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Reign of Terror. Phase II of the French Revolution. Events leading to the radical phase – the Reign of Terror. Declaration of Rights & Man . Embodied principles from DOI, EBOR & US Constitution Equality under the law Purpose of gov Natural rights Freedom of religion & speech
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Reign of Terror Phase II of the French Revolution
Declaration of Rights & Man Embodied principles from DOI, EBOR & US Constitution Equality under the law Purpose of gov Natural rights Freedom of religion & speech Ended feudal privileges
Civil Constitution of the Clergy Why did the Nat’l Assembly confiscate Church property? How was the Church hierarchy impacted by the CCC? Implications for papal authority? Who supported this shift in policy? Who opposed it? Will this irreparably harm the French Revolution?
Factions in the Legislative Assembly • Within the Legislative Assembly • Radicals – Jacobins • Moderates – Centrists – Girondists • Conservatives • Outside France • Reactionaries • Emigres
Foreign Powers • Felt threatened by the “Frenchplague” & émigré horror stories • Objectives were to: • Restore monarchy • Halt rev • Made diplomatic: • Declaration of Pilnitz • Brunswick Manifesto • This convinced French that the king was in collusion • Legislative Assembly responded by declaring war
War & the September Massacres • War began poorly for the French • Brunswick Manifesto – Prussian threats • Mobs invaded the Tuilleries • Rumors • September Massacres killed 1000+ (precursor to Reign of Terror)
Execution of the Louis XVI • Brunswick Manifesto was very provocative • Lent credence to suspicions that King was actively involved in counter-revolutionary activities
Formation of New Government • Radicals gained took over the Legislative Assembly in a coup • Set aside the Constitution & called for new government • Created the National Convention • Abolished the monarchy • Dissolved the assembly • Established a republic
Jacobins & the Reign of Terror • A radical group known as the Jacobins dominate the Nat’l Convention. • Jean-Paul Marat (L’ami du Peuple) called for the execution of anyone who supported the king. • George Danton, leader of the uprising against the king & the group’s most passionate orator
Maximilien Robespierre • Bourgeois who turned radical • Wanted to create “republic of virtue” based on reason • Wiped out every trace of France’s past • New calendar • No Sundays • Closed churches in Paris
Committee of Public Safety • Purpose was to implement the ideals of the Rev & “protect it from its enemies’ • Robespierre became a dictator • Executed any he considered “reactionaries” or “counterrevolutionaries” by guillotine • Justified use of terror ideologically (Hitler, Stalin will do so later)
Who were the enemies according to Robespierre? • Anyone who challenged his leadership or weren’t as radical as him. • Between 18- 40,000 were executed. • 85% were peasants, members of the urban poor or middle class for whose benefit the Revolution was waged.
End of Reign Terror July 1794 • Recognition that the rev had run amuck • Members of the Nat’l Convention feared for their own lives • Turned on Robespierre who was then executed • Moderates in Nat’l Convention draft new, moderate form of gov (3rd since rev) • New gov known as the Directory
What was the Directory? • 1794-1799 Government with: • Bicameral legislature • Middle class members • Five-men executive body (Directory) • Were moderates • Some were corrupt • Gave the country a few years of peace