1. Revolution Brings Reform and Terror

2. The Assembly Reforms France
Nobles began to declare their love of liberty in order to save themselves from the angry mobs
This ends the Old Regime

3. The National Assembly issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man in August of 1789
The document contained principles found in the Declaration of Independence
“men are born and remain free and equal in rights”

4. The slogan of the revolution became “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”
These rights did not apply to women

5. A State-Controlled Church
The National Assembly then turned its attention to reforming the Catholic Church
The church was stripped of its land and the priests were made elected positions

6. The purpose was to sell the lands and pay off the debt
However, the French Peasants were devout Catholics who were upset by the reforms and began to oppose further reforms

7. Louis and his family began to fear for their lives and tried to leave France in June 1791
They were caught trying to cross the border

8. Divisions Develop
For 2 years the National Assembly argued over the new constitution
Eventually, a constitutional monarchy was created and a new legislative body was formed called the Legislative Assembly
The new government was not able to solve the food and money shortages

9. The body soon split into three groups
Radicals sat on the left of the hall and wanted to end the monarchy
Moderates sat in the middle and want some changes
Conservatives sat on the right and wanted limited monarchy but few other changes

10. Other groups in society also developed
Emigres were nobles who had fled France and wanted to restore the Old Regime
Sans-culottes were the workers who insisted on greater changes

11. Summarize the events of the French Revolution you have studied up to this point.

12. War and Execution
Other European nations feared the Revolution would spread to their lands
Austria and Prussia wanted Louis restored to the throne
The Legislative Assembly responded to these requests by declaring war

13. The war began badly for France
The Prussians were closing in on Paris
In August 1792, 20,000 people invaded the king’s palace and took the royal family prisoners

14. When the troops in Paris were sent to reinforce the army, rumors began to spread that the king’s supporters would try to revolt
The citizens responded by breaking into the prisons and murdering the supports of the king in during the September Massacres

15. After pressure from the streets, the constitution was set aside and a new assembly called the National Convention was elected
The king was deposed and all male citizens were given the right to vote

16. The radical political agenda was pushed by the Jacobins
Jean-Paul Marat was a prominent leader who wrote the L’Ami du Peuple.
Georges Danton was a lawyer who was devoted to the poor in Paris

17. The Jacobin led National Convention declared Louis to be a normal citizen and he and his family were sentenced to death
They were executed
by guillotine

18. After the British and Spanish joined against the French, the war efforts began to suffer
The National Convention ordered the draft of citizens to strengthen the army

19. The Terror Grips France
The Revolution soon faced enemies from within
Peasants, clergy, and rival leaders became the concern
Maximilien Robespierre gained power within the revolution

20. The Jacobins sought to eliminate all aspects of old France
The calendar was changed to eliminate Sundays and churches were closed
He soon became the leader of the Committee of Public Safety and acted as a dictator

21. Robespierre’s rule became known as the Reign of Terror
He felt if the people lived in fear they would be true to the Revolution

22. Common citizens were killed for trivial reasons and Georges Denton was killed for not being radical enough
As many as 40,000 people were executed during the reign, most of which were members of the Third Estate

23. End of the Terror
Robespierre was soon found to be too radical and was himself put to death
The moderates in the National convention soon drafted a new plan for the government
The third government in 6 years

24. Two legislative houses were made and the five man Directory was placed in charge of the country
These men soon found a general to lead the troops – Napoleon Bonaparte