Revolutionary France

Legislative Assembly to the Directory

(1791-1798)

The Legislative Assembly (1791-92)

• Consisted of brand new deputies because

members of the National Assembly, led by

Robespierre, passed the Self-Denying

Ordinance.

• The NA believed the new system needed

new blood. They were practicing what they

preached.

• The L.A. was never able to rule effectively because:

1) Parts of France were still royalist (provinces far from Paris) and resisted their rule.

2) A lack of unity – factions within the L.A had different views on the fate of the King and the direction of the revolution and became bitter rivals, leading to civil war.

3) There was a serious threat of counter-revolution by noble émigrés and hostile nations.

4) The King was clearly not committed to being a constitutional monarch.

The Case for War• One of the main debates within the L.A. was a

debate over the wisdom of declaring war against

Austria (The Habsburgs). The majority of members

supported it.

Why?

• The monarchs of Europe considered the

revolution a threat to the “natural order”. It could

encourage problems in their own countries.

• French émigré nobles attempted to gather

support in neighbouring countries.

• Attacks on the Catholic Church made

revolutionary France the enemy of the Pope and

Catholic nations as well.

• Marie Antoinette’s brother (Emperor Leopold of

Austria) issued the Padua Circular in July 1791

suggesting the formation of a coalition against

France.

• This led to the Declaration of Pillnitz in Aug. 1791

which several countries pledged to protect the

French Royal Family.

Europe 1791

War vs. First Coalition

• Due to this, the L.A. voted to declare war on

Austria and her allies on April 20, 1792.

Why?

• They hoped the war would unite France and

end internal strife.

• They wanted to destroy their enemies and

dismantle other absolute monarchs.

• The King accepted and did not use his veto.

Why?

• A French victory would increase his popularity.

• A French defeat would destroy the

revolutionaries and return him to absolutism.

• There was some opposition to the war. Robespierre initially opposed it.

o He believed that France was not ready to wage such a war and would lose everything.

o He also worried the military would become too powerful and a man like Lafayette could become dictator in a coup.

o Saw it as hypocritical – “no one likes armed missionaries”

• Initially, he was right. The coalition powers were winning and advancing into France.

• The coalition issued the Brunswick Manifestowhich asserted that the people of Paris would be severely punished by the invading forces if they harmed the royal family.

Parisian Response to the

Brunswick Manifesto

Suspension of the Monarchy• There was great anger and fear in Paris due to

the:

o Battlefield defeats and Brunswick Manifesto.

o King’s use of his veto to block punitive L.A.

decrees aimed against emigres and the

Church

• On Aug. 10 1792, the Paris mob stormed the

Tuileries and forced the royal family to flee to

the LA chambers for safety.

• They demanded the abolition of the

monarchy whom they believed to be working

against the revolution.

• The Sans-Culottes and the Paris Insurrectionist

Committee were now in control of the city.

• They force the LA to turn over the King and his

family and they are arrested (Sept. 1792)

• New elections are called to establish a new

constitution and make France a Republic.

• Violence against “counter-revolutionaries”

explodes during the September Massacres.

(see handout reading)

Rise to Power of Radicals

The National Convention (1792-1795)• The new government was to be elected by

universal male suffrage (21 and over). First

time in European history.

The King on Trial• Louis XVI was charged with treason and tried

before the National Convention.

• The convention found him guilty and

sentenced him to death by a narrow margin.

(see handout).

• This intensified factionalism. Most Girondists

were against the death sentence and began

to criticize men like Danton for the September

massacres.

• It also brought new members to the coalition

against France (Ex. England).

• The death sentence was deemed necessary

because the King was a rallying point for

counter-revolutionaries and was a threat

alive.

Threats to the Republic• “Federalist revolts” broke out all over France,

especially in the Vendee region. These

areas were rebelling against the Jacobins

and the increasing power of Paris and the

Sans-Culottes.

• The radical elements of the NC allied

themselves with the Sans-Culottes and had

the Girondins purged from the NC.

• The NC ruled in a chaotic time of war, revolt,

and political intrigue – it led to violence.

Reforms of the First French Republic

1) Levee en Masse (23 Aug 1793)

• France was organized for Total War.

o Men 18-25 were conscripted into the army. It

increased fighting strength to 800,000 by 1794.

o Civilians were organized to work on production

of ammunition and supplies for army.

o State propaganda flooded the streets

encouraging people to do their part.

o Was key in eventual victory in the war.

2) Law of the Maximum (29 Sept. 1793)

• There were food shortages and high prices due

to poor harvests and war.

• “Profiteers” were accused of taking advantage

of the situation, and in some cases hoarding to

drive prices up further.

• Robespierre led the charge to fix the price of

grain to keep it affordable for army and people.

• This led many to cease production because it

was not profitable. Violence ensued.

• More assignats were issued, causing inflation.

• Eventually, the General Maximum was passed,

fixing prices of all essential goods.

3) Legal Reforms

• The Convention suspended their own constitution in order to have broad and sweeping powers to root out “counter-revolutionaries” in a time of crisis.

• The Committee of Public Safety, selected from members of the NC, took on this task.

• Led to the Law of 13 March 1793(creation of a revolutionary tribunal to quickly prosecute traitors) and the Law of Suspects (Sept. 1793) that allowed arrest of people without evidence.

• This led to a virtual police state and the Great Terror, a massive political and societal purge.

• See “ch. 8” reading for more

4) Cult of the Supreme Being & the Revolutionary Calendar

• (see handout on the “Republic of Virtue”)

5) State Funded Education

• First public schools were established.

• 6) Slavery Abolished

• In 1794 the Convention abolished slavery. This was

motivated by slave revolts and agitation in the

French colonies (especially Haiti) where blacks

expected equality in the spirit of the revolution.

• “representatives of the French people, until now our

decrees of liberty have been selfish, and only for

ourselves. But today we proclaim it to the universe,

and generations to come will glory in this decree; we

are proclaiming universal liberty...We are working for

future generations; let us launch liberty into the

colonies; the English are dead, today.“ - Danton

The Directory (1795-99)

• The Convention had saved France from

defeat in war, but had failed to live up to its

vision for France.

• A new government was created by the

Constitution of the Year III. It consisted of 2/3

of the deputies left from the Convention.

o It sought to create a separation of powers

to avoid dictatorship.

a) Council of Five Hundred

o elected (franchise restricted to property owners)

o could propose legislation but not vote

b) Council of Ancients

o Also elected, numbered around 250.

o Could pass/deny legislation but could not propose it.

c) The Directors

o Five men chosen by the Council of Ancients from a list voted on by the Council of Five Hundred

oOne retired each year

o They held executive power (like a President)

• It was controlled by the Bourgeois class. It

maintained basic freedoms but eliminated

things like the Cult of the Supreme Being.

• Some nobles and royalists returned sensing a

period of reaction.

• The Directory brutally suppressed any radicals

and especially royalists who wished to see a

Bourbon restoration.

• The Directory was unpopular and marked by

corruption and stagnancy.