So You Say You Want a Revolution?

Part Three: The Radical Takeover and the Reign of Terror

The French Revolution

Mr. BachAccelerated World History

Hudson High SchoolHudson, Ohio

Attitudes Attitudes & actions & actions

of of monarchymonarchy& court& court

Attitudes Attitudes & actions & actions

of of monarchymonarchy& court& court

Fear ofFear ofCounter-Counter-RevolutiRevoluti

onon

Fear ofFear ofCounter-Counter-RevolutiRevoluti

onon

ReligioReligiousus

divisiodivisionsns

ReligioReligiousus

divisiodivisionsns

PoliticPoliticalal

divisiodivisionsns

PoliticPoliticalal

divisiodivisionsns

WarWarWarWar

EconoEconomicmic

CrisesCrises

EconoEconomicmic

CrisesCrises

The Causes of The Causes of Instability in FranceInstability in France

1792 - 17951792 - 1795

The Causes of The Causes of Instability in FranceInstability in France

1792 - 17951792 - 1795

The Political The Political SpectrumSpectrum

JacobinJacobinss

MontagnarMontagnardsds

(“The (“The Mountain”)Mountain”)

GirondistsGirondistsMonarchíeMonarchíe

nn(Royalists)(Royalists)

1790s:1790s:The PlainThe Plain

(swing (swing votes)votes)

TODAY:TODAY:

The Storming of the The Storming of the Tuilieres:Tuilieres:

August 9-10, 1792August 9-10, 1792

This was triggered in part by the publication This was triggered in part by the publication in Paris of the August 3 Brunswick Manifesto, in Paris of the August 3 Brunswick Manifesto,

which confirmed popular suspicions which confirmed popular suspicions concerning the king’s treason.concerning the king’s treason.

The September The September Massacres, Massacres, 17921792

Rumors that the anti-revolutionary political prisoners Rumors that the anti-revolutionary political prisoners were plotting to break out & attack from the rear the were plotting to break out & attack from the rear the armies defending France, while the Prussians armies defending France, while the Prussians attacked from the front.attacked from the front.

Buveurs de sangBuveurs de sang [“drinkers of blood.”] [“drinkers of blood.”] over 1000 over 1000 killed!killed!

It discredited the Revolution among its remaining It discredited the Revolution among its remaining sympathizers abroad.sympathizers abroad.

The National The National ConventionConvention

• The internal and external threats radicalize the Legislative Assembly such that it set aside the Constitution of 1791 and called for a new election.

• The conservative constitutional monarchy of the Legislative Assembly is no more.

• The radically-controlled National Convention comes to power.

The JacobinsThe JacobinsJacobin Meeting HouseJacobin Meeting House

They held their meetings in the They held their meetings in the library of a former Jacobin library of a former Jacobin monastery in Paris.monastery in Paris.

Started as a debating society.Started as a debating society.

Membership mostly middle Membership mostly middle class.class.

Created a vast network of clubs.Created a vast network of clubs.

The The Sans-Culottes:Sans-Culottes:The Parisian Working The Parisian Working

ClassClass Small Small

shopkeepers.shopkeepers.

Tradesmen.Tradesmen.

Artisans.Artisans.

They shared many of They shared many of the ideals of their the ideals of their

middle class middle class representatives in representatives in

government!government!

Louis XVI’s Head Louis XVI’s Head (January (January 21, 1793)21, 1793)c The trial of the king The trial of the king

was hastened by the was hastened by the discovery in a secret discovery in a secret cupboard in the cupboard in the Tuilieres of a cache Tuilieres of a cache of documents.of documents.

c They proved They proved conclusively Louis’ conclusively Louis’ knowledge and knowledge and encouragement of encouragement of foreign intervention.foreign intervention.

c The National The National Convention votedConvention voted387 to 334387 to 334 to to execute the execute the monarchs.monarchs.

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Died in October, Died in October,

17931793

Jean-Paul Jean-Paul MaratMarat

(1744 – 1793)(1744 – 1793)

““The Death of Marat”The Death of Marat”by Jacques Louis David,by Jacques Louis David,

17931793

The Assassination of The Assassination of MaratMarat

by Charlotte by Charlotte CordayCorday

Paul JacquesPaul JacquesAimeeAimee

Baudry, 19Baudry, 19cc

[A Romantic[A RomanticView]View]

Maximillian Maximillian RobespierreRobespierre(1758 – 1794)(1758 – 1794)

Committee for Public Committee for Public SafetySafety

Revolutionary Tribunals.Revolutionary Tribunals. 300,000 arrested.300,000 arrested. 16,000 – 50,000 executed.16,000 – 50,000 executed.

Enemies Everywhere!Enemies Everywhere!

• In order to counter the huge number of foreign enemies, the Convention institutes a draft (including women)

• Panic continues to sweep over France as the revolution itself is threatened.

Enemies Everywhere!Enemies Everywhere!

• Conservatives • Peasants• Priests• Nobles• Emigres• The Law of Suspects (September 1793)

The Reign of TerrorThe Reign of Terror

Terror is nothing other than Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible.justice, prompt, severe, inflexible. -- Robespierre-- RobespierreLet terror be Let terror be the order of the order of

the day!the day!c The Revolutionary The Revolutionary

Tribunal of Paris alone Tribunal of Paris alone executed 2,639 executed 2,639 victims in 15 months.victims in 15 months.

c The total number of The total number of victims nationwide victims nationwide was over 20,000!was over 20,000!

Different Social Different Social Classes Executed Classes Executed

28%

31%

25%

8%

7%

Religious Terror:Religious Terror:De-Christianization De-Christianization

(1793-1794)(1793-1794) The Catholic Church was linked The Catholic Church was linked

withwithreal or potential counter-revolution.real or potential counter-revolution.

Religion was associated with theReligion was associated with theAncien RégimeAncien Régime and superstitious and superstitiouspractices.practices.

Very popular among the Very popular among the sans-sans-culottesculottes..

Therefore, religion had no place in Therefore, religion had no place in aarational, secular republic!rational, secular republic!

The De-Christianization The De-Christianization ProgramProgram

1.1. The adoption of a new The adoption of a new Republican Republican CalendarCalendar::

abolished Sundays & religious holidays.abolished Sundays & religious holidays. months named after seasonal features.months named after seasonal features. 7-day weeks replaced by 10-day 7-day weeks replaced by 10-day

decades.decades. the yearly calendar was dated fromthe yearly calendar was dated from

the creation of the Republic the creation of the Republic [Sept. 22, 1792][Sept. 22, 1792]

The Convention symbolically divorced The Convention symbolically divorced the state from the Church!!the state from the Church!!

A Republican A Republican CalendarCalendar

The New Republican The New Republican CalendarCalendarNew 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

A New Republican A New Republican Calendar YearCalendar YearI 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.

The De-Christianization The De-Christianization ProgramProgram

2.2. The public exercise of religion wasThe public exercise of religion wasbanned.banned.

3.3. The Paris Commune supported the:The Paris Commune supported the: destruction of religious & royal destruction of religious & royal

statues.statues. ban on clerical dress.ban on clerical dress. encouragement of the clergy to give encouragement of the clergy to give

up their vocations.up their vocations.

4.4. The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris was turned into the was turned into the “Temple of “Temple of Reason.”Reason.”

5.5. The deportation of priests denounced byThe deportation of priests denounced bysix citizens.six citizens.

The “Temple of The “Temple of Reason”Reason”

Come, holy Liberty, inhabit this Come, holy Liberty, inhabit this temple, temple,

Become the goddess of the French Become the goddess of the French people.people.

The Festival of The Festival of Supreme BeingSupreme Being

A new secular holidayA new secular holiday

The “Thermidorean The “Thermidorean Reaction,” Reaction,” 17941794

P July 26 July 26 Robespierre gives a Robespierre gives a speech illustrating speech illustrating newnew plots & conspiracies. plots & conspiracies.

he alienated members of the CPS he alienated members of the CPS & CGS. & CGS.

many felt threatened by his many felt threatened by his implications.implications.

P July 27 July 27 the Convention arrests the Convention arrests Robespierre. Robespierre.

P July 28 July 28 Robespierre is tried & Robespierre is tried & guillotined! guillotined!

The Arrest of Robespierre