Chapter 8 - The Sans-culottes And The Collapse Of The Constitutional Experiment Flashcards
What were the sans-culottes?
Working class supporters of the political left wing
Who did they idolise?
Danton + Marat
What were a majority of the sc?
Artisans
Craftsmen
Shopkeepers
Seamstresses
What did they share a hatred for?
‘Selfish wealth’ of the bourgeoisie and aristocratic elites
What did the sc’s lives revolve around?
The cost of bread
What was their uniform?
Wooden bonnet rouge
Sabots
What happened on the journee of 20 June 1792?
Anniversary of the tennis court oath a mob of 8000 sc + NGs marched to the Tuilleries
What did they want Louis to do?
They carried petitions demanding he withdraw his votes and reinstate his pro-war ministers
What did Louis do?
Opened the doors to the crowd
Put a bonnet rouge on
Drank to a toast of the nation
How did the crowds react?
They withdrew
Who demanded action against the protesters?
Lafayette
What justified the sc demands?
The retreat of the Army of the North
What decree was put forward on the 11 July?
La patrie en danger
(The fatherland in danger)
What did the La Patrie en danger do?
Called on all men to support the war effort in a spirit of self-sacrifice
What did Robespierre say in a speech in the Assembly on 29 July?
France should be a Republic
There should be elections to a National Convention where active + passive citizens can vote
What was said in a manifesto by Duke of Brunswick?
Any National Guardsmen captured by the Austrians would be put to death without mercy + Paris would suffer vengeance if harm came to the king
What did the Brunswick manifesto add fuel to?
Those who wanted to get rid of the monarchy
What happened 10 August 1792?
Second sc march to the Tulleries
How many people marched?
2000 sc + 2000 federes
Where was the king advised to go to as the protesters were well armed and prepared?
The Assembly
Who were left to protect the palace?
Loyal National Guardsmen
‘gentlemen-at-arms’
Swiss guards
What happened when the National Guards defected?
Crowds came into the courtyard
A shot was fired
How long did the battle go on for?
2 hours
How many people died?
1000 sc + federes
Nearly all the defenders
(the palace was set on fire)
Where did the Paris Commune then move the king to?
The Temple prison
What did they do to the king to form a republic?
Temporarily suspended him
What was in the new decree that they issued afterwards?
Ended the distinction between passive and active citizens
A new Convention elected
Who became the new Minister of Justice?
Danton
What did he set up?
A committee of ministers to take executive power until new elections could be held
All the laws the king put on suspensory veto now passed
What happened 17 August?
Court set up to prosecute traitors
What happened 26 August?
Refractory priests given 2 weeks to leave the country voluntarily or be deported to French Guyana
Seigneurs were no longer compensated
What did Lafayette do?
Wanted to march to Paris to restore the constitution
Failed to gain support + fled to defect to the Austrians
Who replaced him?
Dumouriez
Where had been taken over?
25 Aug - Longwy
1 Sept - Verdun
How many people were killed in the royal rising in the Vendee?
200
What did Danton do to reduce the panic?
30 Aug - House searches (3000 taken to prison)
2 Sept - Enforced conscription (levee)
Why was the atmosphere tense?
Rumours of Aristocratic plots
Fear of traitors
What were tocsins?
Warning bells
What did the tocsin sounding do?
5 days of killing
100-1500 prisoners in Paris massacred
What was the massacre referred to as?
An orgy of blood-letting
What were the first attacks led by the federes?
Refractory priests being taken to or held in prison
Where did the massacres spread to?
Political prisoners
Ordinary criminals
Monks, Nuns + Priests
What were the sc encouraged by in their spontaneous attacks?
Members of the Commune + NG
Marat - who published an article on traitors being ‘put to the sword’
What was the outcome?
Fears abroad of rev
Girodins blamed Jacobins = increased split
Authority of Assembly ‘weak’ and Danton and Robspierre’s increased
What did the massacres on 2 Sept coincide with?
Second stage of the elections for a new National Convention
What was special about this election?
All adult male citizens were given the vote for the first time
How did the Girodins try to influence the voting towards them?
Wrote about the need for a return for stability in their newspapers
What was the effect in Paris?
No Girodin candidate was elected because of their hostility towards the commune and actions of the sc
Who was the people’s first choice in Paris?
Robespierre
Who was also chosen to represent the capital?
Marat
Danton
Desmoulins
Why did the widening of the electorate have little impact?
There was low voter turnout
What were deputies mostly supporting?
Jacobins + Girodins
Many known as ‘the plain’ - didn’t obviously support either
When did the New Convention open?
20 Sept
What also happened 20 Sept?
French army won against the Austro-Prussian forces at Valmy
