The French Revolution – part 2 (Ch. 7, Sec. 2)

1. France Declares War on Austria & Prussia 2. Legislative Assembly Took Control3. France’s Reign of Terror

What led France to declare war with Austria & Prussia?

• National Assembly set up a Constitutional Monarchy (with Legislative Assembly)

• 3 factions (conservatives, radicals, & moderates) fought to control the Assembly

• Austria & Prussia demanded Louis XVI be returned to throne, so Assembly declared war

• Louis XVI & family tried to escape, but were captured and put in jail

What happened when the new government took control?

• A new government (National Convention) abolished the monarchy & created a Republic

• Jacobins (a radical group led by Robespierre) took control of the new government

• National Convention found Louis guilty (treason) and sent him to guillotine (also Marie Antoinette)

• Jacobins (under Robespierre) began a reign of terror to eliminate enemies (King’s supporters)

The Guillotine

What happened during France’s Reign of Terror?

• Still at war with Austria & Prussia, the National Convention drafted 300,000 citizens into army

• Robespierre & his supporters began purging the country of “enemies of the Revolution”

• The Committee of Public Safety put 40,000 people to death using the guillotine

• When the assembly grew tired of the killing, Reign of Terror ended with Robespierre being executed on guillotine