Chapter 19: The French Revolution and Napoleon

First Estate - clergy

• • Performed social services

• • Wealth and privilege

• • Often criticized for political interference and intolerance

• • Top jobs in gov. 

Second Estate- nobility

• 98% of population

• • Top jobs in gov. 

• • Owned land but had little money

• • Feared losing their privileges

Third Estate- commoners

• • 98% of population 

• • At top were the bourgeoisie(middle class) 

• 9 out of 10 were rural peasants

• • Performed social services

Storming the Bastille

•  July 14,1789

• • Mob broke through the defenses 

• Became the symbol of the french revolution

• Limited power of the monarchy

 Political Reforms of the National Assembly

• • All male citizens equal before the law 

• • Limited power of the monarchy 

• • Legislative assembly to make laws

• • Abolished special privileges to nobility

Social and Economic Reforms of the National Assembly

• Abolished special privileges to nobility

• • End to feudalism

• • Freedom of religion

• • Nobles compensated for lost land 

Religious Reforms of the National Assembly

• • Placed the french catholic church under state control 

• • Freedom of religion

• Created the national convention

• • Took over and sold catholic church land

The French Republic

• • Counterrevolutionary 

• • Created the national convention

• all men got  the right to vote 

• abolished the monarchy

Maximilien Robespierre

• • Counterrevolutionary 

• • Nicknamed the incorruptible and tyrant 

• • Believed the general will as the source of all legitimate law 

• Could visualise an entire battlefield

 Napoleon as a military leader

• Could visualise an entire battlefield

• • Tremendous knowledge of european roads 

• • December 1805 

• • Favorite approach was indirect