5.2 - The French Revolution

Estates General
- A pre-revolution French assembly that was kind of like Congress
  - each estate represented the different classes
    - 1st: 100k Catholic Clergy
    - 2nd: 400k nobles
    - 3rd: Everyone else (97%) - paid all the taxes
- Called into session to hopefully pass new taxes on the noble class (they didn't like that)
- Hadn't met since 1614
- Third estate demanded reform
French Invasion of Russia
- Napoleon decided to invade Russia in 1812
- Captured Moscow
- Then Russian tsar set it on fire
- Left without shelter or supplies
- Bitter retreat
- Led to the fall of Napoleon
Olympe de Gouges
- actually named Marie
- Journalist, actor, playwright
- Advocate of women's rights
- Activist
- Published Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen
- Executed in 1793 because of her support for Marie Antionette and crusade for women's rights
Liberalism
- People who welcomed and advocated for change
metric system
- implemented during the radical republic
John Stuart Mill
- Prominent liberal British thinker
- Advocated change & rapid change
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 - 1821)
- Military leader
- He drove the Austrian army from northern Italy
- Wanted equality
- Did not care for other Enlightenment ideals
- Helped restore order to society
- Censored newspapers
- Manipulated public opinion
- Exiled to Mediterranean island Elba
- Escaped and ruled France for 100 days
- Lost battle to British at Waterloo, Belgium
- Exiled again to St Helena (South Atlantic Ocean)
- Died in 1821 of natural causes
Napoleonic Code
- Affirmed political and legal equality of all adult men
- Merit-based society
- Moderation of the National Assembly and radical Convention
- Restored patriarchy
National Assembly
- The third estate seceded from the Estates General and became the National Assembly
- Led a violent revolt and stole weapons from a prison
- Abolished first estate
- Abolished feudal privileges
- Constitution
- Men with property could vote
Reign of Terror
- Led by Robespierre
- Executed many people who opposed the new revolution
Waterloo (1815)
- Where Napoleon was finally defeated