Radical%20Revolution

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Radical Revolution

• Noblemen meet Aug 4, 1789 (mostly out of fear) to
  figure out what to do
• Eliminate feudal privileges of 1st two estates
• Now everyone, including commoners, are equal -
  old Regime is dead!
• Soon after, write the Declaration of the Rights
  of Man and of the Citizen
• Inspired by the US Declaration of Independence

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Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the
Citizen

• States men are born and remain free and equal in
  rights
• Includes liberty, property, security resistance
  to oppression
• Guarantees citizens equal justice, freedom of
  speech and religion
• New slogan Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
• Fraternity means brotherhood (not for women)

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Religious Reforms

• Took over sold Catholic church lands used the
  money to pay debts
• Priests church officials would have to get
  elected paid by govt
• Church lost all independence
• Peasants are shocked, dont support these moves
  devout Catholics

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France Becomes Divided

• National Assembly spends 2 years arguing over new
  constitution many of the changes
• Meanwhile King Louis worries about his family
  failed escape attempt
• In 1791 new constitution is completed creating a
  constitutional monarchy
• New legislative body Legislative Assembly
• It makes laws, King enforces (like US today)

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France Becomes Divided

• Unfortunately its the same old, same old
• Food shortages
• Govt debt
• Leg Assembly cant agree on how to solve the
  problems
• 3 factions
• Radicals on the left
• Moderates in the middle
• Conservatives on the right

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France Becomes Divided

• No monarch
• Major changes in govt

• Other groups also disagree on govt direction
• Émigrés nobles who fled France want Old
  Regime
• Sans-culottes urban workers, shop owners want
  major changes

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France Goes to War
Duke of Brunswick? if the Royal Family is
harmed, Paris
will be leveled!!
This military crisis undermined the new
Legislative Assembly
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France Goes to War

• French are mad at Prussias ultimatum regarding
  royal family march on the palace killing guards
  and imprisoning royal family
• Rumors spread that the kings supporters in
  prison were planning to escape, take over Paris
• People (radicals) attack the prisons, kill gt1000
  prisoners many were nobles, priests royalists

September Massacres
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Another New Govt

• Radicals pressure Legislative Assembly to
• Toss the constitution
• Depose the King (hes not King anymore ?)
• Dissolve the assembly hold new elections
• New governing body is National Convention
• Abolished monarchy
• France is now a republic they elect their govt
• Adult men can vote, hold office not women

National Convention
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Jacobins Take Control

• Most radicals belong to the Jacobin Club
  political organization
• Advocate for the death of anyone who supports the
  king
• They try convict Louis (now a commoner) for
  treason kill him with a new machine called the
  guillotine

Jacobin Club - Radicals
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Guillotine Humane Death

• Dr. Joseph Ignace Guillotin proposed machine that
  would be efficient, humane democratic
• Convicted all die the same type of death
• People wont feel any pain
• Many people didnt like it because it didnt
  offer enough time for the execution to be enjoyed
  by the audience!

September Massacres
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Oh yeah, theres still a war

• By now Great Britain, Spain, Holland have
  joined Austria Prussia
• The French are losing, so Directory orders a
  draft of 300,000 to expand army to 800,000 (some
  are women)
• Jacobins face enemies within France as well

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Jacobin Reforms

• Radical Maximillien Robespierre slowly has gained
  power
• He others want to build a republic of virtue
• Wipe out all traces of Frances past
• Change calendar, eliminate Sundays upsetting
  people who are religious
• Closed all the churches across France

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Committee of Public Safety

• Robespierre becomes leader of Committee of Public
  Safety
• Created to protect the Revolution from its
  enemies
• Eventually just about anyone could be accused of
  being an enemy go to the guillotine
• Many of those executed were the original
  revolutionaries
• Robespierre would kill anyone who disagreed with
  him

Reign of Terror
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Committee of Public Safety

• Robespierre becomes leader of Committee of Public
  Safety
• To protect the Revolution from its enemies
• Eventually just about anyone could be accused of
  being an enemy go to the guillotine
• Many of those executed were the original
  revolutionaries
• Robespierre would kill anyone who disagreed with
  him

Reign of Terror
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End of Terror

• Eventually his fellow revolutionaries turn on
  Robespierre send him to the guillotine
• People are tired of violence economic problems
• Moderate leaders create a new plan of govt (yes,
  another one!)
• It creates 2-house legislature the Directory
• Legislature is mostly upper middle class
• Directory (5 members) was moderate, but very
  corrupt