What are the three stages of the French Revolution?

Answer 1

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Stage I: Moderate period, July 1789 – July 1791
1. When mob appeared, Louis backed down, withdrew troops (dangerous decision)
2. Peasants began causing trouble

i. Were getting garbled version of events, thought they had right to rebel locally

ii. Also suspicious that any outsiders would do anything to help them

iii. Began destroying land records, burning homes and crops, murdering landlords

iv. Refused to pay any more taxes at all

v. National Assembly had to respond to restore order

3. Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)

i. General

1. Based on American Declaration of Independence

2. Destruction of special privilege and feudal rights

3. Became single landmark “message” document of the Revolution

ii. Citizens had both rights and responsibilities

1. Rights: Liberty (of all kinds), legal equality, property, security

2. Responsibilities: pay taxes, obey laws, defend country, vote

4. Women’s march on Versailles

i. Now had to decide what kind of government to have

ii. But first had to decide how much power should king have

iii. This march revealed just how powerful the king really was

iv. Protest march of working women from Paris to Versailles

1. Issue was price of bread in Paris

2. They felt king didn’t care about their plight

3. So, they planned to force him to come live in Paris too

v. Again, Louis had to decide whether to act powerfully or accede to their demands (which would show weakness)

vi. He knuckled under, he and family returned to Paris , escorted by women

vii. Picture the scene and ask yourself, how powerful IS the king???

viii. So, answer to the question was a constitutional monarchy (keep the king, but most of power will be in constitution)

5. Constitution of 1791

i. First of several in this revolution

ii. Largely written by middle class, giving them benefits

iii. Limited male suffrage, based on amount of property

iv. Did nothing for poor or peasants

6. Civil Constitution of the Clergy (1790)

i. Government seized Church land, sold it at auction

1. Was supposed to help peasants, but they couldn’t afford even cheap land

2. So, who got all this great land?? Yup, the middle class

ii. Tried to create independent Church of France , separate from Roman Catholic

iii. Move angered Pope, who declared complete opposition to revolution

iv. This in turn made revolutionaries even more radical

7. Final events of Stage I

i. Louis XVI realized things were not going well for monarchy, decided to leave the country

1. Planned to go to Hapsburg Empire, where he had relatives

2. Escaped from Paris secretly, traveled to frontier

3. Stopped for supper, were recognized, captured

4. Returned to Paris under house arrest, shortly thereafter was imprisoned

ii. Constitution of 1791 promulgated in September

1. Middle class had gotten most of what they wanted

2. They thought the revolution was over, but it wasn’t








Stage 2: War period, August 1791 – August 1792
1. General

i. Dominated almost totally be middle class

ii. From first constitution to September Massacres

iii. Beginning of increasingly radical nature of Revolution

2. War broke out, changing nature of Revolution

i. At first, other powers looked favorably on Revolution because it weakened France as international power

ii. Growing hostility led to war

1. Fear that idea of overthrowing monarchy would spread

2. Emperor of Austria was brother of Marie Antoinette

3. France declared war on all neighbors when aggression was inevitable

4. All major powers in Europe declared war on France

iii. Effects of war in France

1. United most of population, neutralized discontent

2. Jacobins were able to take over Legislative Assembly

3. Radicalized population, and politics in general

a. New sense of patriotism

b. Discontent over shortages, draft, etc

c. Increased feeling that government was not taking care of the people

d. New mood for republican (non-monarchy) form of government

4. For some time, France lost most of battles – threat of invasion

3. Beginning of mob action

i. Urban mob (sans coulottes)

1. Lower, working class of Paris

2. Protesting shortages, defeats in battle, lack of interest in their problems, economic problems, etc

3. Joined by radicals in provinces

ii. King imprisoned by mob action

iii. Assembly dismissed, new elections to National Convention

iv. September Massacres – mobs seized and executed any known or suspected counter-revolutionaries, aristocrats, etc, ie anybody perceived as against the Revolution

















Stage 3: Radical period, Sept. 1792 – July 1794
1. General

i. Lasted from September Massacres to death of Robespierre

ii. Truly radical stage of Revolution, stage most written about

iii. Dominated by sans-coulottes

2. Increased radicalization

i. New constitution (1792)

1. Set up republican form of government ( ie no monarchy)

2. Universal male suffrage

3. Many new reforms

a. Abolition of slavery

b. No imprisonment for debt

c. Use of metric system

d. Repealed primogeniture

4. Separated Church and State

5. Nobles’ lands seized without compensation

ii. Louis XVI

1. Tried for treason by National Convention (!!)

2. Convicted by majority of one vote

3. Executed

4. This act radicalized Revolution, there was no going back

3. Revolutionary leadership

i. Marat

1. Led Girondins (more “moderate” revolutionaries)

2. Champion of the common people, opposed middle class

3. Was persecuted, murdered

ii. Danton

1. Also Girondin leader

2. Helped push masses into rebellion

3. Organized period of violence, but later wanted to compromise

4. Also executed

iii. Robespierre

1. Led Jacobins (most radical revolutionaries)

2. Idealist along lines of Rousseau, Machiavellian, ruthless

3. Saw violence as best revolutionary means of getting rid of opposition and dissent

4. Became “Constitutional Dictator”

4. Jacobin takeover of the Convention

i. Jacobins under Robespierre were much more radical than other groups

ii. Jacobins had visible support of mob outside, while Girondin support was more rural, not as easily available

iii. Mob and Jacobins staged uprising, got rid of Girondins

1. Survivors tried to escape to England or Austria

2. Crowd was angry over food shortages, high prices, draft, etc

5. The Reign of Terror, 1793-1794

i. Most famous period of Revolution, largely through film, literature

ii. Run by Committee of Public Safety, comprised of anyone who could get into the building on any given day

iii. At least 20,000 people were executed by the Committee

1. Not just nobility

2. Anybody accused of “harming the war effort”

3. Was an absolute “kangaroo court”

iv. Harsh measures were needed at the time

1. Wage and price controls

2. Prevented invasion and takeover by their enemies

v. Result was that Jacobins became hated – they were “safe” as long as wars were in doubt, but by spring 1794, French armies were clearly winning the wars

vi. Everybody came to hate Jacobins

1. Conservative middle class – couldn’t control inflation

2. Peasants – still weren’t getting land, but were getting drafted

3. Radical left – becoming disillusioned with whole revolution

4. Mob – high food prices, draft

vii. Robespierre overthrown in July 1794

1. Opponents in Convention conspired against them

2. No longer had mob support

3. Was executed on same guillotine as so many of his victims

4. his death marked the end of Stage 3



5. Stage 4: The Directory, July 1794 – November 1799
1. General characteristics

i. Was longest period of whole Revolution

ii. Dominated by conservative bourgeoisie

iii. Represented conservative backswing, reaction to Terror

iv. Reactionary phase, undid much radical legislation

2. Yet another constitution

i. Did have Bill of Rights, declaration of duties of the citizen

ii. Very limited (by property) male suffrage

iii. 5-man executive power chosen by Convention – Directory (Why might they think this desirable?)

3. Last revolt of the urban mob

i. Saw their gains vanishing, and economic hardships increasing

ii. Final revolt crushed by army – dangerous precedent involving the army in politics

iii. Directory now firmly in control, for next five years

4. Gradually over those years, Directory lost support of nearly every group

i. Peasants – by now they don’t trust anybody

ii. Mob – they have been forcibly dispersed

iii. Clergy and nobles – Directory was still part of the Revolution

iv. Middle class – couldn’t control inflation, did little to rebuild economy

5. Finally, only one group continued their support – the Army

i. Army strength and power was on rise, largely due to successful battles

ii. Now they were involved in politics

iii. Directory became totally dependent on their support

6. Final crisis decision made in November 1799

i. Decided to put a general in charge of the country for 6 months to restore order

ii. He was they expected to return power to the Directory

iii. Chose general named Napoleon Bonaparte

iv. He accepted modestly

1. Took over Directory

2. Closed down Convention

3. Ruled by decree

4. Set up new government, with himself at the head, called the Consulate

v. The Revolution was now over

Answer 2

before, during, and after.

^_^ sorry, couldn't resist.