French Revolution:PHASE 3:

Radical Republic to Directory

The Radical Republic

• Fueled by freedom of the Press

• By 1792 popular opinion had turned against the Monarchy!

The Radical Republic

• The National Convention (the legislature) writes a new constitution

• Ended the monarchy• Made France a

REPUBLIC – a government with elected officials

The Radical Republic

• Universal male suffrage – all adult male citizens given the right to vote

The Radical Republic

• Primary goal was to encourage greater equality

• Universal Elementary Education

Reforms of the Republic

Reforms of the Republic• New land for peasants• Introduced wage & price

controls• Abolished slavery in French

colonies• Abolished the Catholic

Church

Reforms of the Republic• Other reforms to rid

France of Old Regime:–Converted to metric system

–Adopted new calendar

–New street names–No formal pronouns or titles

The Sans-Culottes Lead the Way!

• The Sans-Culottes (“without knee breeches”) – shopkeepers, artisans, & workers – were in charge

The Sans-Culottes Lead the Way!

• Rejected elaborate clothing

• Called each other “citizen” & “citizeness”

• Considered patriotic

Symbols of the

Revolution

• Revolutionary Slogan:

• “liberte, egalite, fraternite”

• “Liberty, equality, fraternity!”

• The new French flag - tricolor

The Phrygian

Cap of Liberty

• The new anthem – The Marseillaise

To arms, citizens!Form your battalions,Let us march, let us march!

Execution of the King

Execution of the King

• In 1793, King Louis is tried, convicted, and beheaded for treason by radicals

“I forgive those who are guilty of my death…”

Execution of the King • Execution of the king

threatened foreign thrones

• Monarchs of Great Britain, Spain, & Netherlands joined Austria & Prussia in an alliance against France

“The kings in alliance try to frighten us, but we hurl at their feet, as a gauge of battle, the French king’s head” - Danton

The National

Convention

Two Groups in the National Convention• JACOBINS (extreme radicals):• Supported by sans-culottes• Had voted to execute Louis

XVI• Leaders: Robespierre, Danton &

Marat

Two Groups in the National Convention• GIRONDISTS (moderate radicals)• Felt revolution had gone far

enough• Wanted to protect wealthy middle

class• Wanted to spread ideas

The Committee of Public Safety

Committee of Public Safety

• Formed by Jacobins to direct war/repel foreign invasion

• Adopted conscription (the draft)

Committee of Public Safety

• Also dealt with counter-revolutionaries within France (those who wanted to stop the Revolution)

• Formed the Revolutionary Tribunal – court for suspected counter-revolutionaries

Committee of Public Safety

• Jacobins arrest Girondists as being secret royalists!

•Why?

Committee of Public Safety

• Girondists retaliate!

• Charlotte Corday, (Girondist) killed Jacobin leader Marat

• His assassination used as an excuse for:

• the Reign of Terror...

Committee of Public Safety

The Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror!• Led by Radicals

(especially Robespierre)

• Hunted down suspected traitors & counter-revolutionaries & turned them over to the Revolutionary Tribunal

The Reign of Terror

• Swift trials and harsh sentences

• Marie Antoinette executed

• Over 80% of those killed are commoners

• 40,000 dead total

The Reign of Terror• By spring of 1794, France was

winning the war & increased French territory

• People called for an end to the Terror but…

• Robespierre ordered new arrests!!

The Thermidor Reaction (July)

• Robespierre himself is sent to the guillotine as people seek an end to the Reign of Terror

• The people called for a new government

The Directory

The Directory• Another new constitution is

written• Government under the control of

the wealthy middle class• Only men with property could

vote• Executive council of 5 men called

Directors• 2-house legislature (bicameral)• Doesn’t last long…