royal 

troops 

• First Wore the Blue 

White and Red 

Radicles 

• Replaced the Royal 

Government in the City 

• Could mobilize whole 

neighborhoods to 

violence 

• Had newspapers and 

political clubs

Checkpoint 

• What caused the French Peasants to revolt against the 

Nobles 

• Famine and Fear of Government assault. Rumors that soldiers 

were attacking villages and stealing grain

The National Assembly Acts 

August 4 in response to the violence the National Assembly 

meets and Feudalism is abolished. Nobel's in the Assembly 

agree to give up their privileges. 

This included- 

• Hunting rights 

• Manorial dues 

• Special legal status and titles 

• Tax exemption 

Nobles had lost all this already just made official

Declaration of the Rights of Man 

and the Citizen 

• Modeled after of the Declaration of Independence 

• All men were “born and remain free and equal in rights” 

• They enjoyed natural rights to “liberty, property, security, and 

resistance to oppression.” 

• Insisted governments existed to protect man not control him 

• All male citizens equal in French law 

• Asserted Freedom of Religion 

• Called for people to pay taxes with accordance of their ability 

• Set up equality for public office

Women were left out 

• Declaration of Rights of Man captured in the phrase “Liberty, 

Equality, Fraternity” 

• Declaration did not grant women equal rights 

• Olympe de Gouges – demanded equal rights for women 

• Wrote Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female 

citizen 

• Argued all men and women were created equal and women 

had the same right to hold public office as men

Women March on Versailles 

• Marie Antoinette – 

Austrian born queen of 

France lived in great 

extravagance 

• Women angered by no 

food marched 13 miles in 

the rain to Versailles 

shouting for bread 

• Women refused to leave 

unless they met with the 

king 

• After storming the castle 

King Louis agrees to 

move to Paris

Checkpoint 

• How did the National assembly react to peasant uprisings 

• Voted to give up privileges like manorial rights, and tax 

exemption and titles.

National Assembly Presses On 

• Church is placed under state control 

• Priest and bishops were now elected 

• Church of France had no ties to Pope 

• Sold Church land to raise money 

• The Constitution of 1791 establishes a new government 

• Set up a limited monarchy 

• Legislative assembly had power to collect taxes create laws 

• Members were elected by tax paying males 25 or older

Louis Tries to Escape 

• King is basically a 

prisoner 

• Decided to try to escape 

• Disguised as a servant 

rode out of Paris in a 

carriage 

• Someone recognized the 

king because his face 

was on money 

• Many declared Louis a 

trader to France because 

of his escape attempt

Checkpoint 

• What were the provisions of the Constitution of 1791 

• Set up a limited Monarchy, Created a new legislative assembly, 

replaced old provinces with 83 departments, abolished 

provincial courts and reformed laws

Radicles Take Over 

• rulers of European countries thought of it as a threat. 

• Increased border patrols to stop the “French Plague” 

• Émigrés - political refugees that flees France 

• Enlightened Despots turn against France 

• Catherine the Great burns her letters from Voltaire 

• Edmond Burke writer that was for the American revolution 

wrote 

“When ancient opinions and rules of life are taken away we have 

no compass to govern us.”

Threats come from Abroad 

• King of Prussian and 

Emperor of Austria issue 

the Declaration of Pilnatz 

• Declaration stated that 

France would be attacked if 

they harmed the monarchs 

• People prepared for war 

• Working class Sans Culottes 

push the revolutions into 

the radical phase 

• San Culottes – working 

class French known for 

long pants

National Assembly declares War on Tyranny 

• San Culottes demand republic 

• Draft a second Constitution 

• Republic – government ruled by the people 

• Jacobins begin to take power 

• Jacobin – salon made up of mostly middle class lawyers and 

intellectuals 

• Declare war on Austria and Prussia and Britain 

• The powers expected to win easily but fighting went on from 

1792-1815

Checkpoint 

• How did the rest of Europe react to the French Revolution 

• Supporters were pleased but the nobles and governments 

were against the revolution because of the violence.

6.2 Section Review 

2. What Political and Social reforms did the national assembly 

institute in the first stage of the revolution 

• Revoked privileges of nobles 

• Issued Declaration of Rights of Man 

• Placed church under state control 

• Wrote a constitution that set up a limited monarchy


3. How was the Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen 

similar to the Declaration of Independence 

Both documents emphasized freedom, equality, and natural 

rights for men. 

The basic principles came from the ideas of John Locke


4. What did the constitution of 1791 do How did it reflect 

enlightenment ideas 

Put Catholic Church under the control of the state 

Created a Legislative Assembly whose members would be 

elected by tax paying male citizens over 25 

Reflected Enlightenment ideas 

Ensured equality for male citizens


• Describe what happened to the monarchy. 

• The monarchy lost most of its power and was dethroned.

6.3 Terms, People, and Places 

• Suffrage 

• Robespierre 

• Reign of Terror 

• guillotine 

• Napoleon 

• Nationalism 

• Marseilles

The Monarchy is Abolished 

• War is going poorly for 

the French 

• Well Trained Prussian 

armies are slicing 

through France 

• Many officers are 

deserting because of 

loyalty to the king 

• Violence is breaking out 

because of disapproval 

of the King and the war 

• The Guillotine is 

introduced

The Guillotine 

• A new execution 

device invented by 

Dr. Guillotin 

• Thought to be a 

more humane form 

of execution 

• Became a symbol of 

terror in France 

• First to be guillotined 

were the kings 

guards at the palace

Tensions lead to Violence 

• August 10 1792 Parisians storm the royal palace 

of the Tuileries 

• They carry the royal guards off to the guillotine 

• The Royal Family is forced to flee to the National 

Assembly for protection where they are taken 

into custody 

• Later In response to the Declaration of Pinatz 

mobs storm prisons holding nobles and priests 

killing about 1,200

Radicals Take Control 

• Backed by angry crowds the Radicals take 

control of the Assembly and rename it 

National Convention 

• Declare France a Republic 

• Call for equal Suffrage among ALL men 

• Suffrage – right to vote 

• Jacobins seize control

Death of a King 

• The Convention put 

Louis XVI on trial and 

convicted of treason 

• January 1793 Louis is 

led to the gallows 

and executed by 

Guillotine 

• October 1793 Marie 

Antoinette is also 

executed

Checkpoint 

• What occurred after the radicles took control of the 

Assembly 

• Called for a new legislative body, extended right to vote to all 

male citizens, abolished the monarchy, established the 

republic, and executed the king and queen

Terror and Danger Grip France 

• After the death of the king France goes through 

a very dangerous time 

• They are at war with Britain, Spain, the 

Netherlands and Prussia 

• France is also facing internal rebellion from 

loyalist 

• Food shortages and famine still grip the city 

• The Convention is split between the Jacobin 

radicals and the moderate Girongins

The Convention creates a New Committee 

• The Committee of Public Safety is created to deal 

with threats to the revolution 

• 12 Person committee with Absolute Power 

• Prepared France for war by issuing a levee en 

masse 

• The carried out all trials and executions

Robespierre “The Incorruptible” 

• Maximilien Robespierre a 

radical and member of the 

Jacobin’s 

• One of the leaders of the 

revolution, a lawyer by trade 

• Called “the incorruptible” 

because of his fierce 

dedication to the peoples 

cause in the revolution 

• Was against the death penalty 

but evolved into a tyrant 

• Believed France could only 

achieve a “republic of virtue” 

through the use of terror 

• One of the Architects of the 

Reign of Terror 

“Liberty can not be secured 

unless criminals loose their 

heads”


• September 1793 - 

July 1794 

• About 300,000 were 

arrested during the 


• About 70,000 were 

executed

End of The Reign of Terror 

• Members of the Convention feared the Committee of Public 

Safety 

• Fearing that they were next to be arrested opponents to 

Robespierre arrested him 

• While in custody Robespierre tries to take his life He is sent to 

the guillotine 

• After his death the executions slowed drastically

Checkpoint 

• Why did Robespierre think the Terror was necessary to 

achieve the goals of the revolution 

• Believed it was necessary to go to extremes to continue the 

revolution

The Revolution enters the Third Stage 

• Moderates are now in charge of the Convention 

• Draft a third constitution 

• 1795 set up a five man Directory with a two 

house legislative system 

• Middle class and Bourgeoisie were the dominate 

force during this time period 

• Peace made with Spain and Prussia

Threats to the Directory 

• Directory filled with corruption 

• Rising bread prices caused revolt 

among the Sans- Culottes 

• Returning émigrés with loyal ties to 

the monarchy 

• Re emergence of the Catholic Church

Checkpoint 

• What changes occurred after the Reign of Terror came to an 

end 

• Moderates set up the Constitution of 1795 which set up a five 

man Directory and two house legislatures

Revolution Brings Change 

Nationalism 

• Fueled by revolutionary 

ideas nationalism 

spreads throughout 

France 

• Nationalism – strong 

feeling of pride and 

devout loyalty to ones 

country 

Social Reform 

• Religious toleration 

• Set up schools 

• Organized systems to 

help poor and old 

soldiers 

• Abolished slavery in 

colonies

Checkpoint 

• What changes occurred in France because of the French 

Revolution 

• Monarchy is overthrown, old regime in gone, the state 

controls the church


2. What events occurred during the radicle events of the French 

Revolution 

• Beheading of the monarchs, the Reign of Terror


3. Summarize the goals of the Jacobin 

• Get rid of any traces of the old social order, seize the lands of 

the nobles, abolish noble titles, also remove the monarchy


4. Why was the committee of Public Safety created 

• To deal with threats to the revolution


5. How did the Reign of Terror lead to the Directory 

• France was tired of the executions and members of the 

National Convention felt their lives were in danger. 

• This led to the execution of Robespierre and other radicals. 

• This also led to the creation of a new constitution and the 

Directory

6.4 The Age of Napoleon 

• Understand Napoleon’s rise to power and why 

the French strongly supported him 

• Explain how Napoleon built and empire and 

what challenges the empire faced 

• Analyze the events that led to Napoleon's 

downfall 

• Outline how the congress of Vienna tried to 

create a lasting peace

Terms, People, and Places 

• Plebiscite 

• Napoleonic code 

• Annex 

• Continental system 

• Guerrilla warfare 

• Scorched Earth 

• Abdicate 

• Congress of Vienna 

• Legitimacy 

• Concert of Europe

Napoleon Rises to Power 

• Born in Corsica 

• Sent to France to 

learn how to be a 

soldier 

• Favored Jacobins and 

republic rule

Victory Clouds Losses 

• December 1793 

drove the British out 

of Toulon 

• Scored several other 

victories against 

Austria 

• Forced Austria into a 

treaty 

• 1798 Fought British 

in Egypt

Rise to Power 

• 1799 helped to 

overthrow the 

Directory 

• Set up a new three 

man governing board 

called The Consulate 

• Drew up a new 

constitution 

• Forced Spain to 

return Louisiana 

territory to France

Napoleon Crowns Himself Emperor 

• Declared himself 

Council for Life 

• Later assumed the 

title of Emperor 

• Took crown from the 

Pope and placed it on 

his own head 

• Held Plebiscite or 

popular vote by 

ballot to elect him 

self

Checkpoint 

• How did Napoleon rise to power so quickly in 

France 

• His ambition an military success helped him rise 

to power in the absence of any true leaders.

Napoleon Reforms France 

• Order, Security, and Efficiency replaced Liberty, Equality, 

and Fraternity 

• Controlled prices, encouraged industry, built roads, set 

up a system of public schools 

• Made peace with the Catholic Church with the Concordat 

of 1801 

• Lasting reforms and laws set up were called the 

Napoleonic Code 

• The Napoleonic Code Replaced many of the reforms of 

the Revolution

Checkpoint 

• What reforms did Napoleon introduce during his rise to 

power 

• Improved the economy, established a public school 

system introduced the Napoleonic Codes which were 

included equality, and religious toleration but undid 

some of the reforms of the revolution.

Napoleon Builds an Empire 

• 1804 -1812 gained a 

reputation as a skilled 

military leader 

• Attacked using a fast 

moving army 

• By 1812 built a Grand 

Empire 

• “I grew up on the field 

of battle and a man 

such as my self cares 

little for the life of a 

million men”

The Map of Europe is Redrawn 

• As Napoleon created 

the vast French Empire 

he redrew the Map of 

Europe 

• Annexed land from 

Spain, Netherlands 

Belgium and Germany 

• Dissolved the Holy 

Roman Empire 

• Created new countries 

and inserted relatives 

at the rulers

Napoleon Sticks Britain 

• Britain was only 

country that stood in 

the way of total 

European 

domination 

• Set up the 

Continental System 

which was blockade 

against British 

Imports to Europe 

• Fought Brian in Egypt 

to cut off their access 

to the Middle East 

• Discovered the 

Rosetta Stone in 

Egypt 

• By causing the British 

to attack U. S. Ships 

Triggered the War of 

1812

Checkpoint 

• How did Napoleon come to dominate most if Europe by 

1812 

• Using a fast moving army he was able to defeat the other 

powers of Europe. He tolerated great losses of men in 

exchange of victory. 

• He would annex lands and install friends or relatives as 

rulers

Napoleon's Empire Faces Challenges 

Nationalism 

• Many countries 

welcomed the ideas of 

Revelation but felt 

Napoleon was a 

suppressing conqueror 

• The resented the 

Continental System and 

the act of Imposing 

French Culture 

Spain and Austria 

• Spaniard resisted the 

change to the Spanish 

Catholic Church 

• Conducted Guerrilla 

Warfare ageist 

Napoleon's Army 

• Guerrilla Warfare – using 

hit and run tactics 

against a superior 

Military

Russian Winter Stops The Grand Army 

• Invaded Russia 

• Russia used a Scorched 

Earth Policy in Retreat 

• Destroyed all resources 

that Napoleon's army 

could have used 

• Harsh Winter 

conditions forced the 

Grand Army to Retreat 

• 500,000 reduced to 

about 20,000

Checkpoint 

• What challenges threated Napoleon's empire and what led to 

the disaster in Russia 

• Nationalism of individual states and guerrilla warfare in Spain 

• Austria seeking revenge on France 

• Large expanse of land to cross in Russia as well as the Russian 

Winter overcome the scourched earth policy

Napoleon Falls from Power 

• After his defeat in Russia forced to Abdicate the throne 

• Abdicate-to give up 

• Sent into exile in the island of Elba with 1000 troops 

• When British administrator leave the island Napoleon 

and his troops escape 

• Upon his return to France he is treated as a hero 

• France had re instated a monarch King Louis XVIII and 

went back on revolutionary reforms 

• Louis sent troops to stop napoleon and they ended up 

joining him 

• Marched on Paris forcing Louis to flee and reclaimed his 

title as Emperor

Battle of Waterloo 

• Fearing Napoleons Power Europe raced to raise an army 

ageist him 

• Napoleon also raised his army of one million strong 

• Met in battle at Waterloo 

• Was against Arch Duke Wellington first time he met a 

commander equal to him in skill 

• Wellington knew Napoleons tactics and was able to 

defeat him 

• Napoleon was again sent into Exile to the island if St 

Helena 

• Died six years later

Checkpoint 

• How did Napoleon impact Europe and the rest of the 

world 

• Spread ideas of Nationalism 

• Helped expand the American territory with the Louisiana 

purchase 

• Abolished the Holy Roman Empire and set up Germany

Congress of Vienna 

• Chief Goal was to suppress revolutionary 

uprisings 

• Strived for peace in Europe 

• Re instated the legitimate rulers of the countries 

• Created the Concert of Europe a system in which 

European powers met an periodically discussed 

any problems affecting the peace in Europe

Checkpoint 

• Explain the chief goal of the Congress of Vienna 

• Create a lasting peace in Europe 

• Establish a balance of power 

• Protect the monarch system

The French Revolution and Napoleon:1789-1815

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