ambitious lawyer who was infuential in french revolution

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Who is responsible for the violence in the French Revolution?

The Revolution had seen outbursts of popular violence since 1789, with the September Massacres being particularly brutal. Danton was arguing that it was the responsibility of the Convention, as representatives of the nation, to take responsibility for violence, rather than leave it to the people.

Who is the man most associated with the French Revolution?

Robespierre gives a speech: The man more associated with the French Revolution than any other is Robespierre.

Who are the famous philosophers of the French Revolution?

1 Montesquieu. Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) was an enlightened nobleman turned political philosopher, responsible for articulating a clear explanation of the separation of government powers. 2 Voltaire. ‘Voltaire’ was the pen name of the French writer Francois-Marie Arouet (1694-1778). ... 3 Rousseau. ... 4 Diderot. ...

How did the Lavoisier defend themselves against the financial accusations?

Lavoisier drafted their defense, refuting the financial accusations, reminding the court of how they had maintained a consistently high quality of tobacco. The court was however inclined to believe that by condemning them and seizing their goods, it would recover huge sums for the state.

Who was the lawyer in the French Revolution?

Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (French: [mak.si.mi.ljɛ̃ ʁɔ.bɛs.pjɛʁ]; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman who became one of the best-known and most influential figures of the French Revolution.

Who was the most influential person of the French Revolution?

10 Most Important Leaders of the French Revolution#1 Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès. Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes. ... #2 Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, Count of Mirabeau. ... #3 Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. ... #4 Jean-Paul Marat. ... #5 Jacques Pierre Brissot. ... #6 Maximilien Robespierre. ... #7 Louis Antoine de Saint-Just. ... #8 Georges Danton.More items...•

Who influenced the French Revolution?

1. The ideas of the French Revolution were drawn from the Enlightenment, influenced by the British political system, inspired by the American Revolution and shaped by local grievances.

Who was Robespierre in the French Revolution?

Maximilien Robespierre, the architect of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, is overthrown and arrested by the National Convention. As the leading member of the Committee of Public Safety from 1793, Robespierre encouraged the execution, mostly by guillotine, of more than 17,000 enemies of the Revolution.

Who were 3 important people in French Revolution?

Key PeopleNapoleon Bonaparte. A general in the French army and leader of the 1799 coup that overthrew the Directory. ... Jacques-Pierre Brissot. ... Charles de Calonne. ... Lazare Carnot. ... Marquis de Lafayette. ... Louis XVI. ... Marie-Antoinette. ... Jacques Necker.More items...

Who were the 3 leaders of the French Revolution?

The three main leaders of the French Revolution for the rebels were Georges-Jacques Danton, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre. The first, Georges-Jacques Danton was very involved in different powerful groups in France.

Who involved in French Revolution?

List of people associated with the French RevolutionAReine AuduParticipant in The Women's March on Versailles and the 10 August (French Revolution).Joséphine de BeauharnaisEmpress; wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.Louis Alexandre BerthierGeneral; effectively Napoleon Bonaparte's chief of staff.152 more rows

What is the role of John Locke in French Revolution?

He sided with the Protestant Parliament against the Roman Catholic King James II in the Glorious Revolution of 1688–89. This event reduced the power of the king and made Parliament the major authority in English government. Locke's writings influenced Voltaire and Rousseau and many others.

Did Rousseau influence the French Revolution?

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born in Geneva in 1712, was one of the 18th century's most important political thinkers. His work focused on the relationship between human society and the individual, and contributed to the ideas that would lead eventually to the French Revolution.

Who inspired Robespierre?

While it is commonplace to say that Robespierre's politics were influenced by Rousseau – and while this many have been true – his actions were no doubt more reminiscent of Sade.

What are Maximilien Robespierre and Jacobins best known for?

Answer and Explanation: Maximilien Robespierre and the radical Jacobins are best known for their association with the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror.

Who is Jacobins French Revolution?

A Jacobin (French pronunciation: ​[ʒakɔbɛ̃]; English: /ˈdʒækəbɪn/) was a member of the Jacobin Club, a revolutionary political movement that was the most famous political club during the French Revolution (1789–1799). The club got its name from meeting at the Dominican rue Saint-Honoré Monastery of the Jacobins.

What was the mood in Paris in 1789?

The mood of Paris was tense in the summer of 1789. The price of bread — always a reliable measurement of the mood of the Parisian public — was rising. In early June, workers had rioted and burned down a wallpaper manufactory after rumors circulated that the owner wanted to cut wages. And, on June 30th, a crowd of 4,000 young men demolished the gates of a prison with the goal of liberating eleven French Guards accused of being members of a secret society.

Who was the first consul of France during the French Revolution?

In the final scene of the Revolution, he was the one to return to France and seize power in 1799 during what became known as “The Coup of 18 Brumaire.”. Bonaparte established himself as First Consul, effectively a dictator, thus ending the Revolution.

What was the name of the group that organized the French Revolution?

Act two starts, and the radical Revolutionaries — a loose grouping of radical lawyers, writers, and politicians calling themselves Jacobins — enter the stage. In August of 1792, Jacobins and sans-culottes organized and executed an insurrection in Paris, overthrowing the Monarchy and establishing the French Republic.

How old was Louis Antoine de Saint-Just?

Louis Antoine de Saint-Just entered Revolutionary politics as a 25 year-old deputy to the Legislative Assembly. He was a dedicated Jacobin and follower of Robespierre, and cultivated an image of Revolutionary purity — preferring his long black hair to a powdered wig, and often pairing that with a single golden earring. During the Convention’s debate on the fate of the king, Saint-Just argued that to provide the king with a trial presupposed the possibility of his innocence, which in turn put into question the Revolution of August 10th that had established the legitimacy of the Republic and the authority of the National Convention.

What percentage of French people were peasants?

They were peasants, day-laborers, small craftsmens, peddlers, artisans, and shopkeepers. Peasants accounted for 80% of the French population; only one fifth of people lived in communities of more than two-thousand people. Poverty was ever present in urban and rural life.

What did the commoners do in 1789?

What he got instead was a revolution. The commoners declared themselves the “National Assembly,” and in July of 1789 the people of Paris stormed the Bastille — a prison fortress and symbol of Royal power in the heart of the city, beginning a decade of social and political upheaval.

How many acts were there in the French Revolution?

The French Revolution can be reduced to three acts, where, in each, the existing political order fails and a new group struggles to assert authority and create a new political and social order. At the start of the first act, in 1789, the French state was bankrupt.

Who was the Chancellor of France in 1771?

When in 1771 the Chancellor of France, René Augustin de Maupeou, tried to curtail the authority of the Parlement of Paris and the ordre des avocats that comprised its ranks, Treilhard followed the example of his mentors Tronchet and Gerbier in invoking the name of the King and refusing to practice.

Who did Treilhard appeal to?

Treilhard appealed to the King himself , referencing the adamant loyalty of the small town, outnumbered by an army composed of foreigners and traitors including the Baron Malemort, against whom, “from these walls we defended our state and our freedom.”.

Why did Napoleon enlist Treilhard?

It is perhaps for this reason that Treilhard went on to serve as both the President of the Constituent Assembly and the National Convention, eventually tapped by Napoleon to contribute to the formation of a new legal code for all of France.

What was the purpose of the Seigneurial Rights debates?

In the decades leading up to 1789, debates by lawyers (avocats) over seigneurial rights began to lay the groundwork for the reconstitution of political authority that would become the French Revolution. In pre-revolutionary French society, all authority had its source in the person of the King.

Why was Brive attacked by the English?

The townspeople of Brive, in contrast, supported the French King during the long conflict, their town swiftly attacked by the English for refusing to forswear loyalty.

What did Jean-François write?

Jean-François also wrote small booklets dabbling in philosophy, history, and science, creating a familial atmosphere of scholarship that Jean-Baptiste internalized. [5] . While a student at the collége de Brive, Jean-Baptiste was inculcated with a spirit of Jansenism and the progressive reforms of Turgot. After completing his education ...

How old was the lawyer in Brive?

In 1769 the 27-year-old lawyer was asked by his father, the mayor of Brive, to represent the interests of the town in a legal dispute with the Duke of Noailles, who claimed the town in the name of his ancestors, the lords of Turenne and Malemort.

Who was the most influential journalist during the French Revolution?

Jean-Paul Marat was perhaps the most influential journalist during the French Revolution. His journalism was known for its fierce tone; and uncompromising stance towards the new leaders and institutions of the revolution. Among other thing, he advocated for basic human rights for the poorest people in France.

What was the role of Brissot in the French Revolution?

He was an influential member of the diplomatic committee and his report led to France declaring war on Great Britain and the Dutch. However, as the Montagnards gained power, Brissot was accused of being friends with a traitor and of bringing war upon France. He was ultimately guillotined on October 31, 1793.

What was the French Revolution?

French Revolution was a pivotal event in world history which began with the Storming of the Bastille in 1789 and ended in 1799 with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. The writings of Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes played an important part in propelling France towards the Revolution. Count of Mirabeau and Marquis de Lafayette were among the best known leaders during the early stage of the Revolution. As the Revolution gathered steam, the political class of France was divided into the moderate Girondins and the more radical Montagnards. Jacques Pierre Brissot and Maximilien Robespierre were the most important leaders of the Girondins and the Montagnards respectively. Externally, Lazare Carnot and Napoleon Bonaparte were the leading figures who helped France win the Revolutionary Wars. Know more about the French Revolution through its 10 most important leaders.

What was the third estate in the French Revolution?

France, at the time, was divided into three estates: first was the clergy; second was the nobility; and the third was the rest, the common people comprising 98% of the population. In 1789, just before the French Revolution, Sieyes wrote a pamphlet titled What Is the Third Estate? In it he asserted the third estate wanted genuine representatives in governing the nation. The pamphlet caused a stir in France and played a key role in shaping the revolutionary thought that propelled France towards the French Revolution. Sieyes remained an influential figure during the Revolution and was made Director of France in May 1799. However, he knew about the prevalent corruption in the Directory and overthrew it with the help of popular military leader Napoleon Bonaparte in the Coup of 18 Brumaire. This is considered by most historians as the end of the Revolution. Bonaparte, Sieyes and Roger Ducos were appointed as “Consuls of the French Republic” after the coup.

How many people were executed during the reign of terror?

In the name of ridding the nation of the enemies of the Revolution, an estimated 40,000 people were executed during the Reign of Terror. However, by mid-1794, Robespierre become a target of conspiracies as the members feared that they could be guillotined next.

Why was Comte de Mirabeau so popular?

Before the French Revolution, the reputation of Comte de Mirabeau was in ruins due to various scandalous love affairs and gambling debts. However his capacity for work and extensive knowledge made him popular among the crowds during the Revolution.

What was the first government of the French Revolution?

The National Convention was the first government of the French Revolution. The first phase of the convention, which lasted from September 1792 to May 1793, was dominated by the struggle between two groups, the Montagnards and the Girondins.

Why was Marie Antoinette put on trial?

The following year, in 1793, Marie Antoinette was put on trial for treason and various other crimes, including inflating the French national debt with her expensive lifestyle. She was found guilty by the jury and lived her final days in a deplorable prison, which was deemed to be too fancy for the queen.

Who was Marie Antoinette?

Advertisement. 1. Marie Antoinette. Marie Antoinette, the wife of King Louis XVI, came to represent to the people the excesses of the French monarchy.

Why was Pierre Brissot imprisoned?

He was even imprisoned in the Bastille for a short period because his advocacy for penal reform was seen as incitement against the king and queen.

Why did the French people die at the Guillotine?

Many of them died to declare their allegiance to the French Republic and the people as well as denounce the terror that Robespierre had forced upon the people.

What was the goal of Joseph Guillotine?

When Joseph Guillotine invented a contraption that would quickly behead those sentenced to death, his goal was a more humane form of execution. The guillotine would execute anyone who was believed to stand against the principles of the revolution.

What was Camille Desmoulins' job?

Camille Desmoulins was trained as a lawyer but had difficulty establishing his own career in Paris. When King Louis XVI summoned the Estates General, he became so enthused that he dedicated the rest of his career, and his life, to the impending revolution. When the king dismissed the finance minister, who was popular with the people, Camille was so passionate that he jumped onto a table in a café and delivered a call to arms against the military forces that were amassing in Paris. Riots quickly spread throughout Paris.

What was Marie Antoinette's concern for France?

However, there is no evidence that Marie Antoinette said this, and she was known to actually be very concerned about France’s poor. On July 14, 1789 – now known as “Bastille Day” – a mob stormed the Bastille prison to take the arms and ammunition that would fuel their revolution against the monarchy.

What was Fouché's job?

It was brutal, but it was also efficient. To the movers and shakers of the Republic, Fouché became known as a man willing to do whatever it took to get a job done.

Who burned Napoleon's papers?

He died there in 1820, at the age of 61. Jerome Bonaparte, Napoleon’s younger brother, burned his private papers by his request after his death; a job that reportedly took five hours. Fouché remained a notable figure after his death, and a fake memoir was published in 1824 to try and capitalize on his infamy.

What did the Oratorians teach?

The Oratorians taught in French, not Latin, and their pupils learned European languages in use at the time rather than ancient classical ones. They embraced the philosophy of the Enlightenment, and taught their pupils to do the same. Fouché showed an aptitude for teaching, and he was sent to Paris for further studies.

Why did Fouché move back to Nantes?

Due to Fouché’s enthusiastic support of the Revolution, he was moved back to Nantes where the Oratorians hoped the could keep him in check. He wasn’t held back from political involvement though, and became a member of the Jacobin Club.

What did Fouché believe?

Fouché believed that the king must die, and so he joined the Montagnard faction in calling for his execution. It was a well-timed switch of allegiances.

How old was Fouché when he became a teacher?

Fouché showed an aptitude for teaching, and he was sent to Paris for further studies. At the age of 23 he was made a science teacher, and then held several teaching posts around the west of France over the next five or six years.

Who painted Joseph Fouche?

So he attached himself to the new rising power: an ambitious general named Napoleon Bonaparte. Joseph Fouche painted by Jean-Baptiste Sambat. Fouché’s service in Napoleon’s coup on 18 Brumaire was mostly a matter of non-involvement.

What was the name of the debating society in Paris?

The Jacobins: Right from the start of the revolution, debating societies had been created in Paris by deputies and interested parties so they could discuss what to do. One of these was based in an old Jacobin monastery, and the club became known as the Jacobins.

What was the most famous event of the French Revolution?

The Storming of the Bastille: perhaps the most iconic moment in the French Revolution was when a Paris crowd stormed and captured the Bastille. This imposing structure was a royal prison, a target of many myths and legends. Crucially for the events of 1789, it was also a storehouse of gunpowder.

What was the Guilllotine before the French Revolution?

Hulton Archive / Getty Images. The Guilllotine: Before the French Revolution, if a noble was to be executed it was by beheading, a punishment which was swift if done correctly.

What was Louis XVI's farewell?

Louis XVI's Farewell. Hulton Archive / Getty Images. Louis XVI's Farewell: The monarchy was finally fully overthrown in August 1792, by a planned uprising. Louis and his family were imprisoned, and soon people began to call for his execution as a way of fully ending the kingdom and giving birth to the Republic.

What was the National Assembly of the French Revolution?

The National Assembly Reshapes France: The deputies of the Estates General turned themselves into a brand new representative body for France by declaring themselves a National Assembly, and they soon went to work reshaping France.

What was the power of the militant Parisians called?

The Sans-culottes: the power of the militant Parisians – often called the Paris mob – was of great importance in the French Revolution, driving events forward at crucial times through violence.

Where was Louis XVI confronted by the Revolutionaries?

Louis XVI Confronted by Revolutionaries at Varennes. Hulton Archive / Getty Images. The Royal Family is caught at Varennes: having been bought to Paris at the head of a mob, the royal family of Louis XVI were effectively imprisoned in an old royal palace.

What did Lavoisier discover?

Lavoisier is most noted for his discovery of the role oxygen plays in combustion. He recognized and named oxygen (1778) and hydrogen (1783), and opposed the phlogiston theory. Lavoisier helped construct the metric system, wrote the first extensive list of elements, and helped to reform chemical nomenclature.

Why did Lavoisier build the wall around Paris?

On behalf of the Ferme générale Lavoisier commissioned the building of a wall around Paris so that customs duties could be collected from those transporting goods into and out of the city. His participation in the collection of its taxes did not help his reputation when the Reign of Terror began in France, as taxes and poor government reform were the primary motivators during the French Revolution.

What degree did Lavoisier have?

Lavoisier entered the school of law, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1763 and a licentiate in 1764. Lavoisier received a law degree and was admitted to the bar, but never practiced as a lawyer. However, he continued his scientific education in his spare time.

How did Lavoisier synthesize water?

In cooperation with Laplace, Lavoisier synthesized water by burning jets of hydrogen and oxygen in a bell jar over mercury . The quantitative results were good enough to support the contention that water was not an element, as had been thought for over 2,000 years, but a compound of two gases, hydrogen and oxygen.

When was the Ferme générale abolished?

As the French Revolution gained momentum, attacks mounted on the deeply unpopular Ferme générale, and it was eventually abolished in March 1791. In 1792 Lavoisier was forced to resign from his post on the Gunpowder Commission and to move from his house and laboratory at the Royal Arsenal. On 8 August 1793, all the learned societies, including the Academy of Sciences, were suppressed at the request of Abbé Grégoire.

What was Lavoisier's education?

Lavoisier's education was filled with the ideals of the French Enlightenment of the time, and he was fascinated by Pierre Macquer 's dictionary of chemistry. He attended lectures in the natural sciences. Lavoisier's devotion and passion for chemistry were largely influenced by Étienne Condillac, a prominent French scholar of the 18th century. His first chemical publication appeared in 1764. From 1763 to 1767, he studied geology under Jean-Étienne Guettard. In collaboration with Guettard, Lavoisier worked on a geological survey of Alsace-Lorraine in June 1767. In 1764 he read his first paper to the French Academy of Sciences, France's most elite scientific society, on the chemical and physical properties of gypsum (hydrated calcium sulfate ), and in 1766 he was awarded a gold medal by the King for an essay on the problems of urban street lighting. In 1768 Lavoisier received a provisional appointment to the Academy of Sciences. In 1769, he worked on the first geological map of France.

Why did Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours buy La Correspondance Patriotique?

In June 1791, Lavoisier made a loan of 71,000 livres to Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours to buy a printing works so that du Pont could publish a newspaper, La Correspondance Patriotique. The plan was for this to include both reports of debates in the National Constituent Assembly as well as papers from the Academy of Sciences. The revolution quickly disrupted the elder du Pont's first newspaper, but his son E.I. du Pont soon launched Le Republicain and published Lavoisier's latest chemistry texts.

Who was the Enlightenment writer who wrote the French Revolution?

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was another Enlightenment writer whose political and philosophical ideas shaped the French Revolution. Rousseau was born in Switzerland to a successful middle-class family. His mother died a few days after Rousseau’s birth; his father was a third-generation watchmaker.

Who was the philosopher responsible for the separation of government powers?

Montesquieu. Charles de Secondat , Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) was an enlightened nobleman turned political philosopher, responsible for articulating a clear explanation of the separation of government powers. Montesquieu was born into a noble family near Bordeaux in January 1689.

Why was Arouet imprisoned?

After arriving back in Paris, Arouet spent a year imprisoned in the Bastille for writing libellous poems about members of the aristocracy.

How long did Montesquieu live after the first edition of The Spirit of the Laws?

Montesquieu died seven years after the first edition, however The Spirit of the Laws became arguably the most significant work of Enlightenment political theory, shaping the outcomes of the American and French revolutions.

What did Montesquieu do in Paris?

The family’s wealth gave him the opportunity to read, write and socialise. The young Montesquieu became a vocal and charismatic regular in the Paris social set, where he spoke freely and critically about the Ancien Régime. He also travelled widely in Europe, observing and studying different forms of law and government.

What is the spirit of the laws?

The Spirit of the Laws. Montesquieu expanded on this point in his best-known work, De l’Esprit des Lois (‘The Spirit of the Laws’), which was published anonymously in 1748. The Spirit of the Laws compared different systems of government, with a particular focus on how each system protected individual liberty.

What did Voltaire write?

Voltaire continued to write prolifically and in a range of formats, producing novels, novellas, essays, plays, satires and open letters.