Revolution Brings Reform and Terror

Chapter 7 Section 2

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The Assembly Reforms France

August 4, 1789 – The Great Fear is making everything chaotic and people are panicking – Feel like something must be done- meet the night of August 4 go all through the night – People make grand speeches, people crying, denounce all privileges. • “Patriotic drunkenness”- One upped each other on the amount they could give up – By the next morning the Old Regime is completely finished

The Assembly Reforms France

• Rights of Man – August 26, 1789- Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen – Declaration of rights of man and citizen • Ideas of Enlightenment – Liberty, Egalite, Fraternité- Liberty, equality, fraternity is adopted as thier slogan

The Assembly Reforms France

• A state controlled church – Took over church lands and made church officials be elected – Made them swear a loyalty oath- many refuse and are hunted down – Lands helped pay off France’s debt – – Church becomes a place for political announcements Many peasants are devout Catholics and were shocked by these reforms, thus no longer supported the Assembly • Separation of church and state

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The Assembly Reforms France

Louis tries to escape – Mobs keep King and Queen in the city when they try to leave to visit their priest – Decide to flee the country and return at the head of the Austrian Army ( Marie’s Brother Emperor) – Writes a letter before he leaves saying he does not believe in any part of the Revolution even though he had taken an oath of loyalty – Thought that only Paris would be the problem – Family makes escape in costume, pretends to be someone else – Louis gets cocky ( talked to people, put up curtains in carriage, etc.) – Recognized by Drouet from bank note- rides to the next town – About 1,500 people from town stop them in Varennes and return them to Paris under guard

Divisions Develop

• • • After 2 years of arguing finally make a new constitution in 1791 Limited constitutional monarchy Legislative Assembly- New body created by the constitution, could create laws and approve or reject declarations of war.

– King still had executive power to enforce laws

Divisions Develop

• • Old problems still remain Legislative assembly split into 3 groups.

– 1. Radicals- sat on the left side of the hall • Opposed the idea of Monarchy and wanted sweeping changes – 2. Moderates- Sat in the center • Wanted some changes, but not like the radicals – 3. Conservatives- Sat on the right • Wanted limited monarchy and few changes

Divisions Develop

• Factions outside the Legislative Assembly –

Emigres

• Nobles and others who had fled France and wanted to restore the old Regime –

Sans-Culottes

• Parisian workers who wanted the Revolution to bring even bigger changes in France • “Without Knee breeches”

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War and Execution

Europe looks on Horrified- Asks France to restore Louis – The Legislative Assembly Declares War in April 1792 – By Summer of 1792 Prussian forces almost to Paris • Threaten to destroy Paris if Royal Family harmed • August 10 20,000 people invade the royal palace and imprison the royal family • September Rumors again make them fearful so they raid the prisons and kill over 1,000 people ( mainly nobles, priest, and royal sympathizers)

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War and Execution

Radicals in the streets and among the Legislative Assembly pressure the Assembly into getting rid of the constitution – Declared the King disposed, new election of a new legislature Made a new governing body called the National Convention – Elected by universal manhood suffrage – Took office on Sept. 21, 1792 – Abolished monarchy, declared France a republic, all male citizens could hold office.

War and Execution

• Jacobins take control – Jacobins – the most powerful radical political organization during the French Revolution – Most people involved in the changes in 1792 were apart of this club – Under their control they reduce the King to commoner and tried him for treason – Find him guilty (by a very close vote) and sentence him to death – January 21, 1793 Louis executed by the Guillotine

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War and Execution

Fall 1792 tide turns to France’s advantage Early 1793 Great Britain, Holland, and Spain all join in fight against France.

Jacobin Leaders force to have a draft – 300,000 citizens between 18 and 40. – By 1794 army had grown to 800,000 and included women

The Terror Grips France

• • The new government of France has enemies from the inside as well as outside

Maximilien Robespierre

– Radical leftist – Very popular in the Jacobin clubs- wrote great speeches, had the nick name “L’incorruptible” – Wanted to build a “republic of virtue” – New calendar( 10 day wk.), new religion(cult of the supreme being), vous form outlawed

The terror grips France

• • • July 1793 Robespierre elected to committee of public safety Next year he rules basically as a dictator- his reign is know as the Reign of Terror – Imposing a “single will” through political surveillance and violence People tried in the morning and guillotined in the afternoon

The Terror Grips France

• • • Saw fellow radicals who wanted to relax/ stop the terror as willing to compromise and therefore not virtuous Tried to revolt and are all executed Suspended laws in order to get a stable government – 1500 people killed between June 10 and July 15, 1794 – Up to 40,000 people died during the terror

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End of the Terror

Eventually no one feels safe, so they turn on Robespierre July 1794 they come for Robespierre – Tries to kill himself, but shoots his jaw off – Take him to Guillotine and he dies the same place as Louis Backlash against the terror – Make a new government known as the directory • • Bicameral legislator and 5 men executive body Made up of moderates