French Revolution

1
French Revolution

• Reign of Terror

2
National Assembly Reforms

• Noblemen and clergy changed their sentiment by
  professing desire for equality and libertywhy?
• Declaration of the Rights of Man
• Church Reforms
• Louis Tries to Escape

3
Reforms Declaration of the Rights of Man

• National Assembly adopts on Aug. 27, 1789
• Reflected the influence of the Enlightenment and
  Declaration of Independence
• Guaranteed citizens equal justice, freedom of
  speech, and freedom of religion
• Did not apply to women
• Olympe de Gouges wrote Declaration of the Rights
  of Women, but was executed

4
Church Reforms

• National Assembly seized Church lands
• Church officials would now have to be elected by
  landowners, paid as state employee
• Stripped wealth political power from Church
• Allowed state to sell Church lands to pay debts,
  instead of tax bourgeoisie
• Peasants, being devout Catholics, rallied behind
  their priests
• Role of church state drove a wedge between
  peasants bourgeoisiepeasants opposed any new
  revolutionary changes

5
Louis XVI Flees

• Many supporters of the King felt France unsafe
  and fled the country
• In June 1791, fearing for his life, King Louis
  XVI and his family tried to escape to the
  Austrian Netherlands
• They were recognized, and brought back to Paris
  under guard

6
Revolutionary DivisionsNew Constitution

• The National Assembly took 2 years to create a
  new constitution in Sept. 1791
• Limited constitutional monarchy (executive)
• Created Legislative Assembly (legislative)
• King was force to sign into law

7
Revolutionary DivisionsFactions Form

• Problems continues food shortages, large debt,
  and cries for more liberty equality
• Legislative Assembly

Radicals Moderates Conservative
Sat on the left side of the hall called left-wing Opposed the king the idea of a monarchy Wanted changes in govt proposed common people have full power in a republic Sat in the center of the hall were called centrists Wanted some changes in government, but not as many as the radicals Sat on the right side of the hall were called right-wing Supported the a limited constitutional monarchy Wanted few changes in govt
8
Revolutionary DivisionsFactions Form

• The factions of the Legislative Assembly
  disagreedthere were groups that are far more
  extreme
• Emigresnobles that fled France during the
  peasant uprisings
• On the extreme right, wanted to undo the
  Revolution restore the Old Regime
• Sans-Culottesthose w/o knee breeches, were
  Parisian workers
• On the extreme left, and exerted their influence
  through the Jacobins

9
Quick Question

• Explain the differing political views in the
  Legislative Assembly.
• Who are emigres and sans-culottes, and what are
  their political views?

10
France at War

• European monarchs feared, rightfully so, that the
  peasant revolution of France would spread
  throughout Europe
• France declares war on Austria in April 1792 in
  response to an Austrian request to restore Louis
  XVI to the throne
• Prussia joined the war on the side of Austria
• The Prussian troops were on Paris edge when
  Parisians stormed the royal palace, killing the
  Swiss guards to imprison the royal family
• Revolutionaries couldnt leave Paris to fight the
  war in fear that monarchists would recapture
  Paris is they left
• Sept. 1792, Parisians began killing over 1000
  monarchists in prisons so they could not revolt

11
France at War

• Under pressure from the radicals the Legislative
  Assembly set aside the Constitution, deposed the
  king, called for a new legislature and ended
  constitutional monarchy in France
• In Sept. 1792, the new governing body was the
  National Convention
• By early 1793 Great Britain, Holland, Spain
  joined Prussia Austria in war w/ France
• Forced France to enact a draft to respond

12
Quick Question

• Why does France go to war with Austria and
  Prussia?

13
Radicals Execute the King

• In the summer of 1792, the Paris mob had more
  power than any govt assembly
• Mobs were poor, but led by bourgeoisie
• Jacobins, radical political club of 1792
• Radical middle class of men and women
• Violent speeches called for removal of king
  establishment of a republic
• Jean Paul Marat, radical leader that edited a
  revolutionary paper
• Georges Danton, radical speaker advocate for
  Paris poor

14
Radicals Execute the King

• National Convention abolished monarchy on Sept.
  21, 1792 declared a republic
• Adult males could vote serve office
• Louis was reduced to citizen prisoner
• Jacobins forced Louis to be tried for
  treasonfound him guilty sentenced him to death
• Jan. 21, 1793, King Louis XVI was executed by
  guillotine

15
Quick Question

• What is the name of the Parisian workers that
  make up the Jacobins?

16
Reign of Terror

• Foreign enemies were one problem, but the
  Jacobins had many enemies w/in France
• Peasants (beheading of king), priests (govt
  control), rival leaders (vying for power)
• Maximilien Robespierre gained control of Jacobins
  in hopes to build republic of virtue
• Wanted to wipe out every trace of monarchy
  nobility
• Closed churches in throughout Franceopposed
  religion

17
Reign of TerrorCommittee of Public Safety

• Robespierre became leader in summer of 1793
• Decided who would be considered enemies of
  Republic
• From 1793-1794 governed France as a dictator
  during Reign of Terror
• The Committee executed thousands including Marie
  Antoinette, Danton, rival leaders, or any less
  radical than Robespierre
• 85 were peasantswho the revolution was supposed
  to benefit

18
Quick Question

• Why does the Committee of Public Safety execute
  some many people in the name of virtue?

19
End of the Terror

• July 1794, members of the National Convention
  feared for their lives turned on Robespierre
• He was beheaded on July 28, 1794
• Public opinion shifted to the right in 1795
  moderate leaders drafted a new constitution
• Power in upper-middle class
• Bicameral (2 houses) legislature
• Directory5 man executive body
• New govt appointed Napoleon to command French
  army

20
Quick Question

• List and describe all five French governments
  discussed during this unit.