1. The Phases of the National Assembly
Chapter 18 Sections 3-4

2. Four Phases (Periods) of the French Revolution
National Assembly ( )
Legislative Assembly ( )
Convention ( )
Directory ( )

3. National Assembly ( )
Louis XVI did not actually want a written constitution
When news of his plan to use military force against the National Assembly reached Paris on July 14, 1789, people stormed the Bastille

4. Uprising in Paris People of Paris seized weapons from the Bastille
July 14, 1789
Parisians organized their own government which they called the Commune
Small groups – factions – competed to control the city of Paris
Uprising spread throughout France
Nobles were attacked
Records of feudal dues and owed taxes were destroyed
Many nobles fled the country – became known as émigrés
Louis XVI was forced to fly the new tricolor flag of France

5. Goodbye, Versailles! Adieu, Versailles!
Parisian Commune feared that Louis XVI would have foreign troops invade France to put down the rebellion
Louis XVI’s wife, Marie Antoinette, was the sister of the Austrian emperor
A group of women attacked Versailles on October 5, 1789
Forced royal family to relocate to Paris along with National Assembly
Royal family spent next several years in the Tuileries Palace as virtual prisoners

6. Tuileries Palace (Paris, France)

7. Changes under the National Assembly
Abolishment of guilds and labor unions
Abolition of special privileges
Constitution of 1791
Declaration of the Rights of Man
Equality before the law (for men)
Many nobles left France and became known as émigrés
Reforms in local government
Taxes levied based on the ability to pay

8. Declaration of the Rights of Man
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
Guaranteed property rights
“Liberty, equality, fraternity!”
Right of the people to create laws
Right to a fair trial

9. Declaration of the Rights of Woman
Journalist Olympe de Gouges argued in her Declaration of the Rights of Woman that women are equal citizens and should benefit from governmental reforms just as men did.
Madame Jeanne Roland also served as a leader in the women’s rights movement, and was able to heavily influence her husband (a government official).
Women did gain some rights during the French Revolution, but these were designed for purposes other than liberating women.
Women could inherit property, but only because doing so weakened feudalism and reduced wealth among the upper classes.
Divorce became easier, but only to weaken the Church’s control over marriage.

10. End of Special Privileges
Church lands were seized, divided, and sold to peasants
Civil Constitution of the Clergy required that Church officials be elected by the people, with salaries paid by the government
2/3 of Church officials fled the country rather than swear allegiance to this
All feudal dues and tithes were eradicated
All special privileges of the First and Second Estates were abolished

11. Reforms in Local Government
The 30 provinces and their “petty tyrants” (Intendants) were replaced with 83 new departments
Ruled by elected governors
New courts, with judges elected by the people, were established

12. Constitution of 1791 Democratic features Undemocratic features
France became a limited monarchy
King became merely the head of state
All laws were created by the Legislative Assembly
Feudalism was abolished
Undemocratic features
Voting was limited to taxpayers
Offices were reserved for property owners
This new government became known as the Legislative Assembly

13. Legislative Assembly (1791-1792)
Royal family sought help from Austria
In June, 1791, they were caught trying to escape to Austria
Nobles who fled the revolution lived abroad as émigrés
They hoped that, with foreign help, the Old Regime could be restored in France
Church officials wanted Church lands, rights, and privileges restored
Some devout Catholic peasants also supported the Church
Political parties, representing different interests, emerged
Girondists
Jacobins

14. Opposition to the New Government
European monarchs feared that revolution would spread to their own countries
France was invaded by Austrian and Prussian troops
In the uproar, the Commune took control of Paris
Commune was led by Danton, a member of the Jacobin political party
Voters began electing representatives for a new convention which would write a republican constitution for France
A republic is a government in which the people elect representatives who will create laws and rule on their behalf
Meanwhile, thousands of nobles were executed under the suspicion that they were conspirators in the foreign invasion

15. Convention ( )
On September 22, 1792, the Convention met for the first time
Established the First French Republic
Faced domestic opposition and strife
Girondists were moderates who represented the rich middle class of the provinces
Jacobins (led by Marat, Danton, and Robespierre) represented workers
Faced opposition from abroad
Austria, England, Holland, Prussia, Sardinia, and Spain formed a Coalition invading France

16. The “Second” French Revolution
The National Convention:
Girondin Rule:
Jacobin Rule: [“Reign of Terror”]
Thermidorian Reaction:
The Directory 

17. The Causes of Instability in France 1792 - 1795
Attitudes & actions of monarchy & court
Fear of Counter-Revolution
Religious divisions
The Causes of Instability in France
Economic Crises
Political divisions
War

18. The Jacobins Jacobin Meeting House
They held their meetings in the library of a former Jacobin monastery in Paris.
Started as a debating society.
Membership mostly middle class.
Created a vast network of clubs.

19. The Sans-Culottes: The Parisian Working Class
Small shopkeepers.
Tradesmen.
Artisans.
They shared many of the ideals of their middle class representatives in government!

20. Depicted as Savages by a British Cartoonist.
The Sans-Culottes
Depicted as Savages by a British Cartoonist.

21. The Storming of the Tuilieres: August 9-10, 1792
This was triggered in part by the publication in Paris of the August 3 Brunswick Manifesto, which confirmed popular suspicions concerning the king’s treason.

22. The September Massacres, 1792 (The dark side of the Revolution!)
Rumors that the anti-revolutionary political prisoners were plotting to break out & attack from the rear the armies defending France, while the Prussians attacked from the front.
Buveurs de sang [“drinkers of blood.”] over 1000 killed!
It discredited the Revolution among its remaining sympathizers abroad.

23. The National Convention (September, 1792)
Its first act was the formal abolition of the monarchy on September 22, 1792.
The Year I of the French Republic.
The Decree of Fraternity
it offered French assistance to any subject peoples who wished to overthrow their governments.
When France sneezes, all of Europe catches cold!

24. The Political Spectrum
TODAY:
1790s:
The Plain (swing votes)
Montagnards (“The Mountain”)
Girondists
Monarchíen (Royalists)
Jacobins

25. The Politics of the National Convention (1792-1795)
Montagnards
Girondists
Power base in Paris.
Main support from the sans-culottes.
Would adopt extreme measures to achieve their goals.
Saw Paris as the center of the Revolution.
More centralized [in Paris] approach to government.
Power base in the provinces.
Feared the influence of the sans-culottes.
Feared the dominance of Paris in national politics.
Supported more national government centralization [federalism].

26. The “Purifying” Pot of the Jacobin

27. Louis XVI as a Pig For the Montagnards, the king was a traitor.
The Girondins felt that the Revolution had gone far enough and didn’t want to execute the king [maybe exile him].

28. Louis XVI’s Head (January 21, 1793)
The trial of the king was hastened by the discovery in a secret cupboard in the Tuilieres of a cache of documents.
They proved conclusively Louis’ knowledge and encouragement of foreign intervention.
The National Convention voted 387 to 334 to execute the monarchs.

29. The Death of “Citizen” Louis Capet
Matter for reflection for the crowned jugglers.
So impure blood doesn’t soil our land!

30. Marie Antoinette as a Serpent
The “Widow Capet”

31. Marie Antoinette on the Way to the Guillotine

32. Marie Antoinette Died in October, 1793

33. Attempts to Control the Growing Crisis
Revolutionary Tribunal in Paris  try suspected counter-revolutionaries.
Representatives-on-Mission
sent to the provinces & to the army.
had wide powers to oversee conscription.
B. Watch Committees [comité de surveillance]
keep an eye on foreigners & suspects.
C. Sanctioned the trial & execution of rebels and émigrés, should they ever return to France.

34. Attempts to Control the Growing Crisis
The printing of more assignats to pay for the war.
Committee of Public Safety [CPS]
to oversee and speed up the work of the government during this crisis.
Committee of General Security [CGS]
responsible for the pursuit of counter-revolutionaries, the treatment of suspects, & other internal security matters.

35. Legislation Passed by the National Convention
Law of General Maximum
September 5, 1793.
Limited prices of grain & other essentials to 1/3 above the 1790 prices & wages to ½ of 1790 figures.
Prices would be strictly enforced.
Hoarders rooted out and punished.
Food supplies would be secured by the army!
Law of Suspects
September 17, 1793.
This law was so widely drawn that almost anyone not expressing enthusiastic support for the republic could be placed under arrest!

36. Let terror be the order of the day!
The Reign of Terror
Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible. -- Robespierre
Let terror be the order of the day!
The Revolutionary Tribunal of Paris alone executed 2,639 victims in 15 months.
The total number of victims nationwide was over 20,000!

37. What Happened?
Despite military successes, the Convention continued to face problems domestically
Danton and his Jacobin political party came to dominate French politics
Committee of Public Safety
Headed by Danton (and later Robespierre)
Those accused of treason were tried by the Committee’s Revolutionary Tribunal
Approximately 15,000 people died on the guillotine
Guillotine became known as the “National Razor”
Including innovative thinkers like Olympe de Gouges and Madame Jeanne Roland

38. Committee of Public Safety

40. End of the Reign of Terror
Members of the Girondist political party tried to end the Reign of Terror initiated by the Jacobin political party
This opposition to the Committee of Public Safety caused many Girondists to be tried and executed for treason
Eventually, even Georges Danton wanted to end the executions
This resulted in Danton being tried and executed for treason
Maximilien Robespierre became leader of the Committee of Public Safety
He continued the executions
Convention came to blame Robespierre for the Reign of Terror
Thermidorean Reaction
July 27, 1794 – ended the Reign of Terror
Convention sent Robespierre and other members of the Committee of Public Safety to the guillotine
Robespierre was guillotined on July 28, 1794 40

41. The Guillotine: An “Enlightenment Tool”?
Oh, thou charming guillotine, You shorten kings and queens; By your influence divine, We have re-conquered our rights. Come to aid of the Country And let your superb instrument Become forever permanent To destroy the impious sect. Sharpen your razor for Pitt and his agents Fill your divine sack with heads of tyrants.

42. Different Social Classes Executed7% 8%
28%
25%
31%

43. The “Monster” Guillotine
The last guillotine execution in France was in 1939!

44. Constitution of the Year III of the Republic (1795)
With the foreign invaders vanquished and the Reign of Terror at an end, the Convention was finally able to inaugurate its new constitution
Constitution of the Year III of the Republic (1795) created the Directory

45. Government under the Directory
5 directors appointed by the Legislature
Executive
Lower house (500 members) proposed laws
Upper house (250 members) voted on these laws
2/3 of the Legislature would initially be filled by members of the Convention
Legislature
Girondists (middle-class party) had defeated the Jacobins (working- and peasant-class party)
Girondists’ constitution stated that suffrage (the right to vote), as well as the right to hold office, were limited to property owners
Qualifications

46. Other Parting Reforms Passed by the Convention
Adopted the metric system
Dealt the final blow to feudalism by abolishing primogeniture (the system whereby the oldest son inherited all of his father’s estate)
Drew up a comprehensive system of laws
Ended debt imprisonment
Ended slavery in France’s colonies
Established a nationwide system of public education

47. Directory ( )
The Directory suffered from corruption and poor administration.
The people of France grew poorer and more frustrated with their government.
Despite, or perhaps because of, these struggles, the French developed a strong feeling of nationalism – they were proud of their country and devoted to it.
National pride was fueled by military successes.
It would be a military leader – Napoleon Bonaparte, coming to power through a coup d’état – who would end the ten-year period ( ) known as the French Revolution.

48. A Republican Calendar

49. The New Republican Calendar
Vendemaire
(Vintage)
22 September-21 October
Brumaire
(Fog)
22 October-20 November
Frimaire
(Frost)
21 November-20 December
Nivose
(Snow)
21 December-19 January
Pluviose
(Rain)
20 January-18 February
Ventose
(Wind)
19 February-20 March
Germinal
(Budding)
21 March-19 April
Floreal
(Flowers)
20 April-19 May
Prairial
(Meadows)
20 May-18 June
Messidor
(Harvest)
19 June-18 July
Thermidor
(Heat)
19 July-17 August
Fructidor
(Fruit)
18 August-21 September
The New Republican Calendar
New Name
Meaning
Time Period
Vendemaire
Vintage
September 22 – October 21
Brumaire
Fog
October 22 – November 20
Frimaire
Frost
November 21 – December 20
Nivose
Snow
December 21 – January 19
Pluviose
Rain
January 20 – February 18
Ventose
Wind
February 19 – March 20
Germinal
Budding
March 21 – April 19
Floreal
Flowers
April 20 – May 19
Prairial
Meadow
May 20 – June 18
Messidor
Harvest
June 19 – July 18
Thermidor
Heat
July 19 – August 17
Fructidor
Fruit
August 18 – September 21

50. A New Republican Calendar Year
Vendemaire
(Vintage)
22 September-21 October
Brumaire
(Fog)
22 October-20 November
Frimaire
(Frost)
21 November-20 December
Nivose
(Snow)
21 December-19 January
Pluviose
(Rain)
20 January-18 February
Ventose
(Wind)
19 February-20 March
Germinal
(Budding)
21 March-19 April
Floreal
(Flowers)
20 April-19 May
Prairial
(Meadows)
20 May-18 June
Messidor
(Harvest)
19 June-18 July
Thermidor
(Heat)
19 July-17 August
Fructidor
(Fruit)
18 August-21 September
A New Republican Calendar Year I
1792 – 1793 II
1793 – 1794
III
1794 – 1795 IV
1795 – 1796 V
1796 – 1797 VI
1797 – 1798
VII
1798 – 1799
VIII
1799 – 1800 IX
1800 – 1801 X
1801 – 1802 XI
1802 – 1803
XII
1803 – 1804
XIII
1804 – 1805
XIV
1805
The Gregorian System returned in 1806.

51. The De-Christianization Program
The public exercise of religion was banned.
The Paris Commune supported the:
destruction of religious & royal statues.
ban on clerical dress.
encouragement of the clergy to give up their vocations.
The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris was turned into the “Temple of Reason.”
The deportation of priests denounced by six citizens.

52. The “Temple of Reason”
Come, holy Liberty, inhabit this temple, Become the goddess of the French people.

53. The Festival of Supreme Being
A new secular holiday

54. Backlash to the De-Christianization Program
It alienated most of the population (especially in the rural areas).
Robespierre never supported it.
he persuaded the Convention to reaffirm the principle of religious toleration.
Decree on the “Liberty of Cults” was passed
December 6, 1793.
BUT, it had little practical effect!

55. No God! No Religion! No King! No Constitution!
The Radical’s Arms:
No God! No Religion! No King! No Constitution!

56. The Terror Intensified: March to July, 1794
Jacques Hébert & the Hérbetists
Danton & the “Indulgents”
Executed in March, 1794
Executed in April, 1794
Law of 22 Prairial [June 10, 1794].
Trials were now limited to deciding only on liberty OR death, with defendants having no rights.
Were you an “enemy of the people?” (the law was so broadly written that almost anyone could fall within its definition!)
1,500 executed between June & July.

57. The Arrest of Robespierre

58. The Revolution Consumes Its Own Children!
Danton Awaits Execution, 1793
Robespierre Lies Wounded Before the Revolutionary Tribunal that will order him to be guillotined, 1794.

59. Review Questions 1. What Paris building was stormed on July 14, 1789?
2. What human rights were established in France by the Declaration of the Rights of Man?
3. How did Olympe de Gouges fight for women’s rights?
4. What were émigrés, and why did French revolutionaries view them as a threat?
5. Name and describe the two political parties that competed for power in revolutionary France.
6. What was the Committee of Public Safety?
7. Describe the Reign of Terror and explain how it eventually came to an end.
8. Were the “excesses” of the French Revolution justified? Why or why not?
9. Looking back at the first half of 1789, could the French Revolution have been avoided? If so, how?

60. More Review Questions 1. What is a Republic?
2. What group did the Jacobins Represent?
3. What are the causes of instability in France?
4. What were the September Massacres?
5. What does it mean when they say “When France sneezes; all of Europe gets a cold.”
6. What is the National Razor?