Revolution Brings Reform and Terror

The Great Fear

Not only peasants felt the great fear

Nobles and churchmen were afraid

Many peasants burned down and destroyed manor houses

The Reform of France

August 4, 1789 - noblemen made speeches declaring their love of liberty and equality.

As a result, they joined other members of the N. Assembly to take away privileges of the First and Second Estate

By morning, Old Regime was dead

Create Propaganda!

You are a part of the Third Estate. You are to create your own propaganda that shows that the First and Second Estates are crushing the Third Estate. Create a picture and a slogan to get people to join in your effort to overthrow the crown!

The Rights of Man

Created three weeks after the Noblemen made their speeches

Influenced by the Declaration on Ind

Said all men are born and remain free and equal in rights

Gave rights - liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression

Also guaranteed equal justice, freedom of speech, and religion

What the Assembly wanted?

Early on - focused on the church.

Took over church lands and felt church officials should be elected and paid as state officials

This alarmed the peasants

Why? They were mostly catholics and having the church as part of state offended them

A Limited MonarchyIn 1791, the Assembly drafted a new constitution

Resulted in a Limited Constitutional Monarchy.

Stripped the King of most of his power

Created the Legislative Assembly - could create laws and approve or reject declarations of law

However, King had executive powers to still enforce laws

Factions Divide France• Despite a new gov’t, there were still food shortages and

debt

• This resulted in the Legislative Assembly splitting into three groups – Radicals, Moderates, Conservatives

• Radicals – opposed the monarchy and wanted a change in how the gov’t was run (Left meeting hall)

• Moderates – wanted some changes in gov’t (Middle)

• Conservatives – limited monarchy and few changes in gov’t (Right)

Other Factions

• There were other factions that wanted to influence the legislative assembly

• Emigres – nobles and other who had fled France, wanted to undo the Revolution and restore the old regime

• San-Culottes – Persian workers and shop keepers who wanted even greater changes in France

War and Execution• Monarchs and nobles in many European

countries feared the changes taking place in France.

• Feared similar revolts would take place in their countries

• Some countries took action as a result.

• Austria and Prussia – Wanted France to restore Louis to power as an absolute monarch.

• France then declared war in April 1792 on them.

Diary Entry• Each student will be a person in French Society.

• They will be: Conservatives, Moderates, Radicals, San Culottes, and Emigres

• Based on which person you are representing, write a diary entry explaining how you feel about the events going on. What do you feel should be done and why? Who should be in power? Who should control the government? How do you feel about the National Assembly? How do you feel about the Legislative Assembly? Are you fearful of what may happen in the country

France at War• War began HORRIBLY for France. By summer

1792, Prussian forces were advancing into Paris.

• Prussian commander threatened to destroy Paris

• August 10 – 20,000 men and women invaded Tuileries, a palace where the royal family was staying

• They massacred the royal guards and imprisoned Louis, Marie Antoinette and their children

France at War• After this, French troops, whom were defending

Paris, were sent to reinforce the French army in the field.

• Rumors again began to spread that supporters of the king held in Paris prisons planned to break out and seize control of the city.

• This resulted in several days of citizens raiding and murdering more than 1,000 prisoners (Nobles, Priests, and royalist sympathizers) – Known as September Massacres

France at War• Due to pressure from radicals on the streets and

its members, the Legislative Assembly set aside the Constitution of 1791.

• Declared the king deposed, dissolved the assembly, and called for an election of a new legislature. This new government, the National Convention, took office on September 21.

• It abolished the monarchy and declared France a republic – Adult male citizens were granted the right to vote and hold office.

Jacobins take Control• Most people who took part in the changes of

September 1792 were part of the radical political organization, the Jacobins.

• One of the most famous Jacobins – Jean-Paul Marat – edited a newspaper and he would write editorials

• He wanted those who still supported the king to be killed.

• George Danton was a lawyer who was a famous Jacobin as well.

Jacobins take Control

• The National Convention reduced Louis XVI’s role from King to a common citizen and prisoner.

• With the Jacobins in control, Louis was tried for treason.

• Founded guilty and, by a close vote, is put to death. He is beheaded via the Guillotine

The War Continues

• National Convention was concerned with the war with Austria and Prussia.

• When the National Convention took office, they had a stunning victory over the Austrians and Prussians at the Battle of Valmy

• Early 1793, however, Great Britain, Holland, and Spain sided with Prussia and Austria against France.

War Wages On

• As a result, France suffered a string of defeats

• To strengthen the army, the Jacobins ordered a draft of 300,000 citizens (ages 18-40) and the army had grown to 800,000 including women

Terror Grips France• These armies were not the only enemies of the

French

• The Jacobins had thousands of enemies within France.

• These included Peasant’s whom were horrified by the King’s execution, priests who would not accept gov’t control and rival leaders who were attempting to create rebellions in the provinces.

• They needed to control these enemies

Robespierre assumes control• Early months of 1793 – Jacobin leader –

Maximilien Robespierre slowly gained power.

• He set out to build a “republic of virtue” by wiping out every trace of France’s past.

• Even created a new calendar that did not include Sundays because the radicals considered religion old fashioned

Robespierre• July 1793 – Robespierre became leader of

Committee of Public Safety.

• For a year, he governed France as a dictator and his time of rule became known as the Reign of Terror

• His chief task was to protect the Revolution from its enemies. He often would try his enemies and execute them via the guillotine.

• Enemies who challenged him the most? Radicals who challenged his leadership.

Reign of Terror• From 1793-1794, many people who led the

Revolution were given the death sentence.

• However, their only crime was they were less radical than Robespierre.

• George Danton was even condemned and was sentenced to death.

• About 40,000 were killed via guillotine – 85 percent being peasants whom were suppose to benefit from the revolution

End of Terror• July 1794 – National Convention turned on

Robespierre

• Demanded he be arrested and executed. He was killed via the guillotine.

• French opinion shifted dramatically after his death and people of all classes had grown weary of the Terror.

• Also, they were tired of prices being so high for bread, salt, and other necessities.

End of Terror• In 1795, a third plan of government was put in

place.

• Placed power in the hands of the upper middle class and called for a two-house legislature and an executive body of five men, the Directory. They were moderates and not revolutionary idealists

• Some were corrupt and made themselves rich at the country’s expense, but this gave the country a period of order and they also found the right general to command France’s army – Napoleon Bonaparte