French Revolution: From Assembly to Napoleonic Empire
The Work of the Constituent Assembly (1789-1791)
The Constituent Assembly’s aims were to dismantle the old regime. To end the ancien régime, a decree was passed abolishing feudal law. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was drafted, which recognized and guaranteed personal freedoms, equality before the law, and property. In September, the 1791 Constitution was passed. The political regime became a parliamentary monarchy. National sovereignty and fundamental rights were recognized.
- Division of powers: Legislative power was held by the National Assembly, the executive was held by the king, and the judicial courts controlled them.
- The Assembly would be elected by census suffrage.
- Decentralization of the administration.
The Legislature (1791-1792) and Opposition to Reform
After adopting the Constitution, there was an election. The new Assembly had a predominance of moderates. It passed a decree against the property of emigrants and another removing clergy who refused to swear allegiance to the Constitution.
The War Abroad and the End of the Monarchy
Pressured by the emigrants and frightened by the possibility that the revolution might spread to their countries, Austria and Prussia declared war on France. The royal family tried to flee France but were stopped at Varennes and taken prisoners to Paris. The allies came close to Paris and threatened the people if they harmed the King and Queen. The popular response to the threat was to storm the Tuileries Palace, residence of the monarchs. This marked the end of the monarchy and the establishment of the Republic.
The Girondin Convention
The beginning of the Republic signified a more radical phase. Elections were convened for a new assembly, the National Convention, which was controlled by the Girondins (moderate Republicans), the Jacobins (more radical), and the Montagnards. The Convention judged Louis XVI and executed him in the guillotine. This measure had two effects: it caused the immediate declaration of war by the rest of the powers that formed the First Coalition, and there was an uprising in the region of Vendée. In this environment, the revolution became more radical. It was decided to judge the counterrevolutionaries, for which a Revolutionary Tribunal and the Committee of Public Safety were created.
The Montagnard Convention and the Terror
The fear of the defeat of the revolution led to a coup d’état. The Montagnards, led by Robespierre, seized power. They established a dictatorship, since all powers were concentrated in Robespierre. The Reign of Terror began. Robespierre tried to curb the economic crisis by limiting the maximum prices of essential goods. However, he was losing support. The Thermidorian Reaction (Coup of 9 Thermidor) occurred, after which he was tried and executed.
The Directory and the End of the Revolution
To avoid a new dictatorship, a moderate government was created, which drafted the Constitution of the Year III.
- It established a liberal regime based on national sovereignty and the separation of powers.
- It established a census suffrage.
- Executive power lay in a five-member Directory.
The Directory’s weakness provoked the revolt of Vendémiaire, which was curbed by Napoleon. In the Italian campaign, Napoleon succeeded in ending the First Coalition. The European powers formed the Second Coalition, and another war began. Napoleon staged the Coup of 18 Brumaire, was made Consul, and ended the Directory.
Task 5: The Napoleonic Empire
Napoleon’s Work in France
The Consulate was a personal rule, based on Napoleon’s enormous political skills, as reflected in the Constitution of the Year VIII. To confront the Second Coalition, Napoleon returned to Italy, where he won the Battle of Marengo (1800) and used the victory to be appointed Consul for life. He began a series of reforms: the development of the Civil Code and reforming the French economy by creating the Bank of France and the Commercial Code. He also promoted public education.