CHY4U West & the World

Legacy: The West & The World Chapter 5 Revolution to Restoration

Before the Revolution
- Prior to the 18th C, few spoke of social or political equality. Enlightenment ideals set forth by the philosophy of
Voltaire, Rousseau, etc… radically altered people’s perceptions of society.
- Rural communities poor and separated from Parisians. Read Hansel & Gretel to get an idea about their plight
- Poverty, Joblessness, high taxes weighed heavily on the growing population. Peasants had to pay taxes to royalty,
the seigneur, the priest.. left little for families. New agricultural techniques= less workers, pop displacement.
- Urban communities: feudalism in rural areas… cities were divided between wealthy and very poor.
- France was troubled in the late 1700s: looming nat’l bankruptcy due to support of Am Revolution, poor crops,
discontent in cities & countryside… resentment toward Louis XVI.

Intellectuals & Salons Social History: Science, Family, Education, Pop Culture
- among educated… resentment toward - manners and taste developed, mixed company… salons
absolutist gov’t. American Revolution - new tech (utensils, the plow, etc) changed life everywhere
spurred other uprisings. - role of women not changed… read Rousseau quote p176
- Salons: gave men & women freedom to - family life quite primitive. Babies to keep family line, not treated
express ideas. Philosophes shared ideas. well… gap between child/parent… abuse common
Ideas were most important, not status, - education becoming more common, but weak…
wealth etc… seen as an important step - pop culture: upper class: salons, music, poetry. Lower classes,
to creating a middle class. blood sports, torturing animals…

On the Eve of the Revolution Revolutionary Wars

- by 1788… Louis XVI almost bankrupt due to - 1792, onward a series of wars that ended with
support for Am Rev… legislative body of gov. Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo.
divided into Estates: clergy, nobility, commons & September Massacres (1792) Jacobins came to power…
press. Monarchy had to call Estates-General for killed at least 1200, murders were followed by “trials”,
money due to dire eco situation, the E-G asked for known as “mob courts”… judges were the killers.
constitutional reforms in return for >taxes. Would
be the end of the absolute monarchy. Political Organization: Monarchy-Republic
- 1789 reforms were leading to uncertainty - Sept.21, 1792, Leg Assemb. Dissolved,
Convention convened: abolished monarchy…
The Year of Liberty in France beginning of French Republic. Set up in semi
- The Estates-General disagreed… the 3rd Estate could circle around president (radicals on left,
constantly be outvoted by 1&2. They protested, Louis XVI conservatives on right – birth of political
had the meeting hall locked… On June 20 1789 they swore Spectrum). 1793: Louis XVI beheaded. France
the Tennis Court Oath (their meeting was held in a tennis threatened by internal disagreements, external
court) that stated they were National Assembly of France. wars. Girondin opposition condemned to
Pitted national will against the monarchy. death, erasing opposition to Jacobin rulers.
Storming the Bastille: July 14, 1789… a crowd stormed the Revolutionary names & symbols- streets
Paris state prison (Bastille was a symbol of state renamed, church names secularized, metric
oppression)… power was in the streets now. system introduced, many changes
- in the country, feudalism abolished… equality desired Reign of Terror- leaders in Paris vs. enemies of
- people moved the capital from Versailles to France when Revolution. Up to 40000 people died.
people protested price of bread: legend says that Marie Women: some argued that women should be
Antoinette uttered: “no bread, let them eat cake”. included in new liberty. Yet, revolution put
- 1789-1791: Assembly established order & constitution power in hands of middle aged men, no place
Mirabeau- represented liberal constitutional monarchy for women.
Robespierre- leader of radical Jacobins: “Republic of Virtue” Robespierre finally executed July 27, 1794
After Thermidor: Robespierre’s death on 9 Thermidor (revolutionary calendar) ended most radical phase of gov’t
- relaxing of revolutionary fervour, café’s & churches reopened. 1794-95 harsh winter, food and economy
declined… with demise of the Jacobin radicals, came the Directory (more conservative)

The Age of Napoleon Redefining the State: Napoleonic Government

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) - Napoleon took power in France in 1799, coup
- superhuman in his military and governmental d’etat. He had returned from Egypt with many
achievements… brought order after revolutionary ancient treasures including the Rosetta Stone
decade. Born a Corsican, spoke Italian. Educated in (allowed scholars to decipher hieroglyphics).
France, military… successful, some say brilliant early in - centralized gov’t. Napoleon dominant figure.
career. At 26, became Commander in Chief of French Concordat: July 1801 agreed with Pope that
Army (1796). In late 1790s Napoleon led fight against Roman Catholicism religion of majority in Fr.
Italy, Austria (many welcomed “French - organized school system, lycee (secondary
Revolutionaries”… many did not. schools).
-May 1804: becomes Emperor
The Code Napoleon: 1804- reorganized civil
The End of Napoleon: A Search for Order law code, legal reforms, laws of the general not
- Napoleon had been very successful, but end came with local populations. foundation of many legal
weakening of troops in battles against Russia. On April systems (including Quebec).
11 1814 he abdicated, exiled to Elba in the Napoleonic Wars: by 1810 map (p.197) of
Mediterranean. Europe had changed forever. Had many military
- He tried to reform Elba, but in 1815 he snuck back to successes, but idea of continental system failed,
France and rallied support. just as other attempts of united European
- Congress of Vienna ended Napoleon’s rule. In France, hegemony.
attempts had been made at Restoration of the old order,
with Louis XVI’s brother put on throne.
- Napoleon’s final defeat at Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
- Napoleon exiled again, this time on island of St.Helena Two Revolutionary Artists: David & Beethoven
where he died in 1821. Napoleon has been seen in - Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825): he rejected
positive light due to enduring reforms, particularly in rococo, for more classical styles. Art should teach
education, legal and administrative reforms. a lesson, have moral message. Became official
- The Congress of Vienna established international painter of Emperor Napoleon.
working of Europe, preventing conflict basically until - Ludwig von Beethoven (1770-1827): was
1914 (WWI). caught up in Revolution, popular in Vienna. In
his twenties he started losing his hearing, and
eventually became deaf… he fought to overcome
Social History: Living the Revolution his affliction through music.
- Fashion became significant in revolutionary age. - Beethoven had worshipped Napoleon and
Aristocratic dress shunned, equality must be expressed republican ideals, but lost respect when he
through fashion, had to wear tri-color badge. Clothing became Emperor.
reflected revolutionary spirit.
- Revolution saw increased importance to family life
(influenced by words of Rousseau).
- Marriage became secularized, divorce could also be
agreed upon by mutual consent.
- Religion was restructured, clergy were elected like other
officials…. But maintained importance.