The French Revolution and its Aftermath: A Summary
1. The French Revolution
1.1 The Causes of the Revolution
In 1789, France was in a deep economic and social crisis. The causes were:
- Poor harvests, which caused rising food prices and popular discontent.
- The bourgeoisie’s unhappiness with a system where only the privileged enjoyed high status and social recognition.
- The monarchy’s deep financial crisis caused by excessive state and court expenses.
1.2 The Beginning of the Revolution (1789)
The French Revolution began with the aristocracy’s refusal to pay taxes and their demand that Louis XVI convene the Estates-General. The Estates-General, presided over by the king, consisted of representatives of the nobility, the clergy, and the Third Estate. The Third Estate demanded double representation, joint deliberation, and votes per person, asserting national sovereignty. Members of the Third Estate formed the National Assembly.
1.3 The Storming of the Bastille
The people of Paris supported the Third Estate and stormed the Bastille fortress. The National Constituent Assembly abolished feudal privileges and issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
2. The Phases of the Revolution
2.1 The Different Republics and Monarchies
- The Constitutional Monarchy: Supported by the conservative bourgeoisie, it aimed for an agreement with the king and the privileged.
- The Democratic Republic: Driven by the radical bourgeoisie and popular sectors, it sought societal transformation.
- The Bourgeois Republic: Marked the return of the conservative bourgeoisie and emphasized property rights.
2.2 The Constitutional Monarchy
Parliament began reforms, establishing a constitutional and parliamentary monarchy with indirect suffrage and a Legislative Assembly.
2.3 The Failure of the Constitutional Monarchy
The royal family’s attempt to flee Paris and join the Austrian army, which planned to invade France and restore absolutism, exposed their rejection of the revolution. The king was returned to the capital. The Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria, but the Austrians advanced towards Paris.
3. The Republics
3.1 The Democratic Republic
The Girondins called for elections by universal male suffrage for the new National Convention. The Jacobins seized power and arrested Girondin leaders. Robespierre and other Jacobin leaders were overthrown and executed during the Thermidorian Reaction.
3.2 The Bourgeois Republic
The conservative middle class regained control, drafting a new constitution that established a collegial executive, restored census voting, and created a bicameral legislature. The government pursued Jacobins, repealed the 1793 Constitution, and annulled its measures. Napoleon, with the support of the bourgeoisie, staged a coup, ending the Directory and establishing the Consulate.
4. Napoleon
4.1 From Consul to Emperor
Napoleon consolidated the bourgeois revolution, preventing the return of absolutism. He allowed exiles to return, signed a concordat with the Church, implemented administrative reforms with prefects, and promulgated a unified civil code. He then crowned himself emperor.
4.2 The Napoleonic Conquests
Napoleon’s troops conquered much of Europe, including parts of Germany and Spain. Britain remained unconquered, but most of Europe was under French control. Revolutionary ideas were imposed in conquered territories, where Napoleon installed his generals as rulers.
4.3 The Fall of Napoleon
Napoleonic armies acted as conquerors, underwent favored nations occupied and material interests of France over the revolutionary ideals.
All this led to the occupied territories national feelings against the invading France.
Laixecament led by Spaniards against the invasion and imposition of a foreign king was the first and the marked decline of the Napoleonic empire.
After being defeated in Russia and Spain, Napoleon left power.
5.1. LEuropa the Restoration.
The state winners of Napoleon met in the Congress of Vienna. His goal was the restoration of monarchical labsolutisme. In Congress it was the Holy Alliance (1815), was a mutual deal between the European monarchs against any liberal revolution.
The ideas generated by the French Revolution influenced many European countries, from 1815 liberalism and nationalism were two forces doposició.
5.2. Liberalism.
Liberalism is a political system that makes society fosters. An individual is a citizen and a citizen groups constitutes a nation.
Liberalism advocated a representative system and the need for a Constitution for the separation of powers because they were never absolute property right was defended and other things that the state does not intervene in the grandmother of economic affairs.
5.3. Nationalism.
Nationalism is the right to decide about themselves and defend their sovereignty. Nation can be defined as a group of subjects with a series of links.
Nationalism was expanded throughout the nineteenth century, they show the will to match state and nation to put a border inland dunes national community.
6. The liberal and national revolutions.
They had three revolutionary wave from 1820.
6.1. The revolutions of 1820
A series of uprisings led by liberal military tried in several countries put an end to absolutism but these last were defeated by the Holy Alliance, succeeded only in Greece against Turkish empire, were also victorious Spanish colonies in Latin Continental.
6.2. The revolutions of 1830.
The second wave occurred Central and Western Europe. The movement starts in France where they beat the absolute monarch in Belgium also won the revolution.
6.3. The spring of 1848 villages
Another time the revolution began in France and also ended the monarchy. He also fought against the monarchs of Austria and were defeated, many other countries such as Germany, Hungary, Italy, … were raised against the empires.
7.1. The unification and dAlemanya from Italy.
Italy was divided into six states in 1859 Cavour started a war against Austria and got in his environment a popular uprising led by Garibaldi overthrew the kings of the states of Italy.
Germany was divided into 36 states, its main problem was the rivalry between Prussia and Austria. Lavenç of nationalism in Europe was evidenced in the revolutions of 1848 when parliament offered the crown of King of Prussia to Germany and did not accept this. So they went victorious wars against Àustrica.
7.2. LEuropa the late nineteenth century
During the late nineteenth century Europe took a political stability and border conflicts but not all were exterminated.
Austrian and Turkish empire empire still had a political suspect absolutist national problems. Although there are countries or peoples who aspire to indecency.