Chapter 7 Section 2 Notes Revolution Brings Terror and Reform

The Assembly Reforms France Throughout the night of August 4, 1789 nobleman made grand speeches about liberty and equality in hopes to swaying the National Assembly. This act will combine all 3 estates and officially as of the next morning kill the Old Regime 3 weeks later the National assembly will adopt revolutionary ideals called “The declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen” This ideal reflects the declaration of independence and states that men are born free and remain equal in rights. Their new shouting slogan will become Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!

A State-Controlled Church Many of the first reforms by the National Assembly focused on the church. The assembly will take over the churches lands and will declare that church leaders are to be elected and paid as state officials. This led to the Catholic church losing its proceeds, lands, and political influence. They National assembly took the church's lands and sold them off and significantly reduced the size of France’s huge debt.

Division Develops For 2 years the National Assembly argued for a new constitution. Then in September 1791 The national assembly completed the new constitution which they then forced King Louis XVI to approve creating a limited constitutional monarchy. This will strip the king from much of his authority. It created the a new legislative body called the “Legislative Assembly”- Had the power to create laws and approve or reject declarations of war. However the king still held the executive power to enforce laws. Even though France was seeing a new government old problems such as starvation persisted. How to handle these problems will cause this new Legislative assembly to SPLIT into 3 groups.

Radicals sat on the left side of the meeting hall and they opposed the idea of a monarchy and wanted big changes in government. Moderates who sat at the center of the meeting hall and wanted some changes in government but not as may as radicals. Conservatives sat on the right side of the hall and they upheld the idea of a limited monarchy with few changes in government. Outside of this new Legislative Assembly other outside groups wanted to influence the government. Emigres were one of these groups( wanted to undo the revolution and return to the old order)

War and Execution Surrounding countries watched in terror as France unfolded and fell into revolution. Many European countries urged French citizens to reinstate the old regime (because they were worried about revolutionary ideas spreading to their own country) The Legislative Assembly responded by declaring war in April 1792. This war will begin badly for the French when Prussian forces began to invade Paris. They threatened to destroy the whole city if they harmed a single member of the royal family. In response the people of Paris raided the homes where the royal family members were staying and killed off all the royal guards and threw the royal family in prison.

Fear spread all throughout France about secret supporters for the Royal family and so the people of France raided prisons and killed off thousands of political loyalists to the King/monarchy. The mob had officially taken over and demanded to set aside the new French constitution of 1791. The Legislative Assembly declared the king deposed and abolished the monarchy and declared France a republic. Adult male citizens were granted the right to vote and hold office. Women however were not given the ability to vote.

Jacobins Take Control Most people involved in the new governmental changes were known as radical members of the Jacobin party. Many of them believed that if you supported the king you were to be put to death. Georges Danton who was a lawyer was one of the most talented outspoken members of this party. The Jacobins will take over the government and try the king and convert him into an average citizen and then use that as a legal way of throwing him into prison. They will then try him for treason and sentence him to death on January 21, 1793. The king will walk himself up the steps of the scaffold to be beheaded by a machine called the Guillotine

The Terror Grips France In the early months of 1793 one Jacobin leader named Maximillian Robespierre slowly gained power. Set out to create a “republic” of virtue by wiping everything out Frances past. They will change the French Calendar into 12 months of 30 days in each month and made sure no months had Sundays because religion has to do with the old regime and that was considered dangerous. They will close all churches in Paris and in the next few years Robespierre will govern France as a dictator. Will become the leader of what is called the “Committee of Public Safety” This time in France under his rule will be known as the Reign of Terror The Committee of Public Safety’s job was to protect the revolution from its enemies. Under his leadership these “enemies” of France would be tried in the morning and guillotined in the afternoon.

Robespierre justified these mass killings as a way for French citizens to remain true to the revolution. The “enemies” of his revolution consisted mostly of radicals who tried to challenge him for his authority. In 1793-1794 many leaders of the revolution were beheaded because they were not radical enough to Robespierre’s standards. George Danton will eventually be executed and his last words were “Don’t forget to show my head to the people. It is well worth seeing” Thousands will be executed and roughly 85% were in the peasant class.

End of the Terror In July 1794 in fear of their own safety several members of the National Convention/Assembly turned on Robespierre. They demanded his arrest and conviction. The reign of terror will end on July 28, 1794 with the the chopping of Robespierre’s head. After his death public opinion will quickly change and become weary towards the revolution. (Why???) So in 1795 moderate leaders of the National Convention drafted a new plan of government the 3rd since 1789. It will place power firmly In the hands of the upper middle class and called for a 2 house legislature and an executive body of 5 men, known as the Directory.

These 5 men were known as moderates not revolutionaries. Some were corrupt and made themselves rich through their new governmental influence. Even through their own personal corruption they brought stability to their country after years of a bloody revolution. They also found the right man to command Frances armies and his name is Napoleon Bonaparte.