AP Review #4: 18th c. States/Wars/Society (Ch.

18) &
French Rev. (Ch. 19)
18th c. States, Wars, Society
Enlightened Absolutism
What is it? 18th century monarchs who experimented with reform policies guided by
the ideas of the philosophes (although not always) and were motivated to strengthen
their states
o Met with opposition from nobles who would lose considerable wealth/power with
reforms
o Collectively do not succeed in creating long-term change
Frederick II (the Great): Prussia - the most enlightened absolutist
o Establishment of a single law code; religious toleration; civic equality for all
people; ordered the cultivation of potatoes to counteract rising bread prices;
open discussion; civil service
Joseph II: Austria co-ruled with Maria Theresa
o Religious toleration; tax reform (attacked noble exemptions); educational and
legal system improvements (equal protection under the law, ended torture/death
penalty); reforms failed significantly after his death
Catherine the Great: Russia
o Corresponded greatly with the philosophes (primarily Voltaire)
o Greater local self-government; legal reforms; expansion of
education/art/literature; set out to conquer lands; success of the Pugachev
Rebellion forced her to extend serfdom which severely diminished her abilities to
continue enlightened reforms (Charter of the Nobility)

18th c. Wars
Rulers shift from making decisions aimed at protecting the dynastic interests to those that
strengthened their state; caused nations to compete fiercely to be major powers
War of Spanish Succession: Louis XIV attempted to put his grandson on the SP
crown; England, HRE, Netherlands stepped in to stop him; Treaty of Utrecht (Phillip
could have throne, but FR & SP could never unite; attempted to create a balance of
power in Europe)
War of Austrian Succession: Prussia invades Austria after Charles VI death; saw a
weakness in Maria Theresa as ruler; FR backed Prussia while ENG backed Austria;
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (returned to pre-war statusexcept Prussia maintained
control of Silesia- an Austrian territory)
Seven Years War: fighting took place in Europe , India and North America and
caused the Diplomatic Revolution
o Outcomes: Treaty of Paris (1763) - France lost all North American territory and
diminished as a great power (as did Austria); while England solidified their status
as a WORLD power and Prussia moved to become a strong European power
Partition of Poland: divided territory amongst Austria, Prussia and Russia;
renegotiated frequently

Agricultural Revolution
Originated in Dutch Republic and the Low Countries, quickly spread to England
Causes: increases in food production brought on by - 1) more farmland; higher
yields per acre;
3) healthier & abundant livestock; 4) improved climate conditions
 Innovations: land drainage to increase amount of arable land; use of clover/turnips;
transition to crop rotation (Townsend - instead of open-field method); iron plow/seed
drill (Tull); animal breeding (Bakewell)
Enclosure Movement: common land was fenced off (literally enclosed) to use land
more efficiently (more food = more profits); peasants angry b/c they think they have
right to the land; disrupted traditional economy/society; many forced to move to
cities in search of jobs/housing
Impacts: increased food production for humans and animals; commercialization
of agriculture
o Population Expansion: Declining death rate (less war/plague/famine); improved
hygiene and sanitation; use of the POTATO
Ancien Regime
Patterns of social, political, economic relationships in France prior to the French Revolution
(1789)
Characteristics: aristocrats with inherited legal privileges; church related to state
and aristocrats; urban workforce in guilds; rural peasants highly taxed; nobles vs.
monarchs; peasants vs. nobles; social hierarchy was rigid
Social Composition:
o Aristocracy: 1-5% of population; noble birth/traditional legal privilege of a family ;
smallest but wealthiest group b/c of land ownership; relied heavily on privileges &
exemptions (esp. taxes)
o Peasants: over 75% of population rural; burden of taxes almost solely on them;
increased peasants revolts resulted
o Women/children: women cant survive on own so goal before marriage was to get
and maintain household of their own to entice a husband; both partners worked;
marriage out of economic necessity; operated on the family economy (household
was basic unit of production/consumption); limited # of children b/c couldnt
afford many
French Revolution
Causes
Social: extreme social disparity; Third Estate resents the 1 st/2nd because of legal
divisions (still bound by feudal obligations); feel have no voice in Estates-General (b/c
1st/2nd always outvoted the 3rd1 vote/Estate)
Political: ineptitude of Louis XVI and failure to get the Estates General to cooperate;
called Assembly of Notables (1787) but reform didnt go anywhere
Economic: financial problems exacerbated by war (LXIV); FR HAS wealth but is
concentrated in hands of nobles unwilling to share; royal spending outrageous (MA=
Madame deficit); attempted reforms but no success (Necker & Calonne)
Influence of Am Rev: FR intervenes (causes more debt); but they see how a
country fought against oppression and were inspired by it

Revolution of 1789
Cahier de Doleances: list of grievances where 2nd & 3rd realize have similar
complaints so join forces
Tennis Court Oath: Estates-General locked out of meeting room by LXVI so meet
elsewhere; agree to continue cooperation until a new constitution is written (1 st/2nd
reluctant but want to weaken LXVI)
 Fall of the Bastille: July 14th Parisians attack to get ammunition b/c tension is
growing; they succeed against the kings guards; beginning event of the revolution;
tricolor flag created symbolism
August 4th : nobles renounce unprecedented level of their privileges in order to
maintain calm in countryside (doesnt work b/c Great Fear spreads anyway); created
equality & abolished old order
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen: written by National Assembly;
equality, liberty, natural rights (freedom of religion/press/access to jobs/merit), civic
equality & popular sovereignty!
o directed at abuses of the old regime and inspired by Enlightenment
Womens March: anxiety continues to build in Paris; women march armed to
demand bread but end up attacking royal family; start to demand their move to Paris
(out of Versailles)

Revolution Turns Radical

Fierce dedication to the establishment of the French republic; put in place by the
Constitution of 1791; removal of any force/opposition to the growth of the republic
(counterrevolutionaries), ushers in the Reign of Terror
Jacobins: new legislative assembly established in which emerging political party was
Jacobins; turn radical in their methods to defend the revolution; led by Maximillien
Robespierre
Reign of Terror: sans culottes, September Massacres, execution of Louis XVI +
Marie Antoinette, conscription of soldiers (levee en masse), Committee of Public
Safety runs the government after L16 gone and used the GUILLOTINE to rid threats,
de-Christianization (new calendar, killed clergy), eventually Jacobins turn on
Robespierre; period after known as Thermidorian Reaction (more executions,
Catholicism reinstated, suppressed the Sans Culottes, led to rise of the Directory)

Napoleon (1799-1815)
Rise: rapid military success early on and won many victories for France (in Europe
and abroad); invited to lead the First Consulate and crowned himself emperor (1799);
appealed to the French people b/c he promoted French nationalism and suppressed
opposition both internal and external
Domestic Policies: carried out many reforms despite ruling as a dictator; led to
economic recovery, advances in education, and other social and political
improvements
o Napoleonic Code (1802)
Preserved gains made from the French Revolution
Equality of all citizens before the law
Right of individual to choose a profession
Religious toleration
Abolition of serfdom and feudalism
Property rights protected
Interest of employers protected by outlawing trade unions and strikes
o Rebuilding of Paris: roads, bridges, canals (infrastructure for strengthening of
the economy), beautification,
o Church: Concordat of 1801 reinstated Christianity and revoked the Civil
Constitution of the Clergy but still promoted the dominance of state over
church (ex. Napoleon later takes the pope prisoner)
 Continental System: helped to spread French revolutionary ideals across Europe
(nationalism); peaked at 1812 and stretched from Spain to Poland; fatal mistake was
invading Russia (Great Retreat)
Fall: couldnt conquer Russia or England; countries ally against him; he abdicates
(Elba) and comes back later (100 Days) and is finally defeated at the Battle of
Waterloo (Belgium) by the GB and finally exiled to St. Helena in 1815 (dies 6 years
later); Europe left in shambles after his reign, must regroup (leads to Congress of
Vienna)