RADICALS AND THE REIGN OF
TERROR
Divisions in the Legislative Assembly
Despite having a new government many problems
still existed. People were still hungry, and many
wanted more liberty and equality. The
government still had a huge debt. The members
of the Legislative Assembly didn’t all agree on
how to solve these problems.
The Legislative Assembly was divided into three
groups. They were as follows:
RADICALS
MODERATES
CONSERVATIVES
Radicals
• Sat on the left side of the hall. They were
said to be “left wing” because of this.
• Opposed the king and the idea of
monarchy.
• Wanted sweeping changes in
government, and proposed that common
people have full power in a republic.
Moderates
• Sat in the center of the hall and were
called centrists.
• Wanted some changes in
government, but not as many as the
radicals.
• Middle ground.
Conservatives
• Sat on the right side of the hall.
Were called right wing and said to be
on the right.
• Upheld the idea of a limited
monarchy.
• Wanted few changes in government.
Divisions in France
The Legislative Assembly wasn’t the only place where
divisions occurred. Not all the French citizens felt the same
way about the revolution.
One of the most conservative groups was the Emigres. They
were nobles who left France during the peasant uprisings
and were on the extreme right. They wanted things to go
back to the way they were.
One of the most radical groups was the sans – culottes. They
were shop owners and other workers who wanted more of
a say in the government. They wanted lower food prices to
end the shortages. They didn’t have a role in the
Legislative Assembly so they had to find another way to
express themselves . . .
Execution of the King
The limited monarchy wasn’t working
out as well as planned. People were
still suffering from the same
problems. Radical movements came
about saying that France should
become a republic and Louis should
be executed.
The National Convention met in
September 1792 and decided to
abolish the monarchy and declare
France a republic. Louis was
considered no more than a common
citizen and a prisoner.
A radical group tried Louis was treason.
He was found guilty and sentenced to
death by the guillotine.
Guillotine
The guillotine was invented in 1792 by
the French as a quicker way to
behead people. Prior to this some of
the techniques for public execution
were:
• Burning
• Hanging
• Being broken on a wheel
• Strangulation
• Dismemberment
• Beheading
• Being pulled apart by horses
Many French opposed the guillotine
because they felt the death was too
quick for the audience to enjoy.
Maximilien Robespierre
During this time many leaders
of radical groups were
struggling for power.
Maximilien Robespierre was
able to gather to most
power.
Robespierre and his supporters
wanted to wipe out every
last trace of the old France.
He wanted to build a
“republic of virtue.”
Republic of Virtue
Robespierre’s goal was to
wipe out every trace of the
monarchy that there may
be.
If your family’s last name as
Leroy (meaning the king), it
would be in your best
interest to change your
name
Robespierre even wanted all
decks of cards to be
changed so there would be
no king and queen.
Other Changes
• Many of the biggest supporters of the revolution (and the
most radical) were also big supporters of the enlightenment
and reason.
• They changed the calendar to be more scientific. They
divided it into 12 months with 30 days in each month and
renamed each month.
• The new calendar didn’t have a Sunday because radicals
considered religion old fashioned and dangerous.
• They closed all churches. Some of the churches they
refashioned into temples of reason.
• How do you think these changes went over?
Committee of Public Safety
In the summer of 1793 Robespierre became head of the
Committee of Public Safety.
As head of the committee his job was to decide who were
dangerous enemies of the republic.
The committee would often put people on trial in the morning
and by afternoon they would be guillotined.
From July 1793 – July 1794 Robespierre was head of the
committee and ruled over France like a dictator this time
period was known as the Reign of Terror (this is where the
term terrorism comes from). He explained his mass
executions by saying it allowed France to be true to the ideals
of the revolution.
End of Terror
After a while Robespierre decided
many of the enemies of the
republic were in fact people who
challenged him for power.
In October 1793 revolutionary courts
sentenced many leaders who
helped set up the republic to
death.
Everyone was terrified of
Robespierre and who he would
turn on next.
The National Convention decided to
turn on Robespierre to save
themselves. The most radical
phase of the revolution ended on
July 28, 1794 when Robespierre
lost his head.
Results
• Approximately 3000 people were
executed.
• Some historians think that as
many as 40,000 were killed as a
result of the revolution. The
majority of them were peasants,
people whom the revolution was
supposed to be helping the most.
• After Robespierre’s death people
were tired of the revolution and
terror and just wanted things to
settle down.
• They were also still dealing with
high prices of food. One of the
things the revolution promised to
fix.
• In 1795 moderate leaders of the
National Convention met and
wrote the third constitution since
1789.
• The new constitution placed
power firmly in the hands of the
upper middle class and called for
a two house legislature and an
executive body made up of five
men known as the directory.
• They were corrupt, but they did
provide some stability to France.
• They also appointed a new
general to command France’s
army . . .
NAPOLEON
BONAPARTE
To be continued . . .