July 4, 1776
declaration of independence from the British Empire; approval of the declaration by the Second Continental Congress; affirmed the Enlightenment's rights of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness", beginning the war for American independence
natural rights
Enlightenment idea of "life, liberty, and property/pursuit of happiness
Yorktown
British general Cornwallis surrenders here to American and French forces; initiates the Treaty of Paris, 1783: recognition of American Independence and gives Americans control of western territory
the Constitution of 1789
addition of 12 amendments, including the bill of rights, to the Constitution; many rights derived from the natural rights philosophy of the philosophes; American Revolution seen as the embodiment of Enlightenment politics
the American Bill of Rights
ten of the 12 amendments made in 1789, granting freedom of religion, speech, press, petition, assembly, right to bear arms, protection of property, trial by jury due process of the law, etc.
First Estate
Clergy members owning about 10% of the land, w/ 130,000 people (<1% population) ; exempt from the taille; radically divided between the higher clergy (aristocrats) and the parish priests (commoners)
Second Estate
nobility, owning 25-30% of the land, w/ 350,000 people (<2% population); divided between nobility of the robe and the sword; tax exemption
Third Estate
commoners w/ 98% of the population, made of peasants, artisans/shopkeepers, and the Bourgeoisie
Peasants
75-80% population, 35-40% land; no more serfdom, but still had obligations to local landlords, which angered them
Artisans, shopkeepers, etc.
economic discontent within this class was an important factor in the revolution (sudden increase in the price of bread)
Bourgeoisie
the middle class within the 3rd Estate; 8% population, 20-25% land; consisted of merchants, industrialists, and bankers who controlled trade, manufacturing, and finances. Resentment for being excluded from the social/political privileges of the nobles; op
the taille
France's chief tax; land tax applicable to non-nobles
French Parlements
13 law courts responsible for registering royal decrees; frustrated efforts at reform. Gained new strength in the 18th century as defenders of "liberty" against the monarchy, but often pushed their own interest by blocking new taxes (financial problems =
the Estates-General
representatives from the 3 orders of French society; 3rd estate gets double representation because it is such a large portion of society (97%); particularly strong legal and urban representation
cahiers de dol�ances
statements of local grievances drafted throughout France during the elections to the Estates-General, advocating a regular constitutional government abolishing fiscal privileges of the church and nobility
vote by order or by head?
each order had one vote(unfair to 3rd estate) , or each person had one vote.
Abbe Sieyes
issued a pamphlet, saying "What is the Third Estate? Everything. What has it been thus far in the political order? Nothing. What does it demand? To become something." Not representative of general feeling; revival of reform does not = overthrowing traditi
the National Assembly
when the 1st estate wanted to vote by order, the 3rd estate responded by making itself a "National Assembly" on June 17, 1789, deciding to create a Constitution.
the Tennis Court Oath
on June 20th, the 3rd estate arrived at their meeting place to find the doors locked; they moved to a nearby tennis court and made this oath, to continue to meet until they produced a French constitution. These actions (June 17 - 20) were the 1st steps in
the Bastille - July 14, 1789
most famous of the series of urban/rural uprisings( in July/August 1789, stopping the King in his attempts to halt the revolution. Increased troops and mob activity in Paris led to formation of the "Permanent Committee". They got arms from the Invalides,
the Great Fear -
constant agrarian revolts by the peasants resulted in a vast panic between July 20 and August 6. This fear of invasion by foreign troops and the aristocrats resulted in the formation of more citizens' militias; name for the series of rural revolts/riots t
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen -
adopted on August 26 by the National Assembly, it is the ideological foundation and an educational device for the nation, a charter of basic liberties reflecting the ideas of the major philosophes of the French Enlightenment. Reflective of the American De
Olympe de Gouges
refused to accept exclusion of women from political rights and wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen; ignored by the National Assembly
Civil Constitution of the Clergy, 1790
an important pillar in the old order, it was secularized and its property nationalized. This "constitution" made it so that both priests and bishops were to be elected by the people and paid by the state; the clergy had to swear alliance to the Civil Cons
the Jacobins
radical deputies who gathered at the beginning of the Revolution, especially on August 4, 1789 (when the National Assembly voted to abolish feudalism) ; largest and most powerful political club of the revolution. Leader - Maximilian Robespierre
escape to Varennes
forced to return to Paris and upset with revolutionary events, King Louis XVI tried to flee France in 1791 and almost succeeded before being captured at Varennes; discredited him and lost the peoples trust (formerly, politicians were unified on the basis
Declaration of Pillnitz
afraid that other countries would follow France's lead and begin revolutions, Emperor Leopold II of Austria and King Frederick William II of Prussia issued this declaration in August 27, 1791, inviting other European monarchs to intervene on behalf of Lou
Paris Commune
composed of the sans-culottes, "without knee-breeches"/ordinary patriots without fine clothes, a government that ruled over Paris and was led by George Danton. Thousands of "traitors" / those resisting public will were executed.
sans-culottes
without knee-breeches"/ordinary patriots without fine clothes, made up the Paris Commune
Georges Danton
(1759 - 1794) leader of the Paris Commune; newly appointed minister of justice
National Convention
dominated by lawyers, professionals, property owners, and a few artisans. Almost all were young, had political experience, and were distrustful of the king abolishment of the monarchy and establishment of a republic. Split into factions over what to do w
Girondins
represented the provinces and wanted to keep the king alive; lost to the Mountain, who represented Paris and condemned Louise XVI to death in 1793 by a very narrow margin
the Vend�e
Western France; place of counterrevolutionary rebellion that started when peasants revolted against new military draft (supportive of monarchy)
Committee of Public Safety
Executive committee established by National Convention that was supposed to supervise the elimination of the "enemies of the revolution
Maximilien Robespierre
Young provincial lawyer who led the most radical phases of the French Revolution(Reign of Terror); believed "Liberty cannot be secured unless criminals lose their heads" and Republic of Virtue; his execution ended the Reign of Terror
Reign of Terror
The period 1793-1794 in revolutionary France,led by Robespierre, when suspected traitors were beheaded in great numbers
the guillotine
instrument of execution that consists of a weighted blade between two vertical poles;"more humane" method promoted by Parisian doctor after whom it was named
Republic of Virtue
he Committee of Public Safety said that once the war and domestic crisis were over, the true "Republic of Virtue" would follow, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen would be fully realized; along with the Terror, the Committee of Publi
Libert�, �galit�, fraternit� (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity)
motto of the French Revolution
Law of General Maximum
Law that set price controls on goods; government was unable to enforce them so they ultimately failed
the Thermidorean Reaction
A reaction against the violence of the Reign of Terror after Robespierre was executed ( named after month of Thermidor); Terror began to decline and National Convention curtailed power of Committee of Public Safety
the Directory
5 directors elected by Council of Elders/ Constitution of 1795 as executive authority; set up after Thermidorean Reaction
Napoleon Bonaparte
1769-1821. French military and political leader;overthrew Directory. General during French Revolution, Ruler of France as First Consul of French Republic, King of Italy, Mediator of Swiss Confederation, and Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine.
Italian and Egyptian campaigns
Napoleon was made commander of French army in Italy and he influenced them with his intelligence and confidence;after returning back to France, he tried to take Britain by taking Egypt but his supplies were cut off;he then abandoned his army and took part
coup d'etat
an overthrow of the government; Napoleon took part in one after returning from Egypt
plebiscite
a vote of the populace in which a single question is presented to the people for a simple "yes" or "no" Napoleon made effective use of it in becoming "Consul for Life" and later emperor
First Consul and Emperor-
Napoleon directly controlled the entire executive authority of gov., influence over legislature, appointed members of bureaucracy, controlled army, and conducted foreign affairs; consul for life 1802, Emperor of France 1804- stabilized regime, provided pe
the Concordat of 1801
pope gained right to depose French bishops; state retained right to nominate bishops; Catholic church permitted to hold processions again and reopen seminaries; pope acknowledged accomplishments of the Revolution and agreed to not question church lands co
the Civil Code (Code Napoleon)-
preserved most of revolutionary gains by recognizing principle of equality of all citizens before the law, the right of individuals to choose their professions, religious toleration, and abolition of serfdom and feudalism; property rights protected; trade
the Grand Empire
3 parts: French empire (inner core), series of dependent states (inc. Spa. Net., Ita. Swiss Republic, Grand Duchy of Warsaw, Confederation of Rhine (all Ger. States except Aus. and Prus.)), and allied states (defeated by Napoleon: Prus. Aus. Rus); Napoleo
battles of Austerlitz and Trafalgar
British navy defeated French-Spanish fleet in 1805
the Grand Army
Napoleon's army of over 600,000 men
Continental System
1806-1807, attempted to prevent British goods from reaching European continent in order to weaken British economically and destroy its capacity to wage war; allied states resented French economic gain and cheated, helped Brit.
nationalism
arisen during French Revolution on emphasis on brotherhood; involed unique cultural identity of a ppl based on common language, religion, and national symbols; aroused patriotism of others in opposition to French nationalism
the invasion of Russia
beg. of Napoleon's downfall, 1812, b/c Russians had challenged Continental System; Rus forces refused to battle and retreated while torching
Russian "scorched-earth
Russians torched own villages and countryside to prevent Napoleon's army from finding food and forage
Elba
after Napolean was defeated he was exiled to the island of Elba, of the coast of Tucany while the monarchy in France was restored to the Bourbon family (Louis XVIII); loyalty was soon regained by Napolean
the 100 Days
the number of days Napoleon ruled France following his escape from Elba
battle of Waterloo
raised army to attack allied forces at Belgium; met combined British and Prussian army under duke of Wellington and suffered bloody defeat
Saint Helena
Napoleon exiled to here by victorious allied; small forsaken island in middle of S. Atlantic
Jacques Necker
suggested to Louis XVI that one way to alleviate the massive French debt was through taxing the First and Second Estate; he also advised the kinf to call upon the Estates General. When he was fired, this was one of the causes for the storming of the Basti
Ancien R�gime
French political and social system in the years before 1789
First Consul
title used by Napoleon following his seizure of power in France in 1799. He used it until 1804, when he declared himself to be the new "Emperor
Emigres
Nobles who fled to other parts of Europe during the French Revolution; Napoleon later welcomed them back during the early days of the Empire