The “Second” The “Second” French RevolutionFrench Revolution The National Convention:The National Convention:

Girondin Rule: 1792-1793Girondin Rule: 1792-1793

Jacobin Rule: 1793-1794Jacobin Rule: 1793-1794[“Reign of Terror”][“Reign of Terror”]

Thermidorian Reaction: Thermidorian Reaction: 1794-17951794-1795

The Directory The Directory 1795-1799 1795-1799

Attitudes Attitudes & actions & actions

of of monarchymonarchy& court& court

Attitudes Attitudes & actions & actions

of of monarchymonarchy& court& court

Fear ofFear ofCounter-Counter-RevolutiRevoluti

onon

Fear ofFear ofCounter-Counter-RevolutiRevoluti

onon

ReligioReligiousus

divisiodivisionsns

ReligioReligiousus

divisiodivisionsns

PoliticPoliticalal

divisiodivisionsns

PoliticPoliticalal

divisiodivisionsns

WarWarWarWar

EconomiEconomicc

CrisesCrises

EconomiEconomicc

CrisesCrises

The Causes of The Causes of Instability in FranceInstability in France

1792 - 17951792 - 1795

The Causes of The Causes of Instability in FranceInstability in France

1792 - 17951792 - 1795

The JacobinsThe JacobinsJacobin Meeting HouseJacobin Meeting House

They held their meetings in the They held their meetings in the library of a former Jacobin library of a former Jacobin monastery in Paris.monastery in Paris.

Started as a debating society.Started as a debating society.

Membership mostly middle Membership mostly middle class.class.

Created a vast network of clubs.Created a vast network of clubs.

The National The National ConventionConvention

(September, 1792)(September, 1792) Its first act was the formal Its first act was the formal abolition of the monarchy on abolition of the monarchy on September 22, 1792.September 22, 1792.

The The Year IYear I of the French Republic. of the French Republic.

The Decree of FraternityThe Decree of Fraternity

it offered French assistance to any it offered French assistance to any subject peoples who wished to subject peoples who wished to overthrow their governments.overthrow their governments.

When France sneezes, When France sneezes, all of Europe catches all of Europe catches

cold!cold!

When France sneezes, When France sneezes, all of Europe catches all of Europe catches

cold!cold!

Louis XVI’s Head Louis XVI’s Head (January 21, (January 21, 1793)1793)

c The trial of the king The trial of the king was hastened by the was hastened by the discovery in a secret discovery in a secret cupboard in the cupboard in the Tuilieres of a cache Tuilieres of a cache of documents.of documents.

c They proved They proved conclusively Louis’ conclusively Louis’ knowledge and knowledge and encouragement of encouragement of foreign intervention.foreign intervention.

c The National The National Convention votedConvention voted387 to 334387 to 334 to to execute the execute the monarchs.monarchs.

The Death of “Citizen” Louis The Death of “Citizen” Louis CapetCapet

Matter for Matter for reflectionreflection

for the crowned for the crowned jugglers.jugglers.

So impure bloodSo impure blooddoesn’t soil our land!doesn’t soil our land!

Marie Antoinette as a Marie Antoinette as a SerpentSerpent

The “Widow Capet”The “Widow Capet”

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette on the Way to the on the Way to the

GuillotineGuillotine

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Died in October, Died in October,

17931793

Committee for Public Committee for Public SafetySafety

Revolutionary Tribunals.Revolutionary Tribunals. 300,000 arrested.300,000 arrested. 16,000 – 50,000 executed.16,000 – 50,000 executed.

Programs of the Committee

• “Law of Suspects”– Even the suggestion of anti-revolutionary

impropriety can result in extra-judicial arrest and execution.

• “Law of Maximum”– Price controls, Planned economy- see “Law of

Suspects”

Maximillian Maximillian RobespierreRobespierre(1758 – 1794)(1758 – 1794)

Georges Jacques Georges Jacques DantonDanton

(1759 – 1794)(1759 – 1794)

Jean-Paul Jean-Paul MaratMarat

(1744 – 1793)(1744 – 1793)

““The Death of Marat”The Death of Marat”by Jacques Louis David,by Jacques Louis David,

17931793

The Assassination of MaratThe Assassination of Maratby Charlotte by Charlotte

CordayCorday

Paul JacquesPaul JacquesAimeeAimee

Baudry, 19Baudry, 19cc

[A Romantic[A RomanticView]View]

The The Levee en Masse:Levee en Masse:An Entire Nation at Arms! – 500,000 SoldiersAn Entire Nation at Arms! – 500,000 Soldiers

An army based on merit, not An army based on merit, not birth!birth!

The Reign of TerrorThe Reign of Terror

Terror is nothing other than Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible.justice, prompt, severe, inflexible. -- Robespierre-- Robespierre

Let terror be Let terror be the order of the order of

the day!the day!c The Revolutionary The Revolutionary

Tribunal of Paris alone Tribunal of Paris alone executed 2,639 executed 2,639 victims in 15 months.victims in 15 months.

c The total number of The total number of victims nationwide victims nationwide was over 20,000!was over 20,000!

Different Social Different Social Classes Executed Classes Executed

28%

31%

25%

8%

7%

The “Monster” The “Monster” GuillotineGuillotine

The last guillotine execution in France was in The last guillotine execution in France was in 19391939!!

Religious Terror:Religious Terror:De-Christianization De-Christianization (1793-(1793-

17941794)) The Catholic Church was linked The Catholic Church was linked

withwithreal or potential counter-revolution.real or potential counter-revolution.

Religion was associated with theReligion was associated with theAncien RégimeAncien Régime and superstitious and superstitiouspractices.practices.

Very popular among the Very popular among the sans-sans-culottesculottes..

Therefore, religion had no place in Therefore, religion had no place in aarational, secular republic!rational, secular republic!

The De-Christianization The De-Christianization ProgramProgram

1.1. The adoption of a new The adoption of a new Republican Republican CalendarCalendar::

abolished Sundays & religious holidays.abolished Sundays & religious holidays. months named after seasonal features.months named after seasonal features. 7-day weeks replaced by 10-day 7-day weeks replaced by 10-day

decades.decades. the yearly calendar was dated fromthe yearly calendar was dated from

the creation of the Republic the creation of the Republic [Sept. 22, 1792][Sept. 22, 1792]

The Convention symbolically divorced The Convention symbolically divorced the state from the Church!!the state from the Church!!

The New Republican CalendarThe New Republican Calendar

New Name Meaning Time Period

Vendemaire Vintage September 22 – October 21

Brumaire Fog October 22 – November 20

Frimaire Frost November 21 – December 20

Nivose Snow December 21 – January 19

Pluviose Rain January 20 – February 18

Ventose Wind February 19 – March 20

Germinal Budding March 21 – April 19

Floreal Flowers April 20 – May 19

Prairial Meadow May 20 – June 18

Messidor Harvest June 19 – July 18

Thermidor Heat July 19 – August 17

Fructidor Fruit August 18 – September 21

A New Republican A New Republican Calendar YearCalendar YearI 1792 – 1793

II 1793 – 1794

III 1794 – 1795

IV 1795 – 1796

V 1796 – 1797

VI 1797 – 1798

VII 1798 – 1799

VIII 1799 – 1800

IX 1800 – 1801

X 1801 – 1802

XI 1802 – 1803

XII 1803 – 1804

XIII 1804 – 1805

XIV 1805

The Gregorian System returned in 1806.

The De-Christianization The De-Christianization ProgramProgram

2.2. The public exercise of religion wasThe public exercise of religion wasbanned.banned.

3.3. The Paris Commune supported the:The Paris Commune supported the: destruction of religious & royal statues.destruction of religious & royal statues. ban on clerical dress.ban on clerical dress. encouragement of the clergy to give up encouragement of the clergy to give up

their vocations.their vocations.

4.4. The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris was turned into the was turned into the “Temple of Reason.”“Temple of Reason.”

5.5. The deportation of priests denounced byThe deportation of priests denounced bysix citizens.six citizens.

The “Temple of Reason”The “Temple of Reason”

Come, holy Liberty, inhabit this Come, holy Liberty, inhabit this temple, temple,

Become the goddess of the French Become the goddess of the French people.people.

The Festival of Supreme The Festival of Supreme BeingBeing

A new secular holidayA new secular holiday

Backlash to theBacklash to theDe-Christianization De-Christianization

ProgramProgram It alienated most of the populationIt alienated most of the population(especially in the rural areas).(especially in the rural areas).

Robespierre never supported it.Robespierre never supported it. he persuaded the Convention tohe persuaded the Convention to

reaffirm the principle of religiousreaffirm the principle of religioustoleration.toleration.

Decree on the Decree on the “Liberty of Cults”“Liberty of Cults”was passedwas passed December 6, 1793.December 6, 1793. BUT, it had little practical effect!BUT, it had little practical effect!

The “Thermidorean Reaction,” The “Thermidorean Reaction,” 17941794

P July 26 July 26 Robespierre gives a Robespierre gives a speech illustrating speech illustrating newnew plots & conspiracies. plots & conspiracies.

he alienated members of the CPS he alienated members of the CPS & CGS. & CGS.

many felt threatened by his many felt threatened by his implications.implications.

P July 27 July 27 the Convention arrests the Convention arrests Robespierre. Robespierre.

P July 28 July 28 Robespierre is tried & Robespierre is tried & guillotined! guillotined!

The Arrest of Robespierre

The Revolution The Revolution ConsumesConsumes

Its Own Children!Its Own Children!

Danton Awaits Danton Awaits Execution, 1793Execution, 1793

Robespierre Lies WoundedRobespierre Lies WoundedBefore the Revolutionary Before the Revolutionary Tribunal that will order Tribunal that will order him to be guillotined, him to be guillotined,

1794.1794.

The “Cultural The “Cultural Revolution”Brought About Revolution”Brought About

by the Conventionby the Convention It was premised upon Enlightenment It was premised upon Enlightenment

principles of rationality.principles of rationality. The metric system of weights and The metric system of weights and

measuresmeasures Was defined by the French Academy of Was defined by the French Academy of

Sciences in 1791 and enforced in 1793.Sciences in 1791 and enforced in 1793. It replaced weights and measures that had It replaced weights and measures that had

their origins in the Middle Ages.their origins in the Middle Ages. The abolition of slavery within France in The abolition of slavery within France in

1791 and throughout the French colonies 1791 and throughout the French colonies in 1794.in 1794.

The Convention legalized divorce and The Convention legalized divorce and enacted shared inheritance laws [even for enacted shared inheritance laws [even for illegitimate offspring] in an attempt to illegitimate offspring] in an attempt to eradicate inequalities.eradicate inequalities.