American and French Revolutions

• This document contains social science study notes for the 3rd trimester of S.Y. 2024-2025.
• The notes cover the American and French Revolutions, and the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Important events of the American Revolution

• The events eventually inspired people to create a government founded on freedom and equality.
• The American Revolution was inspired by injustices that come with a single-person rule, which often results in tyranny.

Causes of the Revolution

• Taxation without representation, such as the Stamp Act and Tea Act, was a significant cause.
• The Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party were also major events that led to the conflict.

Key Battles

• The Battle of Lexington and Concord marked the start of the war.
• The Battle of Saratoga was the turning point.
• The Siege of Yorktown ended the war.
• The Declaration of Independence was declared July 4th, 1776

Prominent Figures

• George Washington was the Commander of the Continental Army.
• Benjamin Franklin was a diplomat who secured French support.
• Thomas Jefferson authored the Declaration of Independence.
• King George III was the British monarch during the war.

Assignment

• There is a T-Chart Activity for students to relate the Age of Enlightenment to the American Revolution that is due February 28, 2025.

Legacy of the American Revolution

• The American Revolution offered the world a choice to free itself from injustices and tyranny, thus becoming a beacon of freedom and a shining city.
• The revolution had a famous impact of the words: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.

Objective

• To explain the political and socio-economic issues that led to the French Revolution
• Significant event of the French Revolution includes the Old Regime (1789-1792).

French Revolution

• The American Revolution sent shockwaves across the world and society was only ruled by a person appointed by God.
• Americans achieved a new concept from an overseas empire, now the French must do it on their soil.

French Revolution Videos

• There are supplementary videos of the French Revolution by OverSimplified.

Key People

• King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

The Three Estates

• French society was traditionally divided into 3 estates: the Clergy, the Nobility, and the Commoners.
• King Louis XIV called upon the "Estates General" to settle problems of French society, consulting the sectors directly, due to France's economic crisis from its loss against England in the Seven Years' War.

Estates General of 1789

• The Estates-General of 1789 failed as the Third Estate (commoners) rejected the majority vote decision.
• The First (aristocracy) and Second (clergy) Estates voted together to impose taxation responsibilities on commoners.

National Assembly & Tennis Court Oath

• The National Assembly was revolutionary and formed by the Third Estate.
• The representatives swore never to separate until the kingdom's Constitution is established and grounded on solid foundations.

Storming of the Bastille

• The Storming of the Bastille is a key event.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

• This declaration defines individual and collective rights for all men.
• It was influenced by natural rights, which are held to be universal.

Analyzing the Declaration

• The London Times questioned if the rights were truly "the Rights of Man".

End of the Old Regime

• The fall of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 marks the symbolic beginning of the French Revolution.
• The French made huge government reforms, that fear and terror was the order of the day.
• The National Assembly met and undertook sweeping reforms that ultimately led to a complete reconstruction of the French government.
• August 4 marked the end of the Old Regime.
• The French Revolution offered a model for commoners and a warning for nobles.

Reign of Terror

• The French nation went through one of the bloodiest phases of the revolution which will be later stopped by the rule of one man.

French Revolution Agenda

• The upcoming agenda includes the Reign of Terror (1792-1794), the Directory (1794-1799) and the subsequent reign of Napoleon Bonaparte (1799-1815).

French Revolution Values

• The French Revolution was centered in the will of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
• The goal was to end tyranny and injustices of absolutism, leading to what the French people did.

French Revolution Outcome

• The revolution didn't last, ending when Napoleon named himself "I am the Revolution."

Events Before the Revolution

• Financial Crisis due to debt caused by wars
• Social Inequality
• Call for Estates-General (1789) and failure of third estate.

Revolution Beginning

• National Assembly formed & Tennis Court Oath, and swore to a creation of a constitution
• Storming of the Bastille was a symbolic start of the revolution.
• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen established principles of liberty and equality.

Reign of Terror

• Fall of the Monarchy: Arrest and execution of King Louis XVI
• Revolutionaries declared a National Convention.

Ruling Parties

• Jacobins: Radicalists sought to abolish the monarchy and establish a republic
• Girondins: Moderates sought to establish a constitutional monarchy.

Maximilien Robespierre

• A member of the Jacobins, created radical policies when Jacobins controlled the National Convention.
• Robespierre, as Head of the Committee of Public Safety, initiated the Reign of Terror, marked by mass executions of "enemies of the revolution."

Execution of Robespierre and beginning of the massacres

• Thousands of suspected royalists and counter-revolutionaries executed.
• Arrests and executions were allowed based on suspicion alone.
• Over 16,000 official executions occurred, and many more were killed without trial.
• Robespierre's execution marked the end of the Reign of Terror.

Directory

• A five-member government replaced the radical rule.
• It had a more moderate but corrupt regime.
• Several economic challenges and wars continued.
• Military influence rose, notably under Napoleon Bonaparte.
• Napoleon overthrew the directory in the Coup of 18 Brumaire (1799).

Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte

• Napoleon declared himself First Consul (1799) and later Emperor (1804).
• He initiated the Napoleonic Code, marked by the legal reforms promoting equality and meritocracy.
• Economic and Educational reforms stabilized France.
• Napoleon caused Military Expansion, conquering much of Europe.

Napoleon's Actions

• Napoleon restored peace and order in France and contributed to the nation.
• Ultimately, he threatened the balance of power by seeking to defend France against all her enemies, which led to the European continent uniting against him.

Recap

• The French Revolution consisted of The Reign of Terror, the Directory, and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Napoleon's Early Reign

• Rise to Power: He became First Consul in 1799 and Emperor in 1804.
• Instituted the Napoleonic Code that consisted of reforms promoting equality and meritocracy.
• Economic and educational reforms helped the French economy.
• Military Expansion dominated much of Europe.

Napoleon's Wars

• Battle of Austerlitz: He defeated the Russians and Austrians, led to the dissolution of the thousand-year existence of the Holy Roman Empire.
• Peninsular War: The Spanish and Portuguese, aided by Britain, resisted French rule. Napoleon's resources were drained and inspired nationalist uprisings.
• Napoleon invaded Russia with his Grand Army consisting of 600,000 troops.
• Upon invasion, the Russians used scorched earth tactics and brutally cold weather which led to the devastation of his forces, leaving only 100,000 survivors.
• In the Battle of Leipzig, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Sweden defeats Napoleon, forcing a retreat to France that led to Napoleon's abdication and exile to Alba (1814).
• At the Battle of Waterloo, which was Napoleons last attempt to reclaim power he was defeated and exiled to St. Helena.

Napoleon's Death

• Napoleon died in exile at 51 years old.

Events in Europe

• The Congress of Vienna (1815) sought to restore stability after Napoleon's defeat.
• Goals: Restore monarchies, balance power so there would be no dominating nations, and redraw European borders to restructure the continent's political landscape.

Shifting World

• Napoleon and Congress of Vienna now created modern nation-states, including republics, empires, monarchies, and national orders that all now shift the world's identity.
• Ideas of nationalism, patriotism, and love for freedom continued after Napoleon, and it became passed on to new people while these ideas become tested once more.