French Revolution Part 2 Key Terms

Jacobin Club

A political club in revolutionary France whose members were well-educated radical republicans.

September Massacres

scared of invasion by Prussia and riled by rumors that counterrevolutionaries would aid invaders, angry crowds of people stormed prisons and killed jailed priests and aristocrats.

National Convention

Replaced Legislative Assembly, popularly elected, 1792 declared France a republic, nation where people held sovereign power not the monarch. Many members belonged to the Jacobin Club. 1793 while at war with Austria and Prussia, declared war on Britain, Dutch republic and Spain. 1793 denominated or prohibited clubs and popular societies of women. 1795, abolished many economic controls (prices rose and restricted local political organizations.), same year member wrote a new constitution.

Girondists

A moderate group that fought for the control of the French National convention in 1793.

The Mountain

Led by Robespierre, the French National Convention’s radical faction, which seized legislative power in 1793.

Maximilien Robespierre

France, provincial lawyer and delegate, said the “revolution is over”. Was right in the fact most constructive reforms were in place but wrong in the fact the turmoil continued. Lead the mountain with Georges Jaques Danton. Led the committee of public safety, held dictatorial power and could use whatever force necessary to defend the revolution. With the committee he was able to fix the price of bread at least. Reign of terror where Robespierre’s Committee tried enemies of the nation for political crimes. 40,000 French men and women were executed or died in prison 300,000 were arrested. Halted de-Christianization measures. Was killed by guillotine.

Georges Danton

another lawyer that led the mountains with Robespierre, Robespierre thought he had turned against him and he was sent to his death by the guillotine.

Marie Antoinette

Put to death by guillotine later in the year after her husband Louis XIV.

Battle of Valmy

Prussians had stopped at this battle on September 20, 1792, a day before the republic was proclaimed. French armies then invaded Savoy and captured Nice, moved into the German Rhineland and by November 1972 occupied the entire Austrian Netherlands (modern day Belgium).

sans-culottes

The laboring poor of Paris, so called because the men wore trousers instead of the knee breeches of the aristocracy and middle class; the word came to refer to the militant radicals of the city. Mountain joined with them against the Girondists, also collaborated with Robespierre and his committee.

Committee of Public Safety

created in a convention in April 1793 to deal with threats from within and outside France. Robespierre held power. With the committee he was able to fix the price of bread at least. Reign of terror where Robespierre’s Committee tried enemies of the nation for political crimes. 40,000 French men and women were executed or died in prison 300,000 were arrested.

Reign of Terror

The period from 1793-1794 during which Robespierre’s committee of Public Safety tried and executed thousands suspected of treasons and a new revolutionary culture was imposed. 40,000 French men and women were executed or died in prison 300,000 were arrested

de-Christianization

part of the cultural revolution, campaign that aimed to eliminate Catholic symbols and beliefs. Halted by Robespierre.

Thermidorian Reaction

A reaction to the violence of the Reign of Terror in 1794, resulting in the execution of Robespierre and the loosening of economic controls.

Directory

preventative measure so there wouldn’t be another person with monopolizing power, granted executive power to a five-man body by the constitution, called the ______. Ended by Napoleon Bonaparte in a coup d’état.

coup d’etat

violent overthrow of government by a small number of people.