Ch. 21 Sec. 3 The French Rebuplic

The National Convention The National Convention was created from delegates elected by universal manhood suffrage  every adult male could vote The Nat’l Conv. was divided into 3 groups: the Girondins, Jacobins, 3rd group had no definite views (most came to favor the Jacobins)

Georges-Jacques Danton & Maximilien Robespierre were 2 of the most powerful Jacobins Jean-Paul Marat – extreme radical Jacobin that wanted reforms that would benefit all classes of society

Nat’l Conv. = governed for 3 yrs. Declared end of monarchy & beginning of Republic Wrote new constitution Brought Louis XVI to trial; beheaded by the guillotine Jan. 21, 1793

Exporting the Revolution The French army defeated the Austrian & Prussian forces plus tried to invade Austrian Netherlands G.B., Neth., Spain, Sardinia joined Austria & Prussia in an alliance against France 1793 Nat’l Conv. established the Committee of Public Safety to direct the army in crushing foreign invaders

The Committee of Public Safety (CPS) adopted conscription = the draft  led to a nationalistic spirit The Nat’l Conv. also established a special court, the Revolutionary Tribunal In W. France the “Royal & Catholic” army fought against the revolutionary army  counterrevolutionary - aim was to counter to or against, the Revolution

The Reign of Terror Nat’l Conv. worked to suppress all opposition & revolts w/ in France = the Reign of Terror (Sept. 1793 – July 1794) Jacobins directed it; not only against nobility, but against anyone suspected of disloyalty (spring of 1794, the French army had gained the advantage in the war) When Danton thought the Reign of Terror did its job, Robespierre had him put to death

Finally the Nat’l Conv. called it quits & had Robespierre guillotined & the Reign of Terror came to an end The Jacobins lost power & the wealthy middle class took control of the Nat’l Conv. Prices again rose sharply, causing hardship for the poor; many favored a monarchy again

Work of the National Convention The Conv. created the CPS (Committee of Public Safety) which tried to establish a democratic republic in which people would act according to the principles of good citizenship Opened new schools, established a wage & price controls to stop inflation, abolished slavery, encouraged religious tolerance in colonies, established the metric system, & a new calendar

By 1795 the French had driven invaders from French soil & conquered territory as far as the Rhine R. The Nat’l Conv. also used army to crush uprisings at home

The Directory 1795 the Nat’l Conv. establish a new constitution & they called the new gov’t the Directory 2-house legislature; 500-member lower house proposed laws while the more powerful 250-member upper house accepted or rejected the proposed legislation The upper house also had the power to select the executive branch, which consisted of five individuals known as directors

Napoleon Bonaparte Born in 1769 he was a French general at age 26; great organizational skills & was good manager of both political & military affairs Married Josephine de Beauharnais, a leader of French society From 1796 to 1815 France fought a series of wars – called the Napoleonic Wars

He took control of the French army in Italy: 1 He took control of the French army in Italy: 1. forced Sardinians to make peace 2. defeated the Austrians four times & made them sign a treaty that gave France control of all of N. Italy Went to attack British in Egypt, but that didn’t go so well The British organized an alliance of nations & drove French armies out of Italy

1799 the legislature did away w/ 4 of the 5 directors Armed troops surrounded the legislature & forced most of its members to leave Those who stayed turned the gov. over to Napoleon Seizing power by force is called coup d’etat