1851, Dec. 2. 2001. The Encyclopedia of World History

The Encyclopedia of World History. 2001.


1851, Dec. 2

The coup d'état. Comte Auguste de Morny, the president's half-brother, had a proclamation printed to inform the people of the dissolution of the assembly and the restoration of universal male suffrage and called a plebiscite for a fundamental revision of the constitution. The proclamations were posted while Republican and Royalist journalists and deputies were arrested during the night of Dec. 1–2. A popular rising was organized on Dec. 3, but troops under the direction of Gen. Jacques de Saint-Arnaud quelled the rebellion (Dec. 4).	1

Dec. 21

The plebiscite gave the president the right to draw up a new constitution (7,500,000 votes to 640,000) in the midst of continued repression of those who opposed Louis-Napoleon (over 20,000 arrested, amid widespread rioting in favor of a republic).	2


The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition. Peter N. Stearns, general editor. Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Maps by Mary Reilly, copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.