Unit 3: Part 3 The National Convention 1792 - 1795“Rule of the Radicals” – change from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic.National Convention – took power after King Louis XVIwas imprisoned.• Declared France a Republic• Universal male suffrage - all males had right to vote• Louis XVI tried for treason

and executed Jan. 21, 1793

• Marie Antionette – executed on October 16, 1793

– Daughter Marie-Thérèse was allowed to go to Vienna in 1795 - not allowed to succeed to the throne

– Son Louis-Charles, a.k.a. Louis XVII (lived 1785-1795) was beaten and mistreated until he died in prison

Effects of War with Austria• Spread to include most of Europe• Led to increase in prices• Clergy and nobles supported a counter-revolution• disputes among the revolutionariesTwo Groups form in the National Convention1. Jacobins – most radical from Paris represented the

workers 2. Girondists – moderates who represented the rich

middle class

The three most memorable Jacobins were Georges Danton, Maximilien Robespierre, and Jean-Paul Marat.

Because of a debilitating illness, Marat was eventually forced to work from home. He was assassinated (in the tub while taking a medicinal bath) by Charlotte Corday, a Girondist sympathizer, in July, 1793.

The Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis David

Jacobins • Formed Committee of Public Safety led by Max Robespierre “Reign of Terror”• Critics of govt tried by the Committee’s Revolutionary

Tribunal• Organizes national army - draft men ages 18- 45• Georges Danton wanted to end the executions• This resulted in Danton being tried and executed for

treason• Convention came to blame Robespierre for the Reign of

Terror

Executions During the Reign of Terror

The Guillotine was a cruel form of punishment of death during the French Revolution. 

The Executioner cranked the blade to the top, and a mechanism released it. 

The blade was heavy, with its weight made the fall and the slice through the neck, severing the head from its body

In spite of its efficiency, an execution by guillotine was still a sickening spectacle. When the head was severed, blood poured from the body as the heart continued to pump. When it

was used frequently (as it was during the revolution), the stench from the place of

execution was horrible.

Although the guillotine is most closely associated with the French, the Nazis guillotined

more people (20,000) than were killed during the French Revolution. Hitler considered it a

demeaning form of punishment and used it for political executions in 1942 and 1943.

 The last use of the guillotine was in 1977. Capital punishment has been abolished in

France.

The Arrest of Robespierre

A conspiracy overthrew Robespierre.On July 27, 1794, he was barred

from speaking in public and was placed

Under arrest.

An uprising by his supporters was stopped, and on July 28 Robespierredied on the guillotine withhis other supporters. Eighty more followers of Robespierre were executed the next day.

July 27, 1794 End of the Reign of Terror• Robespierre executed on July 28, 1794• French public opinion shifted to the right• Moderates wrote a new Constitution that

created —The Directory– Two House Legislature– Five Man Executive