Chapter 21Part 4

The French Revolution

The “Miracle of Valmy”

The French Revolutionary Army successfully stopped the Prussian army at the Battle of Valmy Sept. 20, 1792

A 2nd rate battle it becomes a HUGE moral victory for the French and other victories start to occur

The very next day . . .

Sept. 21, 1792 France declared a

REPUBLIC (1st) National Convention (1792-1795)

replaces Legislative Assembly Landslide election of Jacobins and Republicans

(well-educated middle class) Marks “true” political democracy in

France The Monarchy was abolished The Republic was based on Equality,

Liberty and Fraternity

The National Conventiondivides into 2 factions:

The Mountain: radical republicans, pro-Paris, pro-strong centralized Govt. Called the Mountain b/c they sat on

highest bleachers left side of the hall Led by Robespierre and Danton

The Girondins: moderate and rural (bitter rivals to the Mountain)

a note on Maximillian Robespierre The most controversial person of the

Fr. Rev. Truly believed in transferring

Rousseau’s Social Contract into reality

Known as “The Incorruptible” for his morals

Convinced he knew “the General Will”

If French would not be “free and virtuous” voluntarily, then they would be “forced to be free”

.

The Sans-culottes

Members of the Parisian working-class, shopkeepers, skilled artisans

Definitely influenced National Convention

Involved in the Storming of the Bastille, Bread March to Versailles, the September Massacres

Girondins dislike/distrust them as time goes by, Mountain uses them

The Sans-culottes

Believed the National Convention was too moderate

Threatened the National Convention with mass uprisings …and they could deliver

January 1793

Citizen Louis Capet (Louis XVI) convicted of treason and guillotined

Out of 721 votes, 361-360--those who had supported regicide knew that they were in big trouble if the government fell

February 1793 France declares war on:

Britain, Spain, Netherlands (+Austria/Prussia)

May 1793

Mountain believes Girondins would ally with conservatives and royalists to remain in power

Arrest and behead 31 leading Girondins

W/ support of Sans-culottes and Enrage´s

Constitution suspended

Enrages

Leaders of the radical working class in Paris

Even scarier than the Sans-culottes After leading members guillotined,

many Girondins left Paris to work against the revolutionary government

By this time, many in France had lost faith in the Revolutionary government

Marat

Marat was supporting the Mountain (and Sans-culottes, and Enrages)

My favorite K-College prof despised Marat the most & I carry on the tradition

1793 stabbed to death while soaking his diseased skin in a bathtub by Charlotte Corday (Girondin supporter)

She was beheaded Women’s political clubs were closed

down by the government

The Death of Maratby Jacques-Louis David

July 1793-July 1794: The Reign of Terror

Cornerstone was 12-man Committee of Public Safety

Received dictatorial powers from Nat. Conv.

Ran Gov’t (which they centralized from Paris), made war decisions, planned the economy, dealt with justice and law

Law of Suspects: Accused enemies of Rev. tried by Revolutionary Tribunals (treason usually #1)

Committee of Public Safety, cont.

Used Sans-culottes, Enrage´s, Paris Commune, Hebertists, Cordeliers, women, to attain their goals

Another leader: Saint-Just Mountain sent out “deputies on a

mission” (like Louis XIII’s ____________) to keep eye on countryside

Necessary since revolts broke out across France

Law of the Maximum/Nationalization

The Government decreed maximum allowable prices fixed in paper assignats for key items

Price of bread fixed at levels the poor could afford

Rationing was introduced Small workshops were nationalized, raw

materials and grain were requisitioned by the government

Government produced arms and munitions

These measures indispensible for France to wage “total war” against its enemies (foreign & domestic)

Was an early version of socialism

The Terror

About 40,000 people die Most guillotined; but at Nantes 2000

people drowned chained to barges which were sunk drowning victims

Reign of Terror was a political weapon directed at all classes—NO ONE WAS SAFE! 8% of victims were nobles 14% were bourgeoisie 6% Clergy 70% peasants/laborers

The War Effort

Lazare Carnot reorganized the French army

Levee en Mass—forced conscription: single men combat, married men making arms and transport, women make & work in hospitals, tents (+clothes)

Spring 1794 800,000 man army Turned around war and began to

make inroads against the First Coalition

Reign of Terror, War Effort, & the Planned

Economy Bloody . . . but it worked Created tremendous fear Created tremendous nationalism

(but not just in France as time would show)

Brought French Revolutionary ideals to conquered areas

also abolished slavery in French colonies (albeit short-lived)

The Republic of Virtue

Created by Robespierre A new political culture designed to

promote revolutionary virtue New calendar introduced…

eliminated references to religious, Greco-Roman Gods, etc.

3 10-week days in a month; 10th day rest & celebrate virtues such as “Heroism” “Stoicism” “Hatred of Tyrants and Traitors”

1794 The Cult of the Supreme Being

A Deistic natural religion which recognized the existence of God and the immortality of the human soul

Notre Dame Cathedral became The Temple of Reason

Catholics were firmly against the government by this time

The Thermidorian Reaction: July 1794 French finally get their fill of

Robespierre Those influenced by Voltaire’s beliefs

helped to topple Robespierre July 27 Robespierre was delivering a

speech and shouts of “Down with the tyrant” met him and by sunset of the next day, he had been tried & executed (Danton had preceded him …followers killed also)

The working class had stopped supporting Robespierre when their fellows were targeted by the Law of Suspects