France History and Influence

1
France History and Influence
Liberty Leading the People Eugene Delacroix

• Or, the parts of it that really matter to
  Americans who play quiz bowl!

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The Land

• Capital and largest city is Paris
• 2nd largest country in Europe (just less than
  twice the size of Colorado)
• 5th in population
• Most of the country is hilly/mountainous
• French Riviera famous tourist area

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Mountains

• Pyrenees form border with Spain
• Alps form border on Southeast
• Largest mountain in Western Europe is Mont Blanc
  (Alps)

Pyrenees
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Rivers

• Loire is the largest river in France
• The Rhone is the deepest and has the largest
  volume of water
• The Seine is the most well-known river. It flows
  through Paris

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Major Landmarks
The Louvre
Arc de Triomphe
Eiffel Tower
Cathedral Notre Dame
Palace at Versailles
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Early History

• The Celts were the original inhabitants of the
  land once called Gaul
• Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars brought the region
  under control of the Roman Empire (Pax Romana)
  Christianity soon followed
• The name France comes from the Germanic tribe
  FRANKS who conquered Gaul
• The Merovingian dynasty (410-751) of kings
  followed Roman rule Clovis I was the first and
  most important ruler. He united all of Gaul
• Remember that legend says the Merovingians are
  direct descendants of Jesus and Mary Magdalene

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French Royal Houses

• Merovingian (410-751)
• Carolignian Dynasty (843-987)
• Capetian Dynasty (987-1328)
• Valois branch of Capetians(1328-1498)
• Orleans branch of Capetians (1498-1515)
• Angouleme branch of Capetians (1515-1589)
• House of Bourbon (1589-1792)
• First Republic (1792-1804)
• Bonaparte Dynasty, First Empire (1804-1814)
• Capetian, House of Bourbon restored (1814)
• Bonaparte restored (100 days of 1815)
• Bourbon restored (1815-1830)
• House of Bourbon-Orleans (1830-1848)
• Second Republic (1848-1852)
• Bonaparte Dynasty, 2nd Empire (1852-1870)

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Carolingian Dynasty(843-987)

• As the Catholic church (among others) worked to
  rid themselves of the Merovingians, the
  patriarchs of the Carolingian Dynasty came into
  power
• Charles Martel and his son Pepin II (Pepin the
  Short) helped stop Muslim advance out of Spain
• Charlemagne (Charles the Great) became king and,
  later, Holy Roman Emperor.
• During this time, Viking raids ravaged the French
  kingdom

Coronation of Charlemagne
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Capetian Dynasty (937-1328)
Hugh Capet

• After Charlemagnes death, the kingdom became
  split into Germany and France
• Hugh Capet, a duke from Orleans ascended the
  throne and began the Capetian dynasty
• Notable kings included Phillip II (Augustus) of
  the Third Crusade with Richard I (Lionheart) Of
  England and Louis IX (Saint Louis)

Phillip II (right) and Richard Lionheart Accepting
victory at Acre during Third Crusade
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During the Capetian Rule

• In 1066 (Battle of Hastings), William Duke of
  Normandy invaded England and was crowned king
• Henry II (English), from Williams line, married
  Eleanor of Aquitane which brought most of western
  France under British rule
• Eleanor and Henry were the parents of Richard
  III, the Lionhearted of 3rd Crusade fame
• After the death of Charles IV, the last Capetian
  monarch, Edward III claimed the French throne and
  began the Hundred Years war
• Joan of Arc, a French peasant, helped Charles VII
  win back the throne

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House of Valois(1328-1498)

• Philip VI
• John II
• Charles V
• Charles VI
• Charles VII
• Louis XI The Prudent
• Charles VIII death ended this direct line of
  Valois

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House of Angouleme (1515-1589)

• Henry II most recognized
• Catherine de Medici, wife of Henry II, and later
  regent ordered Huegonots killed at the St.
  Bartholomews Day Massacre
• Led to the wars of religion
• Ended with Henry IIs Edict of Nantes
• Henry II was killed in a jousting tournament

• Francis I was the 1st of this branch he
  strengthened the crown
• Artists such as Da Vinci come to France (da Vinci
  dies in the arms of Francis I)
• Huegonots (Prostestants) become more numerous
  during this time

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Capetian, House of Angouleme Branch(1515-1589)

• Francis I
• Henry II
• Francis II
• Catherine de Medici as regent while Francis was
  young
• Charles IX
• Henry III

Henry II
Catherine de Medici
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Capetian House of Bourbon(1589-1792)

• This line began with Henry IV
• Louis XIII and his prime minister, Cardinal
  Richelieu, transformed the crown from a feudal to
  absolute monarchy
• Louis XIV (The Sun King) most well-known Bourbon
  king
• Built palace of Versailles
• Endless wars and opulence
• Revoked the Edict of Nantes
• King portrayed in books and movies of Three
  Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask
• Line all but ended in 1789 at Louis XVI with the
  French Revolution

Richelieu
Louis XIV
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House of Bourbon

• Henry IV
• Louis XIII
• Louis XIV
• Louis XV
• Louis XVI
• Louis XVII

Louis XVI
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The French Revolution(1789-1799)

• Commoners in France grew tired of class system
  and privileges of nobility
• Encouraged by American Revolution and writings of
  Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• Started with Storming of Bastille July 14, 1789
• Issued Declaration of the Rights of Man

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French Revolution Cont

• Robespierre, a Jacobin and member of the
  Committee of Public Safety, initiated the Reign
  of Terror that saw many moderates and royalists,
  including Louis XVI and wife Marie Antoinette
  guillotined
• Reign of Terror ended with Robespierres arrest
  and exectution

Robespierre
Marie Antoinette
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Napoleonic Era(1799-1870)

• The Revolution ended when Napoleon Bonaparte
  (Napoleon I) marched in Paris and was crowned
  First Consul
• In 1804, he angered the church by crowing himself
  Emperor
• Napoleon embarked on many military campaigns
  (Napoleonic Wars) to expand his empire
• Defeated in Russia (like Hitler later)
• Finally defeated at Waterloo
• After Napoleon was exiled (Elba) he would return
  again only to be deposed
• His claimants to the throne would rise and fall
  throughout this time

The 1812 Overture
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Waterloo
Napoleon at Waterloo
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End of the Monarchy

• The Franco-Prussian war began in 1870 and Germany
  captured the Alsace and Lorraine regions of
  France
• Napoleon III was exiled thus ending monarchy
• Conflict with Germany continued through WWI and
  WWII
• Clemenceau was prime minister during WWI
• During WWI, France was occupied and ruled by the
  puppet Vichy government
• General Charles de Gaulle of the French
  Resistance became President after the war

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Most Influential Frenchmen

• And the Answers to Most Quiz Bowl Questions
  about France

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Charlemagne"By the sword and the cross,"
Charlemagne became master of Western Europe

• From German part of Gaul
• Most important of Carolingian kings
• Ardent Christian
• Expanded Frankish territory by fighting Saxons
  and Saracens (Muslim)
• Named Holy Roman Emperor by church, in part, to
  challenge Byzantium

He was six feet four inches tall, and built to
scale. He had beautiful white hair, animated
eyes, a powerful nose...a presence "always
stately and dignified." He was temperate in
eating and drinking, abominated drunkenness, and
kept in good health despite every exposure and
hardship.
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Eleanor of Aquitaine

• Consort first of Louis VII of France
• Later married Henry II of England which gave most
  of western France to English throne
• Mother of Richard III, the Lion-Hearted who
  co-led the 3rd Crusade
• Was imprisoned 15 years by Henry II encouraged
  her sons to lead revolt against Henry

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Joan of Arc(Jeanne dArc)

• National heroine of France
• Saint of the Catholic Church
• Uneducated peasant claimed to have visions from
  God
• Helped return the throne to Charles VII during
  the Hundred Years War
• Broke the siege at the Battle of Orleans
• Falsely convicted of heresy and burned at the
  stake at 19

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Louis XIVThe Sun King

• An absolute monarch, one of the most recognized
  kings of all time (ruled 72 years)
• 17th century associated with Louis XIV
• Louis ended the Cardinal-Minister position of
  govt after Richelieu and Mazarin died
• Louis made France a political and artistic
  capital
• Encouraged the Louvre and Palace at Versailles to
  be built
• Also revoked the Edict of Nantes to discriminate
  against Protestants (Huguenots)

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Napoleon

• A general during the French Revolution
• Became First Consul and Later Emperor
• Regarded as one of greatest military commanders
  ever
• Conquered most of Europe before defeat in Russia
• Exiled to Elba, but returned to be defeated at
  Waterloo
• Finally exiled to St. Helena island
• Found Rosetta Stone and other treasures on
  campaign to Egypt and Asia
• Sold Louisiana Purchase to USA
• Instituted Napoleonic Code

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Charles de Gaulle

• A soldier and POW during WWI
• Became general during WWII and later the leader
  of the Free French guerilla movement against the
  Nazis
• From 1944-1946 he headed the French Provincial
  Govt and then as French President from 1958-1969
• De Gaulle opposed US influence in Southeast Asia
  as well as siding with the Arab states in Israeli
  conflicts
• His policies helped France
• Become 4th nuclear state
• Become 3rd state to launch a satellite

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Arts and Music

• Painters
• Monet (Impressionist)
• Manet (Impressionist)
• Renoir (Impressionist)
• Degas (Impressionist)
• Gauguin (Post Impressionism)
• Cezanne (Post Impressionism)
• Delacroix (Romantic)

• Composers
• Debussy (Impressionist)
• Berlioz
• Bizet
• Ravel
• Offenbach

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Claude Monet(Impressionist)

• Founder of French Impressionist painting
• Some of his works have sold for over 71 million
  dollars this year

"Suddenly I had the revelation of how magical my
pond is. I took up my palette. Since that time I
have scarcely had any other model." -Claude
Monet
Haystacks
woman with parasol
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Edouard Manet (1832-1883)

• Impressionist/Realist
• He never became fully assimilated into
  Impressionist style
• Friend of Monet
• A lot of oil on canvas

Portrait of Emile Zola
Bar at Folies-Bergeres
Le Dejeuner sur LHerbe Breakfast on the Grass
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Edgar Degas

• Impressionist, but not fully preferred to be
  called a realist
• Over half of his works are of dancing
• One of finest portrait painters in history
• Oil on canvas
• Also excelled in pastels and sculpture

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Auguste Renoir
Le Moulin de la Galette

• Also Impressionist

Luncheon of the Boating Party
The Umbrellas
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Famous Authors

• Victor Hugo Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les
  Miserables
• Alexandre Dumas, pere The Three Muskateers,
  Man in the Iron Mask, The Count of Monte
  Cristo
• Gustave Flaubert Madame Bovary
• Moliere (Comedic playwright) Tartuffe
• George Sand
• Jean Paul Sarte
• Jules Verne Journey to the Center of the
  Earth, Around the World in 80 Days, 20,000
  Leagues Under the Sea

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French Scientists

• Discover...
• Henri Becquerel, Physics Nobel prize laureate
  in 1903
• In 1896 Becquerel discovered by pure chance that
  radiation ionises the air. It is not caused by
  the Sun and its intensity does not decrease with
  the passage of time. This is the beginning of the
  nuclear age.
• Georges Charpak, Physics Nobel prize laureate
  in 1992
• Saint-Vincent-de-Paul hospital in Paris uses a
  revolutionary radiology equipment which is the
  result of research conducted by the French Nobel
  prize laureate Georges Charpak.
• Marie Curie, Physics Nobel prize laureate in
  1903, Chemistry Nobel prize laureate in 1911
• Through her discovery of radium, Marie Curie
  paved the way for nuclear physics and cancer
  therapy. Born of Polish parents, she was a woman
  of science and courage, compassionate yet
  stubbornly determined.
• René Descartes
• Philosopher, mathematician and physician of the
  XVIIth century. Author of the Discours de la
  méthode, he said "I think, therefore I am".
• Louis Pasteur, the father of modern medicine
• From his works on the rabies virus to the
  creation of the world kown Pasteur institute. All
  you have to know about Pasteur if you didn't
  heard about him during the Pasteur year !