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The economy of France in the Ancient Régime depended totally on the agriculture. However, its production was poor and not enough to feed the population.
In the decade of 1760's, unfortunately, several bad harvest made the lives of the citizens worsened, and the percentage of deaths by starvation increased.
Besides that, France suffered a huge financial crisis and the country was close to the bankrupt. -
Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769 in Corsica in a modest noble family. He began his military career at a young age and had numerous successes in the campaigns of the Directory. By 1804 he had gained almost absolute power; therefore, he continued many reforms of the revolution. Napoleon helped to spread the ideas of the French Revolution across Europe. Finally, he was defeated in 1815 and he was sent to exile into the island of Saint Helena, where he died in 1821.
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France was experiencing a very delicate time economically and politically when Louis XVI was crowned. Louis was a weak king, a simple and innocent man. His wife, Marie Antoinette, daughter of the Austrian Empress, was a woman who wasted lost money and loved luxury. Marie didn't care about the well-being of her citizens so she was very unpopular between the Third Estate. -
There was an extreme inequality between social classes; the nobles and the clergy lived in luxury while the peasants died of hunger.
Most of the French population in the 1780's lived on agriculture. Nevertheless, the agriculture production of the time was very poor and the peasants faced famines periodically. Moreover, they had to pay lots of taxes and rents, while the other two estates were exempt.
Becasuse of this unfair situation, the Third Estate demanded more social equality for decades. -
In May-June 1789, the king Louis XVI summoned the Estates General, trying to reconduct the political and economic crisis.
Due to the unfair situation, the Third Estate representatives abandoned the Estates General and created a National Assembly. They took the Tennis Court Oath, promising to stay there until the constitution was formed. -
The opposition to the Old Regime became more violent in July 1789.
- People attacked the Batille the14th July and it is considered a symbol of revolution against that old regime.
- The peasants attacked the nobles because of the fear they had to the privileged estates.
The old regime was eliminated by the measures introduced by the National Assembly. Some of that were:
- The abolition of feudal rights.
- The publication of DRMC.
- And finally, the writing of the Constitution of France in 1791. -
The French Revolution was a social and political conflict, accompanied by violence in different periods, which shocked France and affected other European countries, which faced supporters and opponents of the system known as the Old Regime.
One of the causes of the French Revolution, and of that feeling of rebellion, was the movement of the Enlightenment. -
With the creation of this new constitution:
The powers were divided (since it was coming from an absolute power).
The Constitutional monarchy system was established.
And lastly, the censitarian suffrage (only wealthy white men could vote). -
The king accepted the Constitution and the new government was voted in: the Legislative Assembly.This moderate government only lasted one year due to the instense opposition. The nobles and the clergy were against the new reforms and the radical revolutionaries wanted deeper and democratics changes.
Austria and Prussia declared the war on France, their monarchs feared the expansion of the revolutionarie countries.
In 1792, the royal family tried to leave the country but they were taken prisoners -
The royal family tried to leave the country but they were taken prisioners.
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In order to elect a new government the elections were celebrated. Every men could vote (universal male suffrage) and, as a consecuence, that the new government would be called a more radical national convention. This eliminated the monarchy and France became a republic. In 1793 the king was executed for treason along with his wife. Due to this execution, Britain and Dutch Republic joined the first Coalition.
There were two different types of revolutionaries: the Girondins and the Jacobins. -
In January 1793, the government judged the king Louis XVI for treason and he was executed along with his wife Marie Antoinette. -
The ruling of the Jacobins was known as Reign of Terror, because of the violence and the constants executions. It began in 1793.
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The war against the first coalition made many people think the revolution was in danger. The Jacobins took advantage of the situation and took the power in 1793. Robiespierre became the dictator.
His ruling was full of violence, and this is why it was known as Reign of Terror. For ten months, more than 20,000 people were executed by guillotine.
Robiesperre began to lose the support of the people in 1794 and he was executed by guillotine. After this, a new government was created, the Directory. -
A new constitution was created in 1795 by the new government (voted with censitarian suffrage).
This regime received much support but French society was still divided into radicals and royaltist.
France won many battles thanks to Napoleon. The Second Coalition reconquered many territories, despite he became very popular.
In 1799 he carried out a cuop d'état and he created the Consulate. -
In 1795 with censitarian suffrage the new conservative goverment created a new Constitution. A five-member Directory held the executive power and two chambers held the legislative. -
After several victorious in 1799 Napoleon came back to France like a hero. Upon returning, he discovered a dissatisfied France because of the Directory, and with his troops overthrew the goverment. This was called the Coup d'état. -
He proclaimed himself ''First Consul'' and did away with the elected Assembly. Time after, in 1802, he made himself sole ''Consul for Life''. -
In 1804 Napoleon was crowned as ''Emperor''. In the same year, he gained almost absolute power. He knew the French would never stand for a return to the Old Regime. Therefore, he continued many reforms of the revolution. -
The Napoleonic Code was enacted in 1804. It was a new law based on the principles of the French Revolution and equal for everyone. It has a great influence in Europe during the XIX century. -
In the decade of 1800's France fought all the major European powers: Russia, Austria, Naples, Prussia and finally Great Britain.
In 1805 he defeated Austria and Russia at Austerlitz. -
Napoleon reach the height of his power between 1807 to 1812. He controlled an empire that stretched from France to the borders of Russia.
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In 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain and placed his brother, Joseph, as king. -
Napoleon brought together Fernando VII and Carlos IV in order to force them to give up the crown to his brother Jose Bonaparte. After the accession to the throne of the new king, the Spanish population developed a feeling of nation, which led to the Spanish War of Independence; and therefore, the creation of the Constitution of Cadiz in 1812.
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Napoleon sent an army of 500.000 mens to Russia in 1812. With the end of the winter less than 100.000 French soldiers returned from Russia. This was one of the main reasons of the fall of Napoleon's Empire. -
Napoleon was defeated in the battle of Waterloo against Great Britain and Prussia in 1815. After his defeat was sent to exile into the island of Saint Helena, where he died 1821. -
Napoleon died in May 5 of 1821 in the island of Saint Helena.