The French Revolution

Human Legacy,

Chapter 20.1& 20.2

Pages 598-606

Creating a New Nation

“The violence that marked the beginning of the Revolutions eventually lessened. At this stage in the Revolution, the National Assembly began transforming centuries of French tradition. The Assembly formed a new government and France’s monarchy eventually crumbled.”

~Human Legacy, page 598.

Legislating New Rights

• Feudal Dues eliminated in August 1789

• Legal privileges of Clergy (1st estate) abolished

• Declaration of Rights of Man and of the Citizen – Inspired by Bill of Rights &

Declaration of independence

– Guaranteed freedom of speech, the press & religion

– Excluded women

Restrictions on Power

• Louis forced to leave Versailles and live in the Tuileries palace in Paris October 1789

• Church lands seized to pay of debts November 1789 – Religious orders disbanded

– Clergy made public employees

– Much backlash

Formation of a New Government

• National Assembly completes new constitution in 1791

• Taxpaying males over 25 gain suffrage

• Retained Monarchy

• June 1791, Louis & Marie Antoinette caught attempting to flee the country

Intervention of Foreign Powers

• July 1792, Prussia & Austria threaten France – Legislative Assembly Declares

War

• September 1792 – Sans culottes massacre

political prisoners in Paris

The End of the Monarchy

• August 10, 1792, Louis & Marie-Antoinette thrown into prison

• Legislative Assembly disbands

• National Convention takes control – Monarchy abolished

– France declared a republic

– French Army wins a battle

A Radical Government

“When the national Convention convened on September 20th, 1792, the radical representatives were in control. Under their direction, the Revolution took an extreme turn. France would no longer be a constitutional monarchy; it would be a republic.”

~Human Legacy, page 602.

Factions in the New Government

The Mountain

• Also called Montagnards

• Most radical group

• Supported by the Sans Culottes – Poor city-dwellers

• Members of the Jacobin clubs

• Favored abolition of the monarchy and creation of a republic

The Girondins

• Moderate group

• Came from rural provinces in Southwest France

• Opposed to excesses of Parisian mob – September Massacres etc

• Supported war to rally the nation and spread the revolution

• Represented Bourgeoisie class and small landowners

• Leader was Jacques Pierre Brissot

• Most were executed during the Reign of Terror

The Plain

• Swing voters

• Largest single group – 50% of all delegates to the

National Convention

• First supported the Girondins

• Later switched support to The Mountain

• Leader was Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes

Radical Leaders

Jean-Paul Marat

• Editor of a radical Newspaper: Friend of the People

• Supported by the sans culottes

• One of the most radical and vocal members of the Revolution

• Advocated mass executions

• Assassinated by Charlotte Corday, a sympathizer with the Girondins

– Became a martyr for the Montagnard cause

Georges-Jacques Danton

• Early agitator in the Revolution

• Advocated executions but in (some) moderation

• Leader of the Revolutionary Tribunal

• Generated revolutionary spirit – Encouraged volunteers to join

the French Army

Maximilien Robespierre

• Intense loyalty & dedication to the Revolution – Called the “incorruptible”

• Became increasingly radical

• Headed the Committee of Public Safety

• Advocated virtue and terror

• Tried to promote a new religion: The Cult of the Supreme Being

The Execution of the King

• Louis XVI place on trial by the National Convention in January 1793

• Montagnards wanted to execute the king to prevent any possibility of a return to monarchy

• Louis not permitted to speak

• Executed by guillotine on January 21st, 1793

• Reports in the London Times and other newspapers shock the rest of Europe

Tightening Control

• Committee of Public Safety – 9-12 members are de facto

executive branch of government

– In charge of Defense from External threats

– Institutes draft of all unmarried men 18-45

• Revolutionary Tribunal – Court to root out internal

threats

Transforming Society

• Replaced Roman Catholicism with Cult of the Supreme Being

• Changed the calendar – 10 day weeks

– Renamed the months

• Implemented the metric System

The Reign of Terror

• Revolutionary Zeal starting to die out in mid 1793

• Committee of Public Safety fears counterrevolution

• September 1793, Robespierre initiates the Reign of Terror – Mass executions beginning

with girondins

• July 1794 Reign of Terror Ends

Outbreak of Civil War

• Many Peasants now against the Revolution – Goal of elimination of feudal

dues already achieved

– Peasants supported the Catholic Church

– Many supported the King

– Resented the draft

• Vendee – Western France

– Catholic and Royal Army

Accusations and Trials • Revolutionary Tribunal

– Puts suspected enemies of the revolution on trial

– All those not actively supporting the Revolution are considered enemies

– Anyone with even moderate leaning was under suspicion

– Assumed guilty until proven innocent

– Members of the girondins are eliminated

– The Plain switches sides to protect itself

Death By Guillotine

• Guillotine invented as an efficient humane form of execution – Inventor was executed by his

own device

• Mass public executions in Paris – Could execute more than 1

person/minute

– Streets literally ran with blood

The Terror’s Victims

• All classes & occupations

• Men & women – Marie-Antoinette

– Olympe de Gouges

• Peasants & laborers most common victims

• Georges Danton

• Robespierre – 27 July 1794

• About 17000 victims

After the Terror

• Thermidorian Reaction – Moderates gain control

• Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes

– New constitution written in 1795 • Suffrage limited to male

property owners

• The Directory 1795-1799 – Board of 5 men

– Financial reforms

– Inefficient & corrupt