Topic 5.4-5.5 French Revolution 2

Page 1: French Revolution Overview

Context for the French Revolution (CBHS, Mr. Buttell).

Page 2: The Jacobins

• Jacobin Meeting House: Originated as a debating society focused on political issues, attracting men and women, primarily from the middle class.

• Created a vast network of affiliated clubs across France, promoting revolutionary ideas and mobilizing citizens for political engagement.

• Responded with patriotic fervor to the Declaration of Pillnitz, which threatened military intervention by Austria and Prussia against revolutionary France, heightening tensions within the political landscape.

Page 3: The "Second" French Revolution

• Timeline: Late September 1792 marked a pivotal shift in governance.

• The National Convention replaced the Legislative Assembly, officially declaring France a republic and radically transforming the political structure and principles of governance.

• Jacobin divisions: The political struggle saw the emergence of two main factions - the Girondins, who were more moderate and supported a federalist approach, and the Montagnards, who were seen as radical revolutionaries pushing for extreme and immediate changes.

• Girondin Rule (1792-1793) initially saw a focus on economic stability and less radical measures.

• The radical peak occurred during the Montagnards' reign (1793-1794), characterized by the "Reign of Terror", an extreme period of political purges and social upheaval led by leaders like Maximilien Robespierre and Georges Jacques Danton.

• A subsequent Thermidorian Reaction (1794-1795) emerged as a backlash against the extremes of the Terror, leading to the establishment of the Directory (1795-1799) which attempted to stabilize the nation amidst ongoing political chaos.

Page 4: The September Massacres (1792)

• Context: Rising fears among revolutionaries of anti-revolutionary prisoners conspired against French armies during external attacks from abroad heightened the political climate.

• Outcome: Driven by radical sans-culottes and influenced by figures like Jean-Paul Marat, the massacres resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 prisoners, severely damaging the Revolution's reputation abroad and raising concerns over its legitimacy and humane values.

Page 5: The Sans-Culottes

• Demographics: Comprised the laboring poor and petty traders, including small shopkeepers, tradesmen, and artisans, who collectively sought to protect the revolution and its achievements.

• Advocated for extreme political actions, reflecting deep societal grievances, and demanding fair treatment and economic relief to support and protect the Revolution.

• The Montagnards allied with the sans-culottes, leading to confrontations with the more moderate Girondists.

Page 6: The National Convention (September 1792)

• Initial Actions: The monarchy was abolished on September 22, 1792, marking the initiation of Year I of the new French Republic founded on principles of liberty and equality.

• Decree of Fraternity: Promised support to oppressed peoples in Europe seeking liberation from tyrannical governments, showcasing the revolutionary ambition to spread their ideals beyond French borders.

• Concept: Inspired rhetoric of revolutionaries expressed the idea that "When France sneezes, all of Europe catches cold!" illustrating the perceived impact of French revolutionary ideas across the continent.

Page 7: Fraternity through War

• The Battle of Valmy: On September 20, 1792, French forces successfully halted the advance of Prussian troops, marking a critical moment just before the official proclamation of the Republic.

• French military campaigns expanded rapidly, as the revolutionary government sought to confront neighboring monarchies: they invaded Savoy, captured Nice, occupied the Austrian Netherlands, and declared war on Britain and most European powers by February 1793.

Page 8: Vendee Revolt (1793)

• Geography: Illustrated by a detailed map highlighting insurrection areas concentrated in regions of Brittany and surrounding Paris.

• The revolt erupted in response to conscription demands necessitated for war efforts, driven primarily by exorbitant taxation and revolt against the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which many viewed as an affront to their religious beliefs and local authority.

Page 9: Causes of the Vendee Revolt

• The revolutionary government’s demand for 300,000 troops to support military campaigns during ongoing conflicts generated significant unrest.

• High levels of taxation placed excessive burdens on rural peasantry, leading to rising discontent.

• Resentment grew against the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which many saw as a violation of their religious rights.

• Many peasants felt they had failed to benefit from the previous sale of church lands, exacerbating grievances.

• Targets of the revolt included local officials, National Guardsmen, and non-juring priests (clergy who refused to take the constitutional oath).

Page 10: The Politics of the National Convention (1792-1795)

• The Montagnards represented radical factions with a strong power base in Paris, supported vigorously by the sans-culottes, and often adopted extreme measures to consolidate their influence and suppress opposition.

• In contrast, the Girondists, viewed as moderates with provincial support, became increasingly fearful of the sans-culottes' influence, seeking to lessen the radicals' control over revolutionary changes.

Page 11: Louis XVI's Role

• Montagnards' View: They perceived the king as a traitor who had allied himself with foreign powers to repress the revolution.

• Girondins' Approach: They advocated for the idea that the Revolution should pause, favoring exile for the king rather than advocating for his execution, believing this could secure broader support for their goals.

Page 12: Execution of Louis XVI (January 21, 1793)

• The trial of Louis XVI was rushed, exacerbated by the mounting evidence of the king’s alleged conspiracy to facilitate foreign intervention against his own nation’s revolutionary government.

• The National Convention ultimately voted 387 to 334 in favor of execution, symbolizing a definitive break with the monarchy and an embrace of republican ideals.

Page 13: Marie Antoinette

• Executed in October 1793, her death further symbolized the radical changes shaping the new Republic and served as a powerful act of revenge against the monarchy, reflecting the Revolution’s shift towards more radical policies.

Page 14: Maximilien Robespierre (1758 - 1794)

• As a leading figure of the Reign of Terror, Robespierre was integral in shaping the direction of the National Convention and instigating fear-based policies as means of consolidating power and maintaining order during tumultuous times.

Page 15: Georges Jacques Danton (1759 - 1794)

• An influential revolutionary leader whose close alliance with Robespierre played a crucial role in the early phases of the Revolution; however, his calls for moderation and stability amidst the radical fervor eventually led to his downfall.

Page 16: Jean-Paul Marat (1744 - 1793)

• A radical revolutionary who played a pivotal role in mobilizing public sentiment and violence against those perceived as enemies of the Revolution, utilizing his newspaper, L'Ami du Peuple, to incite fervor and action among the masses.

Page 17: Overthrow of Girondists (June 2, 1793)

• The sans-culottes and Montagnards aligned forces to arrest and remove 29 Girondist deputies from power, drastically altering the government structure and the revolutionary landscape.

• The establishment of Representatives-on-Mission was implemented to oversee provincial governance and the military, ensuring the revolutionary ideals were enforced throughout the country.

• Watch committees were instituted to monitor suspects deemed counter-revolutionary, intensifying the atmosphere of fear and suspicion.

Page 18: Committee for Public Safety (CPS)

• The CPS was endowed with dictatorial powers to safeguard the Revolution, effectively overseen by influential leaders like Robespierre and Danton.

• Its impact was extensive, leading to approximately 300,000 arrests and executions that varied between 16,000 to 50,000, showcasing the magnitude of the violent response to potential threats against the revolutionary ideals.

Page 19: Planned Economy

• Collaborations between the CPS and sans-culottes aimed at ensuring fair prices, focusing on maintaining public order and a moral economic order during a time of scarcity.

• Maximum prices were mandated for essential goods like bread, distanced from typical market practices to curb inflation and provide relief for the masses.

Page 20: The Reign of Terror

• Robespierre's rhetoric called for justice, but this often manifested as terror; over 20,000 executions were recorded nationwide, instilling fear throughout the populace and perpetuating a cycle of violence in the name of revolution.

Page 21: Casualties during the Reign of Terror

• The demographics of those executed reveal stark inequalities: 28% were working-class individuals, 25% from the middle class, and 31% comprising clergy, with a small proportion (7%) being peasants and farmers, indicating broad social impacts during this tumultuous period.

Page 22: Cultural Changes/Religious Terror

• The de-Christianization movement aimed to diminish the influence of the Catholic Church from public life; the Church was heavily associated with the Ancien Régime, and many revolutionaries sought to destroy its power and symbols.

• This movement gained popularity among the sans-culottes, who aimed for a secular republic that reflected Enlightenment ideals away from traditional religious constraints.

Page 23: The De-Christianization Program

• The introduction of a new Republican Calendar abolished traditional religious holidays, signifying a symbolic severing of the nation’s ties with the Church, reflecting a desire for new national identity rooted in revolutionary values.

Page 24: New Republican Calendar

• Months were organized into a ten-day week system instead of the traditional seven, and the names of the months were derived from seasonal features, aligning the calendar with nature rather than religious observance.

Page 25: Transition Years in the New Republican Calendar

• The calendar years marked the founding of the Republic in 1792 and continued until the reversion to the Gregorian system in 1806, showcasing the revolutionary commitment to distinct societal changes.

Page 26: Religious Practices Banned

• Public religious exercises were banned entirely; significant monuments, such as Notre Dame, were repurposed for secular ceremonies, further exemplifying the shift away from ecclesiastical influence.

Page 27: Backlash to De-Christianization

• Widespread public alienation, especially in rural areas, created resistance to radical changes; this backlash eventually led Robespierre to support a return to limited religious toleration to regain broad public support.

Page 28: Radical Government Response

• During this radical phase, no formal constitution was established; governance was driven by revolutionary fervor and the urgency of crisis management, often at the expense of democratic processes.

Page 29: "Levee en Masse"

• A massive initiative aimed to draft one million soldiers by 1794, emphasizing merit-based military service rather than class privilege, showcasing the revolution's shift toward a more inclusive military recruitment policy.

Page 30: French Victory at Fleurus

• Marked on June 26, 1794, this critical victory underscored French nationalism and military resourcefulness, altering the momentum in favor of revolutionary forces and reinforcing the government's legitimacy.

Page 31: Intensified Reign of Terror

• The executions of Danton and the Hébertists highlight internal conflicts among revolutionary leaders reflecting divisions within the movement and the lengths to which they would go to maintain the revolutionary agenda.

Page 32: The "Thermidorian Reaction" (1794)

• Robespierre’s increasingly paranoid threats in speeches after the fall of key allies contributed to his downfall; he was arrested and subsequently executed on July 28, ending the most radical phase of the Revolution.

Page 33: The "Cultural Revolution"

• This period saw sweeping changes aimed at aligning society with Enlightenment ideals, incorporating modern standards for weights, measures, and laws, emphasizing abolition of slavery in French colonies and various equality measures in relation to race and class.

Page 35: Features of the Directory

• The return of the Girondins in power resulted in significant shifts in the political landscape, imposing restrictions on the powers of the CPS and the reopening of churches, signalling a degree of political moderation.

• The Directory emphasized laissez-faire economics, moving away from the radical economic measures of the previous years.

• Established a bi-cameral legislature with a five-member committee known as the Directory, which functioned as the executive.

Page 36: Characteristics of the Directory

• The outlawing of the Paris Commune and the resultant political and economic corruption prompted widespread societal impacts, leading to societal disenchantment with the government.

Page 37: Directory Government Structure

• The oligarchic structure was designed to prevent a return to dictatorship; however, legislative processes were divided between two councils to manage both governmental authority and popular sovereignty.

Page 38: Political Instability (1795-1796)

• Notable events during this era included rampant inflation, bread riots due to food scarcity, and the military's suppression of various revolts, which reflected the ongoing societal discontent and challenges to the Directory's authority.

Page 39: Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte

• The coup d'état on November 9, 1799, led to the abolition of the Directory and paved the way for the formation of the Consulate, with Napoleon emerging as one of the heads of this new government structure, marking a significant shift in French politics and governance.