1. Ch. 21 Sec. 3
The French Rebuplic

2. 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)

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. The Reign of Terror
Nat’l Conv. worked to suppress all opposition & revolts w/ in France = the Reign of Terror (Sept – 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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