The French Revolution

Part 3: The Radical Phase

Review• How much of their income were the peasants spending just

on bread?

• Describe the Great Fear

• Discuss the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen—describe its success and failures

• List some moderate reforms enacted by the National Assembly

• What was the Declaration of Pilnitz?

Abolishment of the Monarchy• Prussian forces destroy

French recruits

• Royalist officers desert the Army

• Parisians storm the Tuileries, kill the guards

• Citizens attack prisons, killing nobles and priests “September Massacre”

Abolishment of the Monarchy• Radicals take control of the

Legislative Assembly, create a new legislative body called the National Convention

• National Convention abolishes the monarchy and establishes the French Republic—and a second constitution

• Jacobins seize noble land and abolish all titles

• The National Convention tries Louis for treason and votes to execute him

The Reign of Terror• France at war with Britain,

Netherlands, Spain and Prussia

• More food shortages and inflation

• National Convention torn between Jacobins and Girondins

• Army begins to have success v. Netherlands, Italy, and peasant revolts at home

The Reign of Terror• National Convention creates

12-member Committee of Public Safety

• Robespierre “the Incorruptible” leads CPS, uses terror against enemies of France = “prompt, severe, inflexible justice”

• 300k arrested, 17k executed by guillotine

• National Convention turns on Committee of Public Safety

Revolution—Stage 3• Moderates produce a 3rd

constitution

• Sets up 5-man directory and 2-house legislature

• Dominated by the bourgeoisie

• Peace declared with Prussia and Spain

• Suppressed hungry sans-culottes

Social and Political change

• Ancien Régime is gone• Monarchy executed• Church under state

control• Nationalism spreads• La Marseillaise becomes

the national anthem• Slave revolt in Haiti leads

to abolition of slavery in France and colonies

Napoleon Bonaparte• Devout Catholics

supporting a constitutional monarchy win majority of seats in the legislature

• Politicians turn to a military hero against the Austrians—Napoleon Bonaparte

But What Does it Mean?