Section II: Revolution and Section II: Revolution and Terror Terror

(Pages 442-447)(Pages 442-447)

Section II: Revolution and Section II: Revolution and Terror Terror

(Pages 442-447)(Pages 442-447) This section is about:This section is about: How the French How the French

Revolution began with Revolution began with acts of violence and acts of violence and that a new that a new government was built government was built through painful steps.through painful steps.

How FranceHow France’’s royal s royal family was imprisoned family was imprisoned and executed.and executed.

How a violent Reign of How a violent Reign of Terror took over the Terror took over the government.government.

You should know the 2 You should know the 2 vocabulary words on vocabulary words on page 442.page 442.

We should also look at We should also look at the questions wethe questions we’’ll ll answer as we go answer as we go through this section: through this section: page 447: Review page 447: Review History (all 4).History (all 4).

The Revolution BeginsThe Revolution Begins

The National Assembly The National Assembly gave Louis XVI a list of gave Louis XVI a list of demands for reforms.demands for reforms.

He accepted taxes, He accepted taxes, individual liberty, and individual liberty, and freedom of the press. He freedom of the press. He ignore equal employment, ignore equal employment, opportunity for government opportunity for government offices, and reforms of the offices, and reforms of the social order (the Estates).social order (the Estates).

The National Assembly The National Assembly decided to make their decided to make their changes without the Kingchanges without the King’’s s consent anyway – so he consent anyway – so he knew he had to give in to knew he had to give in to them. them.

At the beginning of the Revolution, some believed that a constitutional monarchy would succeed if the aristocracy were weakened or excluded. This image portrays a battle between the victors of the Bastille (the people and the French Guards) against a monstrous hydra. Some of its heads have been cut, symbolizing “the enemies” slain during the seizure of the Bastille and the following days.

The Storming of the BastilleThe Storming of the Bastille

In Paris (14 miles from In Paris (14 miles from Versailles) people were tired Versailles) people were tired of waiting for the reforms of waiting for the reforms (and they were hungry).(and they were hungry).

When they heard one of When they heard one of their favorite ministers was their favorite ministers was fired, they got even angrier.fired, they got even angrier.

The soldiers who were The soldiers who were supposed to be keeping an supposed to be keeping an eye on the people were also eye on the people were also tired of waiting – and didntired of waiting – and didn’’t t try and stop mobs from try and stop mobs from breaking into their military breaking into their military hospital for supplies (and hospital for supplies (and muskets).muskets).

…………………………………………………………..

This mob started This mob started heading toward the heading toward the Bastille.Bastille.

The BastilleThe Bastille’’s guards s guards could not hold back could not hold back the attackers.the attackers.

By afternoon, the By afternoon, the mob had freed mob had freed prisoners, stolen prisoners, stolen more weapons, and more weapons, and violently killed the violently killed the guards (heads cut guards (heads cut off, stuck on pikes, off, stuck on pikes, and paraded around and paraded around the city).the city).

A prison where the king would keep his political prisoners / anyone who opposed

him

The Peasants ReactThe Peasants React

News of this revolt reached News of this revolt reached other towns.other towns.

They also forced their They also forced their leaders out of power.leaders out of power.

In the countryside, In the countryside, peasants attacked the peasants attacked the homes of their lords – and homes of their lords – and prepared for the army they prepared for the army they heard were going to come heard were going to come after them.after them.

They werenThey weren’’t ready to wait t ready to wait for reforms that might take for reforms that might take a while to get to them.a while to get to them.

For them, this time period For them, this time period is called: the Great Fear.is called: the Great Fear.

Toward a New GovernmentToward a New Government

The National Assembly The National Assembly finally approved a finally approved a document called: the document called: the Declaration of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Rights of Man and the Citizen.Citizen.

(our (our ““Bill of Rights?Bill of Rights?””))

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the CitizenCitizen

It took one night to decide toIt took one night to decide to:: Do away with feudal Do away with feudal

society.society. Do away with personal Do away with personal

privileges for aristocrats.privileges for aristocrats. Give open employment to Give open employment to

all people.all people. Abolish serfdom.Abolish serfdom. Do away with peasant Do away with peasant

tithing.tithing.

But they had more work to But they had more work to do: write a constitution.do: write a constitution.

……………………..

It took weeks to come It took weeks to come up with the up with the D.O.T.R.O.M D.O.T.R.O.M A.T.C.A.T.C.

ItIt’’s preamble and 17 s preamble and 17 articles stressed articles stressed equality under the law.equality under the law.

It provided freedom of It provided freedom of speech, press, and speech, press, and religion.religion.

It stated that LAWS It stated that LAWS were the true rulers of were the true rulers of France.France.

These laws applied to These laws applied to all (and had to be just all (and had to be just and reasonable).and reasonable).

The RevolutionThe Revolution’’s s ““battle battle crycry””: : ““Liberty, Equality, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.Fraternity.””

The March on VersaillesThe March on Versailles

Louis XVI is still around Louis XVI is still around during this (and still living at during this (and still living at Versailles).Versailles).

He would not accept the He would not accept the D.O.T.R.O.M A.T.C.D.O.T.R.O.M A.T.C. andand was was hoping troops would come to hoping troops would come to help him force the people to help him force the people to back down on their demands.back down on their demands.

The troops did arrive, but while The troops did arrive, but while they were there, some women they were there, some women from Paris (tired of waiting, and from Paris (tired of waiting, and hungry) marched to Versailles hungry) marched to Versailles (with sticks and knives).(with sticks and knives).

When they got to the palace, When they got to the palace, they forced their way into the they forced their way into the meeting of the National meeting of the National Assembly and demanded to see Assembly and demanded to see the king.the king.

............................................

The army (National The army (National Guard) followed the Guard) followed the women in – they were women in – they were soldiers made up of soldiers made up of citizens from Paris and citizens from Paris and were going to back up were going to back up their women.their women.

Louis XVI had no Louis XVI had no choice – he had to give choice – he had to give in to their demands.in to their demands.

He gave the women He gave the women bread and sent them bread and sent them home with a promise home with a promise that hethat he’’d sign the d sign the D.O.T.R.O.M A.T.C.D.O.T.R.O.M A.T.C.

The soldiers put up the The soldiers put up the new flag: the new flag: the tricolor.tricolor.

The royal family was The royal family was taken away and put in taken away and put in jail.jail.

The End of the MonarchyThe End of the Monarchy

In jail, Louis and In jail, Louis and Marie wondered what Marie wondered what would happen to would happen to them.them.

They were worried for They were worried for their lives.their lives.

TheyThey’’d have to try d have to try and escape and leave and escape and leave the country.the country.

An Attempt to EscapeAn Attempt to Escape Louis dressed up like a Louis dressed up like a

servant and snuck away to servant and snuck away to a waiting coach - the driver a waiting coach - the driver was going to take him to was going to take him to Austria.Austria.

When they made a stop, When they made a stop, someone recognized the someone recognized the king and in the next town king and in the next town he was caught – and he was caught – and taken taken back back to Paris (under to Paris (under guard).guard).

He didnHe didn’’t know the t know the National Assembly was still National Assembly was still going to use him as a going to use him as a leader (more like a leader (more like a figurehead of the new figurehead of the new government).government).

But after he tried to But after he tried to escape, they asked: escape, they asked: ““who who could trust this guy?could trust this guy?””

A lot of people were deciding to A lot of people were deciding to get out of France while they get out of France while they could (aristocrats from the could (aristocrats from the Second Estate).Second Estate).

Their plan was to go to Britain, Their plan was to go to Britain, Austria, or Germany for a Austria, or Germany for a while, and figure out how to while, and figure out how to come back and re-gain control come back and re-gain control of France.of France.

But other countries saw what But other countries saw what was going on in France and was going on in France and were worried theywere worried they’’d lose their d lose their power next. power next.

And the legislative Assembly And the legislative Assembly was worried theywas worried they’’d be d be attacked, so France and Austria attacked, so France and Austria declared war on each other.declared war on each other.

This is a big event – itThis is a big event – it’’s the first s the first time (in Europe) a legislative time (in Europe) a legislative assembly (made up of people) assembly (made up of people) declare war – and not a declare war – and not a king/queen.king/queen.

The National ConventionThe National Convention The people end up voting The people end up voting

for a new government for a new government again – now the National again – now the National Convention.Convention.

This bourgeoisie group This bourgeoisie group wrote a new constitution, wrote a new constitution, abolished the monarchy, abolished the monarchy, and declared France was a and declared France was a republic.republic.

The 2 sides of the National The 2 sides of the National Convention argued about Convention argued about what to do with Louis.what to do with Louis.

He was put on trial (where He was put on trial (where he refused to admit he did he refused to admit he did anything wrong).anything wrong).

They disagreed, and he was They disagreed, and he was executed.executed.

Nine months later, Marie Nine months later, Marie Antoinette was also Antoinette was also executed.executed.

Memorial to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, in the Basilica of Saint-Denis.

The Reign of TerrorThe Reign of Terror The The guillotineguillotine (unfortunately) (unfortunately)

is the symbol of France at is the symbol of France at this time in history.this time in history.

Prisoners found guilty of Prisoners found guilty of treason were taken to a treason were taken to a public execution, where public execution, where cheering crowds would come cheering crowds would come to watch the beheadings.to watch the beheadings.

Originally, nobles were Originally, nobles were executed by sword and executed by sword and peasants by hanging. peasants by hanging.

It was thought this caused It was thought this caused too much suffering, so Dr. too much suffering, so Dr. Joseph Guillotin (a member of Joseph Guillotin (a member of the National Assembly) the National Assembly) proposed a new method for proposed a new method for executions.executions.

At one point he was even At one point he was even arrested and faced the arrested and faced the guillotine, but was spared as guillotine, but was spared as things quieted down in things quieted down in France.France.

Robespierre and Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safetythe Committee of Public Safety

The National ConventionThe National Convention’’s s Committee of Public Safety Committee of Public Safety (led by Maximilien (led by Maximilien RobespierreRobespierre) was the most ) was the most powerful organization in powerful organization in the French government.the French government.

Robespierre supported the Robespierre supported the kingking’’s execution – and the s execution – and the ““Reign of Terror.Reign of Terror.””

The old Third Estate was The old Third Estate was now in power and wanted now in power and wanted to make sure the First and to make sure the First and Second Estates didnSecond Estates didn’’t t regain power – or regain power – or encourage a foreign encourage a foreign invasion.invasion.

……………………………………....

Anyone accused of plotting, Anyone accused of plotting, speaking, or writing (or speaking, or writing (or even showing sympathy for even showing sympathy for those people) against the those people) against the Republic was imprisoned Republic was imprisoned ““tried,tried,”” and executed. and executed.

Aristocrats, common Aristocrats, common citizens, men, women, were citizens, men, women, were all part of all part of ““the Terror.the Terror.””

Women tried to get better Women tried to get better rights, and it looked like rights, and it looked like they might for a while, they might for a while, but………… nope…but………… nope…

““The TerrorThe Terror”” lasted for about lasted for about a year until they realized a year until they realized you didnyou didn’’t need to execute t need to execute people to preserve the people to preserve the government.government.

One of the last people One of the last people guillotined?guillotined?

Robespierre