Modern World History Chapter 7; Section 2 Revolution Brings Reform

Why is it important to learn about “Revolution Brings Reform & Terror”? Some governments that lack the support of a majority of their people still use fear to control their citizens.

Revolution Brings Reform… AND TERROR!

The Assembly Reforms France -On August 4, 1789, French noblemen motivated more by fear than liberty made speeches proclaiming their love of liberty -They ended the old regime, and overnight everyone in France was equal

The Rights of Man -3 weeks later the National Assembly adopted a statement of revolutionary ideals

-This was called the Declaration of Rights of Man and of the Citizen

-“Men are born free and remain free and equal in rights” -“liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression”

-Revolutionary leaders adopted the phrase “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.”

A State-Controlled Church -Lots of church reform -The Assembly took over all church lands

-They made it so all church people had to be elected -sale of church lands paid off France’s debt -This freaked out a lot of peasants

Louis Tries to Escape -Louis was told that France was not a safe place for him to be

-In June 1791, he tried to escape to Austria, but was caught at the border and taken back to Paris

Divisions Develop -In September 1791, the new constitution was finished -Most of the power of the King was stripped -Created a new legislative body called the Legislative assembly

Factions Split France -Still lots of problems like debt and food shortages

-Radicals sat on the left, Moderates in the middle, conservatives on the right

-Still others, like the Émigré wanted to undo the revolution completely (nobles)

-The Sans-Culottes, the poorish wanted even greater reforms (those w/out knee britches)

War and Execution -The French Revolution scared the monarchs pretty bad.

-Austria and Prussia tried to pressure France into restoring Louis as the absolute ruler -The French responded by declaring war on them in April 1792

France at War -The war went badly for France -Prussian troops were marching on Paris by June The Prussian commander said he would destroy Paris if the royals were harmed

-The French mob responded by imprisoning Louis, Marie Antoinette and their kids -Freaked out by rich people, French mobs kill all kinds of rich people

-All men got to vote

-The Monarchy is dead

Jacobins Take Control -The Jacobins were a radical political organization

-Jean-Paul Marat edited a newspaper called L’Ami du People (A friend of the people)

-The Jacobins decided to try Louis for treason -He was found guilty and sentenced to death

-January 21, 1793, the king was beheaded

The War Continues -The French Army finally takes a huge win at the battle of Valmy

-However, pretty much the rest of Europe joins the fight against France -So France drafts 300,000 soldiers -in 1794, there are 800,000 French soldiers

The Terror Grips France -Many were horrified by the Jacobins and the beheading of the king

Robespierre Assumes Control -Maximilien Robespierre slowly gained power by trying to create a gov’t of virtue

-They redid the calendar and got rid of Sundays -They closed all the churches in Paris

-In July 1793, Robespierre makes himself the director of public safety

-So begins the reign of terror

-People were arrested at dawn, tried in the morning and beheaded in the afternoon

-he was trying to get rid of “enemies of the revolution”

-People that were slightly less radical than he were beheaded

-Marie Antoinette was beheaded

-40,000 people were executed during this time

End of the Terror -In July, 1794, the national assembly turned on Robespierre -He was arrested and executed

-Then, the moderates drew another constitution giving lots of power to the middle class -this new constitution created a lot of stability

-They also put Napoleon in charge of the military