French Revolution Notes

French Revolution Key Words Estates (classes of people) National Assembly Tennis Court Oath King Louis XVI (executed) and his wife Marie Antoinette Reign of Terror Madame Guillotine Maximilian Robespierre

Three Phases of the Revolution Liberal Phase – Characterized by a non-violent approach to diplomacy Radical Phase – Violence against the established order Thermidorian Reaction – Phase of going back to Christian and old French culture

Economic Causes of Revolution Bad harvests Food shortages Unemployment General poverty Government financial collapse

Liberal Phase May 5, 1789 Question of voting Third Estate (the most populous “class” of people) called themselves the National Assembly with the goal of drawing up a Constitution w/ a monarchy and legislative assembly

Liberal Phase Fall of the Bastille Royal troops turned on Louis XVI He created a National Guard Peasant rebellions began to break out Great Fear SUMMER OF 1789

Liberal Phase: Goals of National Assembly End relics of feudalism Made clerics and nobles pay taxes Calm down the peasants

Liberal Phase March on Versailles Royal family had to move back to Paris King forced to accept movements of the National Assembly Church lands seized

Liberal Phase Constitution of 1791 Monarch is still executive Legislative Assembly – Sovereign power – Active/passive citizens – Electors This gov’t failed and leads to radical phase

National Convention Dominated by political radicals Killing in order to end overcrowded prisons First met in September 1792 Ended up as the ruling body of France Executed the king

COPS Committee of Public Safety Goal was to control rebel forces throughout France Issued draft for French Army Inclusion of Revolutionaries in the Army spread revolutionary ideals throughout Europe

COPS Reign of Terror Killed anyone seen as an enemy of the Republic – No one class predominately killed

Dechristianization Temple of Reason New calendar – Ended Christian holidays – Represented radical break from past controls Removed word saint Priest married

End of Radical Phase Radical attitude lessened Ended COPS and executed leaders Ended dechristianization process

What was accomplished Protection of France from foreign invasion No counterrevolution took place Example of use of violence – Argument about the extent to which governments can do that

Thermidorian Reaction Terror ended White Terror began Churches reopened Laissez-faire economics New Constitution in 1795 Thermidorian Reaction (after the Rein of Terror)

Constitution of 1795 National legislative assembly: Council of 500 – Initiated legislation Council of Elders – Accepted or rejected laws Electors chose members electors owned or rented property worth at least 100 days labor – Electors chosen by active citizens

The Directory 5 man executive assembly Council of 500 gave list to Council of Elders who chose 2/3 of members of this system must have sat on the National Convention

New System PPl didn’t like that members were part of Convention Those in gov’t were corrupt and rich Royalists wanted to restore monarchy Left agitated by economic problems Created coup d’etat in 1799 of Napoleon