The French Revolution and Napoleon

(1789-1815)

Radical Days

WEX IIChapter 2, Section 3

Radical Days

At the end of this section, I will be able to answer the following questions:

Why did the revolution become more radical? What was the Reign of Terror? How did the French Revolution change daily life? Vocabulary suffrage, nationalism

Radical Days

France’s battles with other countries wasn’t bringing the victories they had hoped for– Well trained Prussian soldiers were cutting

down new French recruits– Royalist officers deserted the French army and

joined the émigrés and other who wanted to return the king to power

Radical Days

Violence breaks out in France Revolutionaries believe that the king was

siding with countries that were defeating France’s armies

On August 10th, 1792, a crowd invaded Tuileries and slaughtered kings guards

Royal family fled to the Legislative Assembly

Radical Days

What were the “September massacres”? Citizens attacked the prisons holding nobles

and priests accused of political offenses They killed the political prisoners and other

prisoners

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What's the National Convention? Radicals took control of the Assembly Elected a new legislative body called the

National Assembly Suffrage, right to vote, was extended to all

male citizens; not just land owners

Radical DaysThe National Convention meets in

September, 1792 and makes changes…– Abolish the monarchy – Declare France a republic– onarchyDeputies drew up a new constitution (2nd)

– Jacobins wanted to erase all traces of the old order Seized lands of the nobles Abolished titles of nobility All men & women were call “Citizen”.

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The Convention put Louis XVI and his wife on trail for being traitors– Both found guilty– Both were executed in January 1793– Both were beheaded in public display– Louis XVII died of unknown causes in a

dungeon

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What is the Committee of Public Safety? To deal with all the threats, the Convention

created the Committee of Public Safety 12 member committee had almost absolute

power trying to save the revolution It prepared France for all out war

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The Committee was effective Stimulated revolutionary fervor

– Young officers developed effective new tactics to win battles with ill-trained, but patriotic forces

– French armies overran the Netherlands– Then they marched into Italy

Monarchs shuttered as they carried “freedom fever” into the conquered lands

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Government battled counterrevolutionaries at home

Robespierre headed the Committee of Public Safety– Popular with the sans-culottes – incorruptible– France could become a “republic of virtue” only

through the use of terror– “Liberty cannot be secured unless criminals lose

their heads”

Radical Days Robespierre was the chief architect of

the Reign of Terror July 1793 – July 1794

– 40,000 people died– 15% nobles & clergy– 15% middle-class citizens– 70% peasants & sans-culottes– Dr. Joseph Guillotine was a member of the

legislature and invented the guillotine as more human than using an uncertain axe

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The “Reign of Terror” consumes it’s own They became wary of the bloodshed Feared that they could be next to visit the

guillotine The Convention turned on the Committee of

Public Safety– Beheaded the most radical &– Beheaded Robespierre

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France writes the new Constitution of 1795 Government becomes more moderate

– 3rd Constitution 5 man Directory 2 house legislature elected by male citizens

of property Corrupt and didn’t solve economic problems Ruled from1795 - 1799

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Women are active in the Revolution Demonstrated & fought in the streets Formed their own political clubs Jeanne Roland was a significant leader

– Writings– Salon – Influence through her husband who was a

government minister

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Women did get some rights Declaration of the Rights of Women

– Written by Olympe de Gouges– States women have same rights as men

Government made divorce easier Women could inherit property

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However, women’s rights were late reduced

In 1793, a committee of the National Convention declared that woman don’t have– “the moral & physical strength necessary to

practice political rights”– Women’s revolutionary clubs were banned– Gouges and other female moderates were sent

to the guillotine

Radical DaysDaily life changed in the 10 years following

the beginning of the revolution– Dislodged the old social order– The monarchy was overthrown– The church was brought under state control– Liberty caps & the tricolor – Practical clothes & hair cuts (instead of wigs) – Trends in children’s names

Constitution, Republic, August Tenth

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There’s a great increase in Nationalism “an aggressive feeling of pride in and

devotion to one’s country” By 1793, France was a nation in arms Troops in the port city of Marseilles marched

to a new song “La Marseillaise” This song became the national anthem

Radical Days “Come, children of the fatherland, The glorious day has arrived. Against us the bloody banner Of tyranny is raided To arms, citizens! Join the battalions Let up march, let us march!” La Marseillaise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTUygapkLas

Radical Days

Revolutionaries push for social reforms Compulsory elementary education

– State schools replace the religious schools Organized systems to help the poor and

care for old soldiers and war widows Abolished slavery in the French West Indian

colonies Extended religious toleration

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The Convention tried to de-Christianize France

Created a secular calendar with 1793 as Year 1

Banned many religious festivals Huge public ceremonies boosted support for

republican & nationalist ideals

Radical Days

Jacques Louis David leads a new movement towards classical art

These painting helped shape the way future generations pictured the French Revolution

Tennis Court oath http://www.myartprints.com/a/jacques-louis-david/the-tennis-court-oath-20t.html

Radical Days

I saw a sign in a restaurant that said, 'Breakfast served any time.'

I said, 'OK, I'll have French toast during the Renaissance."”

—Steven Wright

Radical Days

The End

Radical Days

French revolution funny presentation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otnADq4Y0-A&feature=related