Radical Days: 6.3 The Reign of Terror

The Monarchy is Abolished  Outbreaks of Violence : Battles broke out between Revolutionaries and invaders who the crowd believed were supported by the King.  August 10, 1792: Crowd stormed the Tuileries Palace and killed the King’s guards.  Royal family fled to the legislative assembly  September Massacres: Citizens attacked prisons that held nobles and priests accused of political offenses.  These prisoners were killed along with ordinary criminals.

The Monarchy is Abolished Continued  The French Republic: Backed by Paris crowds, radicals took control of the assembly, and called for a re-election of a new legislative body, called the National Convention.  Suffrage, was extended to all male citizens.  This new convention met is Sept and was more radical than earlier assemblies.  Voted to abolish the monarchy and declare France a Republic  A new Constitution is drawn up.  Jacobins, who are in control of the Convention, intended to erase all traces of old order.  Seized land from nobles and stripped their titles.

Death of the King and Queen  Louis XVI was put on trial as a traitor to France.  Sentenced to death  January 21, On the foggy morning, Louis was brought in front of the people of Paris and beheaded with the Guillotine.  Marie Antoinette was was also executed in October of that year.  The queen showed great dignity as she went to her death.

Analyze Source  Read “Execution of a King” on p. 177.

Tensions Between Groups Continues  By 1793, France was being threatened on all sides as it was at war with much of Europe.  Also, royalists and priests led peasants in rebellion against the government.  People demanded relief from food shortages and inflation.  The Convention itself was divided between the Jacobins and the rival group the Girondins.

Committee of Public Safety  To deal with threats to France, the Convention created this committee.  12 member committee- had almost absolute power as it battled to save the revolution.  Prepared France for all out war and issued a mass levy that required all citizens to contribute to war efforts.  French armies overran the Netherlands and invaded Italy.  At home, they crushed peasant revolts.

Maximilien Robespierre  Robespierre, a lawyer and politician became the guiding hand in battling counterrevolutionaries.  Rose to leadership of the Committee of Public Safety.  Embraced Rousseau’s idea of the “general will”  Believed that France could achieve a “republic of virtue” only through the use of terror.  “Liberty cannot be secured, unless criminals lose their heads” Biography activity

2 nd Stage: The Reign of Terror (July 1793 to July 1794)  Robespierre was one of the chief-architects  Revolutionary courts conducted hasty trials…. Spectators greeted death sentences with cries of  “Hail the Republic!” or “Death to traitors!”  40,000 people were killed.  15% were nobles and clergy  15% were middle class citizens who supported the revolution of 1789 (Moderate Reformers)  The rest were peasants who participated in riots or revolts against Republic

Reign of Terror Continued  Many were executed, including victims of mistaken identity of false accusations by neighbors.  Many were also put into prisons where death was also common.  Why did Robespierre think the Terror was Justified?

Reign of Terror Continued  “It is necessary to stifle the domestic and foreign enemies of the Republic or perish with them… The first maxim of our politics ought to lead the people by means of reason and enemies of the people by terror… If the basis of popular government in time of peace is virtue, the basis of popular government in time of revolution is both virtue and terror.”  Robespierre  Within one year, the Reign of Terror fell apart.  The Convention turned on the Committee of Public Safety  July 27, 1794, Robespierre was arrested and executed the next day.

3 rd Stage: The Directory  In reaction to the Terror, moderates produced another constitution, the 3 rd since  Constitution of 1795 set up a five-man Directory and two- house legislature elected by male citizens of property.  Bourgeoisie was dominant force.  However, unable to fix economic issues. -Corrupts leaders lined their own pockets. -War with Austria and Great Britain continued. -Revival of Royalist feelings were a threat. -Emigres returning to France

Women in the Revolution  Women of all classes participated in the revolution from the beginning.  Many joined political groups.  Jeanne Roland- supported the Revolution through writings, her salon, and her influence of her husband, a government minister.  Declaration of the Rights of Women (Olympe de Gouges)  -”Woman is born free”  “All citizens, be they men or women, being equal in the state’s eye must be equally eligible for all public offices, positions, and jobs.” -However, she opposed the Jacobins during the Terror and was sent to the guillotine.

Women in the Revolution Continued  Women did gain some rights for a time  Made divorce easier  Women can inherit property  Did not last when Napoleon gained power.  Setbacks: 1793: Women’s rights to express their views in public came under attack.  National Convention declared that women lacked “the moral and physical strength necessary to practice political rights.”  Women’s Revolutionary clubs were banned.