French Revolution

Main Idea: The revolutionary government of France made reforms bur also used terror and violence to retain power.

II. Reform & Terror

A. Assembly Reforms France

1. The National Assembly sweeps away the privileges of the nobility and the clergy

2. State takes control of the Catholic Church, alarming devout peasants

3. Louis XVI is caught as he tries to flee from France

B. Conflicting Goals

1. New constitution ends the absolute monarchy

2. Legislative Assembly is given the power to create laws

3. Old problems remain, and the government splits into three factions

a. Radicals: opposed the king and the idea of monarchy; wanted sweeping changes; proposed that common people have full power in republic

b. Moderates: wanted some changes in government but not as many as the radicals

c. Conservatives: upheld the idea of a limited monarchy; wanted few changes

C. War & Extreme Measures

1. Fearing the loss of their own positions

a. European monarchs support Louis XVI

b. France declares war on Austria

2. Louis XVI is imprisoned after a Parisian mob invades the royal palace

3. “September Massacres”: Parisian mobs murder prisoners

a. Lead the Legislative Assembly to depose the king and set aside the Constitution of 1791

b. By 1792, mobs are the real rulers of the country

c. New legislative votes to execute the king

4. Many French citizens become soldiers to fight Austria

D. Terror Grips France

1. Maximilien Robespierre gains control of the revolutionary government

2. Robespierre and his supporters try to wipe out every trace of the French nobility

3. Robespierre institutes the Reign of Terror

a. Time of thousands of arbitrary executions

E. End of Terror

1. Robespierre is executed

2. Third new constitution gives power to the upper middle class, and the government finds a new general—Napoleon Bonaparte—to lead the army