Social Studies Notes
9/13
Aim 5: How did the Enlightenment thinkers answer the basic question of the 18th century? How does one make mankind happy, rational and free?
Quotes:
· John Lock- “Wherever law ends, tyranny begins”- with absence of law, people become tyrants.
· Freedom is the obedience to the laws which one makes himself.
· Liberty is what one does in the boundaries of the law.
Enlightenment: - French, (1) reason (Rationalism), (2) progress, (3) nature- laws of nature that govern human behavior such as, government, society, economics-make life better.
17th Century-Scientific Method- used reason to discover laws of nature that governed physical world; philosophes believed they could also use reason to discover the human behavior and interactions.
(4) Happiness and (5) Liberty- reaction to the church or king controlling them, monarchy.
Hobbes (1588-1679)- The Leviathan- believed in “state of nature” without laws where he calls it a state of war, without laws people become greedy and selfish which results in chaos, death, and corruption. Hobbes suggests that people give up freedom for king, in return for order = unwritten social contract. Picture of cover represents power of king (sword and scepter) and his body is made up of people, which symbolize the mutual social contract.
Locke-Two Treaties on Government- everyone is born free and equal, and an individual is born with natural rights- life, health, liberty and possessions. Government is created in order to protect natural rights. Locke believes that if the government doesn’t protect natural rights, the people have a right to overthrow the king and government.
Montesquieu (1689-1755)- The Spirit of the Laws- states that people with power abuse it. Therefore, the power should be a check to power (balance). There needs to be a legislature branch (makes laws), and an executive branch (enforces laws), not all done by one person.
Rosseau- The Social Contract- man is free, but still in chains from environment and society which influence and corrupt. Create a government devoted to the “common good”® basis of this government is the “social contract.” People give up their individual rights to the general will- will of majority. How do people maintain the freedom?® popular sovereignty (rule)- right to vote rests with people.
Voltaire- Treaties on Tolerance- believed in religious tolerance, against slavery- equality. Voltaire visited King Fredrick the Great= Enlightened despot- absolute ruler (King of Prussia) whose goal was to enlighten and make the people happy. “I am the first servant to the state”- absolute ruler who used his power to bring about social and political change. For example: codified laws in Prussia for the good of the people= enlightened people (opposite to Louis XVI who said “I am the state”)
Aim 6: How did the enlightenment spread?
In the West (France) middle class people took the place of serfs, unlike Russia where serfs continued. In France, since they were freer than in Russia, the Revolution starts in France and not in Russia.
1) Encyclopedia- Denis Diderot
Purpose- “to change the general way of thinking” on human knowledge (government, philosophy, printing press, heart) Voltaire wrote articles on tolerance for the Encyclopedia. Attacked divine monarchy (from god), traditional religion, opted education for all, and denounced slavery. The Church and king banned him, which resulted in Denis Diderot hiding. The Encyclopedia was in alphabetical order (people and the Church got upset that Dieu (god) was listed in the middle of the encyclopedia and not in beginning, where they thought it belonged). 20,000 copies were madeà knowledge spread. Free access to uncensored knowledge.
2) Salons- parlor, meeting room, gather and talk about different topics, book clubs® spread of knowledge. Women usually organized the salons.
Benjamin Franklin went to France and brought back knowledge to Americas.
3) In addition, journals and pamphlets (most famous pamphlet-“Common Sense”)® spread of knowledge. Enlightenment picked up speed.
Thomas Jefferson- “all men are created equal” (Locke) “unalienable rights”- rights that can’t be taken away= natural rights, popular sovereignty (Rosseau), overthrow and institute new government (Locke and Rosseau)- Thomas Jefferson and “Declaration of Independence” based all their ideas on those of the Enlightenment philosophes.
9/14 and 9/24
Aim 7/8: Why did a revolution erupt in France in 1789?
July 14, 1789- Bastille- Paris mob storms Bastille (King’s jail, symbolic of power)® start of Revolution.
1) Social and Economic Inequality- between the three Estates. Middle class- bourgeoisie (city dwellers- third Estate) The first and second Estates had much more privileges then the third Estate, which contained 97% of the population and had no privileges. Peasants® received all taxes, tithe (income tax), tallie (land tax), and gaballe (salt tax), plus they received feudal dues. Cartoon showed peasant supporting the other Estates, burdened from taxes.
2) Abuses of the Old Regime-king abuses such as corvee and letrres-de-catchet (look at handout), kings were known for war, money, and palace (Versailles)
3) Riots for Bread- bread prices raisedàrobberies in the streets
4) Poor Harvest (1788)/ Harsh Winter
5) Enlightenment
6) American Revolution and the Glorious Revolution
7) Crumbling Economy
a) Deficit spending
b) War of Independence
c) Versailles
8) May 1789. King calls Estates General (Last time he did that it was 1614)
a) Tried to tax the Third Estate, by having the First and Second Estate vote to tax them.
b) The King asked each Estate to send him Cahiers
1) Cahiers- notebooks of grievances
9) June 17® Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly
a) The King locked them out of the Estates General meeting.
10) June 28® Tennis Court Oath (National Assembly)
a) The National Assembly wanted a king, but they wanted a new constitution.
11) Paris mob storms the Bestille (July 14, 1789)
a) They thought there were weapons there.
b) They tried to save prisoners.
c) They attacked the Old Regime- (They gave the King a warning not to interfere.
d) Commoners expressed support for the national assembly.
10/4
Aim #9: How did the National Assembly attempt to reform France? (1787-1792)
1) August 1789- National Assembly met to make reforms.
A) Political Reforms
1) Proclaimed all male citizens equal before the law.
2) Limited the power of the monarchy.
3) Established the Legislative Assembly to make new laws.
4) All tax-paying citizens have the right to elect the members of the Legislative Assembly.
B) Social and Economic Reforms
1) They abolished the social privileges of the nobles.
2) They announced the end of feudalism.
3) They called for taxes to be levied according to ability to pay.
4) They abolished guilds and labor unions.
5) They compensated nobles for peasant-seized lands.
C) Religious Reforms
1) They declared freedom of religion.
2) They took over and sold Church lands.
3) They placed the French Catholic Church under control of the State.
4) They provided that bishops and priest be elected and receive government salaries.
2) October 5, 1789
A) Women marched to the Versailles Palace demanding bread- Popular revolt- because everyone got involved afterward.
1) Marie Antoinette- “Let them eat cake”.
2) They killed all the palace guards.
3) They dragged King Louis and Queen Marie Antoinette back to Paris.
3) Constitution of 1791
A) Definition of constitution
1) A constitution is a plan for a government.
B) Terms of the constitution
1) Limited monarchy
2) Legislative Assembly
a) The way you sat in the Legislative Assembly determined your view.
1) Radical Liberal Moderate Conservative Reactionary
Wanted changes Open to minor changes in government Wanted to turn back time
4) Guillotine became the symbol of the revolution
A) It was invented to kill people painlessly.
B) 40,000 people were beheaded.
10/5
Aim #10: Why did the French Revolution turn radical?
1) Reasons for turning radical
A) Foreign monarchs attacked France
1) Afraid of Revolts in their country.
2) Louis and Marie Antoinette pushed them.
3) The nobles pushed them.
B) The new French government was worried about internal enemies.
1) They were afraid their enemies would make connections with people who lived in France.
2) Radical Acts
A) The new French government went paranoid and beheaded (Using the guillotine) killed any Frenchman that they thought was connected with their enemies.
B) They created the “Committee of Public Safety”
1) They searched for any possible internal French enemies.
2) They subjected all Frenchmen to a draft.
A) Everyone, even children, helped to fight the war.
1) Not necessarily by fighting, but by doing other necessary actions.
3) They fought not for the king, but for their country- Nationalism
3) The End of Terror
A) The National convention created a constitution for a republic headed by a five-man directory.
1) They were corrupt and weak and after four years were replaced by Napoleon Bonaparte.
10/11
Aim #11 and #12: How did Napoleon rule France and dominate Europe?
Hero of the “Revolution”
Or
Traitor of the “Revolution”
1) Quotes by and about Napoleon symbolizing his characteristics
A) “I found the crown of France in the gutter and I picked it up with my sword.”- Napoleon
B) “I grew up on a field of battle …”- Napoleon
C) “He was like an expert chess player, with the human race for an opponent, which he proposed to checkmate.”
2) Napoleons Background
A) He was a victorious general and he won many battles.
B) 1799- Coup détat (Military takeover)
1) He overthrows the directory- it was weak and corrupt.
2) He established “Consulate”
a) A governing 3-man board
b) Napoleon was the high consulate
C) 1804: Napoleon declares himself emperor
1) He said there was a royalist plot to return the king to power, thus he will save the French from this plot by making himself emperor.
D) He conducts Plebiscite
1) Definition: Public ballot- yes/no (How they felt about him)
2) The French people strongly supported Napoleon
a) They needed stability after the Reign of Terror
b) They need a savior/protector from foreign enemies- victorious general.
c) Napoleon promised reforms® order, security, and efficiency.
E) He regulated the economy to restore prosperity
1) He controlled prices.
2) He encouraged new industry.
3) He built roads and canals.
F) Napoleon put public schools under government control.
1) To teach the students to be loyal (To him) citizens.
G) 1801: Concordat (He made peace with the Church)
1) He said that the government controls the clergy, but the pope gets the final say.
2) He said Catholicism was the major religion.
H) He encourages émigrés (Nobles) to return if they are willing to take the oath of loyalty.
I) He recognized the sale of Church land to peasants.
J) He stated that careers are open to “talent”® not blood, connections, or favoritism.
1) Not whom you knew, but what you knew.
K) Napoleonic Code
1) Equality of all citizens before the law.
2) Religious toleration
3) Advancement is based on merit.
10/12
Aim #13: How did Napoleon’s empire fall?
1) Building an Empire (1804-1814)
A) Excellent Battle Strategy
1) Napoleon would have some of his army retreat (The center part) thus the enemy would follow. Then when the enemy followed the flanks would hit it from the sides.
a) 1) F A A 2) F
F A F AAA
F F
B) They conquered and annexed territory
1) They controlled almost all of Europe
a) Except for Great Britain
1) They were saved by the English Channel
C) He allies himself with several countries
D) Britain ® Outside “Empire
1) “The tiger and the shark”
a) France was called the tiger because they had the best land army and Britain was called the shark because they had the best fleet oh warships.
E) Britain Defeats France (Trafalgar)
1) The battle was near the Strait of Gibraltar (Near Spain)
F) Napoleon ruled out the invasion of Britain (Militarily)
1) How does he bring England to his its “knees”
a) Economic warfare
1) The Continental System
a) Definition- No one on the continent owned by France could trade with Great Britain.
b) Britain responded with a blockade of all European ports.
c) Britain survived by trading with the United States and India.
G) The restrictions on trade had a negative impact on Europe
1) Trade declines
2) Businesses fail ® Unemployment goes up
3) Scarcity of goods ® Prices go up (Inflation)
2) Napoleon’s Downfall
A) Europeans resented the Continental System
B) British opposition
C) Monarchs felt Napoleon was a threat
1) He spread the idea of revolution and liberty
2) He defied the divine monarchy
a) Definition- the son of the monarch is the next one to rule.
- He made his relatives the kings and queens of all the territory in his Empire.
D) Spirit of Nationalism worked against Napoleon
1) People of other countries fought for their own countries.
E) Peninsula War (1808-1814)
1) With Spain and Portugal
a) They invaded Spain to get to Portugal who started trading with Europe.
2) Gorilla Warfare- Hurt Napoleon
a) In Spanish means little war
b) Gorilla warfare means hit and run attacks
F) 1812- Napoleon invades Russia
1) Russia, a French ally, violated the Continental System
2) The Russians used the scorched earth policy
a) When an army retreats causing another army to follow. Then the defending army burns and destroys any useful supplies their enemy might need. This way when their enemy comes they will be tired and short on supplies.
3) Napoleon retreated because of the winter
a) The Russians attacked the retreating French
b) The winter also aided the Russians and in total 4/5 of the French army died. (“General Winter”)
4) As Napoleon retreated from Russia, Prussia and Austria joined Russia and attacked France
a) War of Liberation
i. Napoleon was defeated and was forced to abdicate (Step down)
a) He was sent to an island and he got a pension.
i. He escapes and goes to France for a hundred days and gathers and army, but he was defeated and sent to an island that was very far from France.
10/15
Aim #14: How did Napoleon influence Europe and the world?