The Radical Revolution

I. The Radical Revolution

       1. The Sans-culottes led by George Danton took the Revolution to a new level of radicalism.

                        A. A new group call the National Convention was established to draft a new constitution.

                              1. Most of the men, in this group were young professionals with/some political experience.

                                    2. During their meeting the members began to divide in to two faction:

                                                A. Girondin- wanted to prevent the rise of enemies by keeping the king alive.

                                                B. Mountain- wanted the king executed.

                                                *The Mountain eventually won out but the death of King Louis XVI, caught the attention of Europe, and created new enemies at home and abroad.

II. Reign of Terror

            1. The National Convention created special group of 12 people known as Committee of Public Safety.

                        1. Group was headed by Maximilien Robespierre.

            2. Together the two groups set up a special Revolutionary Court to try enemies of the Revolution.

            3. From 1793-1794, 40,000 people were killed.

            4. The group promised that after the cleaning period was over that the Republic of virtue would be established and that that rights of the people would be realized.

III. The Rise of Napoleon

            1. In late 1794 Robespierre was killed and some order was restored to France.

                        A. With his death came more moderate from of government.

                                    1. This was known as The Directory.

IV. The Directory

            1. Was a much more democratic form of government, but proved to be inefficient due to corruption and a growing reliance on the military for support.

            2. Finally in 1799 a young and successful general executed a coup de tat and took control of government himself.

                        A. His name, Napoleon Bonaparte.

V. Napoleon Bonaparte

            1. Born in 1769 on the island of Corsica, a recently annexed portion of the French Empire.

            2. He was educated in the ideas of philosophes and also in military matters.

            3. The Revolution and its subsequent battles allowed him to use/practice/improve his knowledge, techniques, and tactics.

            D. His successes in Italian made him a well- known and successful hero to the people of France.

            E. In 1799 after some mixed results in military conflicts in India and Egypt Napoleon helped lead the coup.

            F. After the coup a new government call the Consulate was set up with Napoleon in control with absolute power of an :

                        First Consul

                        1. In 1802 he made himself consul for life.

                        2. In 1804 he crowned himself Emperor.