Study Guide: French Revolution & Napoleon

Estate system
At the beginning of the revolution France had social classes called estates. There
was the first estate of the clergy (1%) who pay few taxes, the second estate of the
rich nobles (2%) who also paid few taxes. Lastly there is the third estate of everyone
else including peasants and bourgeoisie (97%) who paid close to 50% of their
income in taxes along with having no influence on the government which made
them hate other estates.

Louis XVI
The King of France. He would set things aside and would only remember the last
thing he was told, making him a terrible ruler with awful qualities. He spent money
lavishly, fought in wars (helped colonies) to weaken his enemies (Britain) which
gave him even more debt, and disregarded how his people felt under the economic
pressure. He was executed by guillotine during the revolution.

Marie Antoinette
King Louis XVI’s wife and the queen of France. She was from Austria and forced to
marry Louis to set relations between France and Austria on good terms. She had a
severe gambling problem but because she was queen she didn’t give a though to the
money she lost. Due to her being set off the throne during the French Revolution,
Austria was angered and fought together with Prussia against the revolution in
hopes of getting her back into power. She was eventually executed by the guillotine.
The French people hated her because she was a foreigner.

Economic crisis in France

Louis XVI spends money, living extravagantly and luxuriously. He fights in wars to
weaken his enemies which is building up upon previous debt from previous kings
but he is disregarding all the consequences and only looking at the current situation.
He taxes poor people insane amounts of money. Prices of bread are extremely high
making families' lives difficult, especially when half their money goes to taxes. This
made it so that families brought little to none (most of the time none) of their money
onto the next week, forcing them in a state of constant financial burden and
suffering.

Impact of the Enlightenment

Salons (gatherings of people in France to talk about enlightenment) spread ideas of
the enlightenment throughout France. Made the Third estate question the
government and gave them ideas of freedom, equality (in taxes), and much more.
Third estate supported the enlightenment and its ideas. They saw other countries
rise up in revolution and get all these things so they wanted to do it themselves.
They wanted to remove the monarchy, their overwhelming taxes, and the unfair
estates system. First and second estates rejected ideas. They liked having power and
being on top so they didn’t want any freedom for lower class people.

Estates-General
A meeting of estates for a vote on an important matter that hadn’t been called for a
very long time. Louis XVI called a meeting as he wasn’t able to loan any more money
from banks (used it poorly, built of debt, and didn’t pay them back) so he wanted to
propose taxing the nobles to get more income. Each estate gets one vote, so the two
rich estates (the first and second) that weren’t being taxed voted no to themselves
being taxed and the poor suffering estate with some people that were wealthy and
middle class but still considered third estate voted yes to them being taxed. It was
rigged and the nobles stayed untaxed.

National Assembly
• Formed by the third estate June 1789
• First new constitution is written

Legislative Assembly
• Power is handed down to them by the National Assembly
• Limited constitutional monarchy September 1791
• Second constitution is written

Tennis Court Oath

The third estate was locked out of the meeting room so they went to an indoor
tennis court to meet. They took an oath that they would stay there that day until
they had drawn up a new constitution.

Storming of the Bastille

Louis XVI starts to put troops in Paris to show that he is not weak and that he will
fight the revolution, so the people prepare for a revolution, they needs weapons so
they storm the Bastille, kill the prison guards and set the prisoners free. They
parade the heads of the guards through the street to show they are serious. This is
the first official act of the revolution.

Declaration of the Right of Man

A declaration that gave justice, freedom, and equality to all by setting apart laws and
rights that would be protected.
Committee of Public Safety
A group led by Robespierre that sent France into the reign of terror. They wanted to
protect the revolution from any opposition by killing them using the guillotine. They
ended up killing not only enemies but many innocent people 85% of which were
peasants.

Reign of Terror
This was a time in France where the committee of public safety was in charge
headed by Robespierre who acted as a dictator. No one was safe from the guillotine
and most who were executed were peasants. The reign of terror ended with the
execution of Robespierre.

Robespierre
Was a Jacobins leader, heading the committee of public safety during the reign of
terror. Acted as a dictator during this time. Sent everyone to the guillotine. Was
turned on by his co-workers and sent to the guillotine himself.

National Convention
• Monarchy is abolished and France is declared a republic under the second
constitution in September 1792
• Reign of Terror happens during this time
• Third constitution is written

Sans-Culottes
These were middle class people part of the 3rd estate. They were a radical group
who wanted the revolution to establish a republic. They were known for wearing
normal trousers, not the usual knee length ones. They did this to separate them.
Selfs.

Émigrés
These were people who fled France at the start of the revolution, but were working
with foreign powers to restore the monarchy.

Jacobins
The Jacobins were a radical group who wanted the revolution to abolish the
monarchy. They heavily influenced the national convention. They were responsible
for the execution of Louis XVI. Led by Robespierre who acted as a dictator during
the reign of terror.
Bourgeoisie
Part of the 3rd estate (still paid taxes), were educated and most lived in France.
Upper class of the 3rd estates being more wealthy.

Guillotine
Execution device that was used a lot during the reign of terror.

Directory
Group of five members that was used together with a two house legislature in the
third constitution of France. Dissolved quickly after losing control of France’s
political situation (1795-1799).

Napoleon Bonaparte
Born in Corsica. At 9 he was sent to military school. At 16 he became a Lieutenant in
the French army. At 27 the directory appoints him to lead an army against Austria.
He returned to France in 1799 and became the first consul. Staged a coup to become
dictator and with the help of voters he became emperor. He crowned himself and his
wife in the Notre dame cathedral (in France) with the Pope coming to him rather
than him going to Rome. Married to a widow named Josephine but she doesn’t have
an heir so he divorces her and married Marie Louise of Austria (niece of Marie
Antoinette) which leads to an alliance with Austria and a son named Napoleon II.
Made Napoleonic code, sold the Louisiana territory to the US, and had a downfall.

Coup d’état
A sudden rise to power using the military that Napoleon used to become dictator.

Napoleonic Code
Made the law code which was a uniform law code that restricted freedom of speech
and press and also restored slavery in French Caribbean colonies

Louisiana Purchase
Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the US in 1803 for $15 million, he did this
because he needed money to strengthen position in Europe and believed that it
would further punish Britain through strengthening the US.

Continental System
Had the goals of making continental Europe (everything connected by land to
Europe) self sufficient and isolating Britain. It tried to destroy Britain’s economy
through blockades and ended up failing.
Peninsular War
Napoleon is weakened by the Spanish (they used guerilla warfare) during an
attempt to invade Portugal.

Scorched earth policy

Everything is burned and destroyed during retreat.

Invasion of Russia
Due to the breakdown of an alliance Napoleon had with Russia he invaded Russia in
1812. The Russians used the scorched earth policy in hopes of weakening
Napoleon’s invasion on Russia as he used materials surrounding him (farms, cities,
etc.) rather than taking his own. Napoleon and his troops reached Moscow and
winter hit which hurt him even further without any supplies. His troops were also
still in summer uniforms due to not expecting to take that long. 10,000 of 425,000 of
Napoleon’s troops survived.

Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon's last battle where the British defeat Napoleon in Belgium.

Napoleon’s downfall and exiles

Napoleon’s downfall happened due to a combination of factors including the
continental systems failure, the peninsula war, and the failed invasion of Russia.
After his invasion of Russia he was exiled to the island of Elba (off the Italian coast)
where Louis XVIII (king Louis XVI’s brother) came to the throne and was unpopular.
Napoleon escaped Elba and became emperor once again after gaining support.
Napoleons was then defeated at Waterloo. He gets exiled again to St. Helena in the
south Atlantic where he passes away.

Role of Louis XVIII

King Louis XVI’s brother who came to the throne to replace Napoleon after he was
exiled. He was immediately unpopular.

Scarlet Pimpernel: Major plot details and characters

Sir Percy Blakeney/Scarlet Pimpernel

● English noble, attempting to save people from the guillotine

Marguerite st. Just

● French actress who married Percy
● Dated Paul who later blackmailed her
Amrand St. Just
● Marguerite’s brother who was hired by Paul (the committee), later he
worked with percy

Paul Chavelin
● Worked for Robespierre, trying to catch the Scarlet Pimpernel

Baron de Batz
● Austrian noble
● Received note at the party about the heir
● Took the heir to safety in Austria

Marquis de St. Cyr

● Had Armand Beaten
● Wrote note about heir
● Arrested/executed for treason (Paul signed Marguerite’s name on warrant
for his execution)

Rescues
● People hidden in coffins
● Marguerite’s fame used to get by guards (picnic basket)
● Dressed as soldiers (wine barrels and guy with plague)
● Heir in furniture