This document provides an overview of several major events in European history between 1789 and 1871. It summarizes: 1) The French Revolution from 1789-1794, which saw the overthrow of the French monarchy and establishment of a republic, along with periods of moderate and radical rule and the rise of Napoleon. 2) Key events in Napoleon's career including his rise to power in 1799 and crowning as emperor in 1804, as well as his military victories and establishment of the Napoleonic Code. 3) Napoleon's eventual defeat at the hands of a large coalition and exile in 1815. 4) Brief summaries of the Crimean War, Austro-Pruss

1. By Luis Martinez

2. •1789-1794 (Main Events)
•Four Main Phases
•Moderate Phase 1789-
1791
•Radical Phase 1792-1794
•Directory 1795-1799
•Age of Napoleon 1799-1815

3. • Estates System
• Severe famine from poor harvest of 1789
• Huge debt from American Revolution and Seven Years
War
• King’s Solution was to raise taxes
• First two estates (wealthy who paid little taxes) didn’t
want change
• Third Estate (peasants who paid most taxes) break away
and calls themselves the National Assembly

4. •Rumors had spread that the king was trying
to stop the National Assembly and had sent
troops.
•A mob hears that weapons are stored in the
Bastille (an old prison) and heads there on
July 14, 1789
•They find no weapons and a battle ensues,
quickly making this a symbol of the
revolution.
•During the revolution 300,000 people are
imprisoned and 40,000 are executed,
including the king and queen, under the
Committee of Public Safety.
•Napoleon sets up the Consulate in 1799 after
the Directory takes over in 1795. He later
crowns himself emperor in 1804.

5. •Born 1769 in Corsica, as a child always
loved the military
•Quickly rises through the ranks of the
military and becomes General
•Begins his career in politics in 1799 with
the three man Consulate, loved by the
people
•In 1804 he crowns himself emperor
•Sets up the Napoleonic Code
•Equality of all citizens under the law
•Religious tolerance
•Advancement through merit
•Sets up the Continental System to drain
unconquerable Britain of its resources

6. •Russia withdraws from the Continental System and Napoleon decides to
invade with the Grand Army, the largest military force on the planet at the time
•Russians lead him through the country, wearing down Napoleon’s men, food,
and morale. This is a terrible loss for Napoleon and his army trudges back with
only 10,000 men of the original 400,000
•Napoleon is exiled, returns and faces another defeat at Waterloo, and is exiled
for good until his death in 1821.
•Napoleon also gives us
the gift of nationalism,
which would be perhaps
his greatest legacy among
many

7. •Fought 1853-1856 between France, Britain, and Turkey against Russia
over dominance of holy lands
•More casualties from disease and famine than from actual war
•Turkey declares war on Russia on October 4, 1853 after rejecting the
Russian ultimatum in May
•Late March of 1854 Britain and France declare war on Russia
•Allied forces land in Crimea six months later
•January 1855 Sardinia declares war on the Russians
•Russia accepts peace terms in February 1856 and the Treaty of Paris is
signed March 30
•Russia was very technologically behind during this war
as it did not have the industrial revolution on its side

8. •One of the three wars of German unification under Chancellor Otto von
Bismarck, who wanted to unite northern and southern states of Germany
into a single unified Germany
•This would turn out to be fairly easy as the states were united in their
hatred of France from the Napoleonic Wars. Both sides wanted a war as
France was threatened by the Prussian victory in the Austro-Prussian War
of 1866
•With the placement of a Prussian prince on How France ends this and most wars
the Spanish throne, France now had Prussian
leaders on both sides and declared war
•This was a terrible mistake as at the end of the
war Prussia will have reached Paris, acquired
new territories and have France pay for it all