Revolution Brings Reform and Terror Chapter 7 Section 2

August 4, 1789 Nobles declared their love of liberty and equality Motivation = FEAR! Joined the National Assembly Did away with the Old Regime Estates

The Declaration of the Rights of Man Statement of revolutionary ideals Adopted by the National Assembly “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” Blend of the U.S. Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence

A State-Controlled Church Early reforms focused on the church Seized church property & paid off debt Church officials were to be elected & paid as state officials Devout Catholic peasants were appalled; they believed the church should be independent from the state…they no longer supported the assembly.

Louis XVI tries to escape Warned that he and his family were in danger June 1791, they tried to escape to the Austrian Netherlands They were apprehended at the border and brought back to Paris This intensified the hatred of his enemies

A Limited Monarchy 1791 the National Assembly had created a new constitution Louis XVI reluctantly approved It stripped the king of his absolute authority It created a Legislative Assembly that would create laws that the king would have to enforce

Factions Split France The countries problems split the Legislative Assembly into 3 groups Radicals-opposed the idea of a monarchy and wanted many government reforms Moderates-wanted some changes Conservatives-wanted few changes

Other Influences Émigrés-wanted to undo the Revolution and reinstate the Old Regime Sans-Culottes-wanted the Revolution to bring even more changes to France

War Austria & Prussia urged the French people to restore Louis XVI as an absolute monarch As a result, France declared war The Prussian commander threatened to destroy Paris if anyone harmed the royal family.

War An angry mob of 20,000 men broke into the castle, killing guards, and imprisoning the royal family Fear spread that the royal family would be released by a sympathizer…people went wild! The king was deposed and a new legislature was elected

New Legislature Elected Declared France a republic Granted adult male citizens the right to vote

Jacobins Members of a radical political organization Jean-Paul Marat (a famous member) called for the death of all those who continued to support the king Louis XVI was now a common citizen and prisoner

Maximillen Robespierre Slowly gained power Made a new calendar, renamed the months, and included no Sundays Religion was old-fashioned and dangerous Wanted to wipe away every trace of France’s past

Reign of Terror Robespierre governed France as a dictator Had enemies tried in the morning and guillotined in the afternoon Many “enemies” were fellow radicals who challenged his leadership Marie Antoinette was also executed A boy was executed for chopping down a “liberty” tree

Reign of Terror Georges Danton was executed At his trial he defended himself so well that they denied him the right to speak “Don’t forget to show my head to the people. Its well worth seeing.”

Reign of Terror As many as 40,000 were executed during this period 85% were peasants, urban workers, or the middle class; those who actually launched the revolution

End of Terror July of 1794, fearing for their own safety, members of the National Convention turned on Robespierre. July 28, 1794 Robespierre went to the guillotine

A new form of government 1795 Placed power firmly in the hands of the upper middle class Two-House legislature Directory=an executive body of 5 men Chose Napoleon Bonaparte to command France’s army