Thermidorian Reaction

A long time ago, France was in a hard time.

A leader named Robespierre was removed from power. This stopped a very sad and scary period.

After he left, things began to change. The new leaders wanted more calm and order. They made new rules for the land. Some people were treated unfairly during this time too. Eventually, a new group of five men took charge. This helped the country move into a new era.

In 1794, France went through a big change. This time is called the Thermidorian Reaction. It got its name from a month on the French calendar.

The change began when leaders removed Maximilien Robespierre from power. This ended a scary period called the Reign of Terror.

After Robespierre left, the new leaders wanted more order. They moved away from radical ideas. They also gave less power to the main group in charge. This new group was less extreme than the old one. However, things were still very hard. A time called the White Terror happened. During this time, many people on the political left were treated unfairly. Some were put in prison or killed without a trial.

Money also became a problem. Prices went up very fast. This made life difficult for many people. There were even riots and protests. In 1795, a new set of rules was made. Finally, a group of five men called the Directory took charge. This marked the end of the Thermidorian period.

The Thermidorian Reaction was a major turning point in the French Revolution. It was a period of big changes for France. This time lasted from July 1794 until November 1795. The name comes from the French calendar month of Thermidor. This era began after the leaders removed Maximilien Robespierre from power.

His removal ended a scary time called the Reign of Terror. The new leaders wanted a more stable way to rule the country. They moved away from the extreme ideas of the radical Jacobins.

This new way of ruling worked by changing how power was held. The government took power away from the Committee of Public Safety. This group had held a lot of control during the Terror. The new leaders also moved toward more moderate positions. They stopped many of the radical policies used before. They also ended the strict control of prices and wages. This change happened in December 1794 when they abolished the Maximum.

However, these economic changes led to a problem called inflation. This meant that prices for things went up very fast.

The change started with a big event in the National Convention. On July 27, 1794, leaders like Jean-Lambert Tallien attacked Robespierre. Tallien spoke out against the tyranny of the old leaders. Other people joined the attack to demand Robespierre's arrest. This led to a fight between different groups of soldiers. The Convention eventually declared Robespierre and his followers to be outlaws. This meant they could be executed without a trial. On July 28, Robespierre and 21 of his associates were executed. This event marked the end of the old radical rule.

Life in France remained very difficult during these months. A period called the White Terror took place during this time. In this era, people on the political left were targeted. Groups like the Muscadin, who were street fighters, were involved. Many people were sent to prison or killed without a trial. In one event, 70 members of the Paris Commune were executed. This was the largest mass execution ever held in Paris.

Even though this was violent, it was smaller than the Terror. The Terror had killed over 40,000 people in total.

By 1795, the government began to build a new system. They wrote a new set of rules called the Constitution of the Year III. This new constitution was made on August 22, 1795. It changed how officials were elected to protect those in power. Eventually, the National Convention was replaced by a new group. This group was called the Directory and had five men in charge. They took power on November 2, 1795. This marked the official end of the Thermidorian period in France.

The Thermidorian Reaction was a pivotal era in the French Revolution. It describes a period of intense political change in France. This era lasted from July 1794 until November 1795. The name comes from the French Republican calendar month of Thermidor. It began when the National Convention ousted Maximilien Robespierre. Robespierre was a leader who had dominated the Committee of Public Safety. His removal signaled the end of the Reign of Terror.

The mechanism of this reaction involved a major shift in government power. The National Convention moved to decentralize executive authority. They took power away from the Committee of Public Safety. This committee had previously held highly centralized control over France. The government also moved away from radical Jacobin policies. These policies were championed by the Montagnard faction of the Convention. The new leaders sought a more moderate and stable political order. They wanted a system that would have the approval of the plurality of citizens.

This period can be seen as a reaction against radicalism. It involved several distinct political and social shifts. First, the government abandoned dechristianization and extreme populism. Second, it removed many harsh wartime measures used during the Terror. Third, the regime actively suppressed the political left. This suppression included the disbanding of the Jacobin Club.

It also involved the dispersal of the sans-culottes, who were radical supporters of the revolution.

The history of this era began with a coup on 9 Thermidor II. This date is July 27, 1794, in the Gregorian calendar. During a session of the National Convention, Jean-Lambert Tallien attacked Robespierre. Tallien denounced the tyranny of Robespierre's leadership. Other leaders like Jacques Nicolas Billaud-Varenne joined the outcry. The Convention ordered the arrest of Robespierre and his followers.

On July 28, 1794, Robespierre and 21 associates were executed. This included figures like Georges Couthon and Saint-Just. The Convention declared them outlaws, allowing execution without a trial.

The significance of the Thermidorian period is seen in its violence and economic effects. The era saw the First White Terror, where the political left was targeted. This included the massacre of 70 members of the Paris Commune. This was the largest mass execution in the history of Paris. However, the scale was smaller than the previous Reign of Terror. The Terror had killed over 40,000 people. In 1794, the government abolished the Maximum, which controlled prices and wages. This decision caused rampant inflation as the government issued more assignats.

Notable examples of the era's instability include various rebellions. In May 1795, an insurrectionist mob invaded the Convention. The government responded by using troops under Pichegru to force a surrender. Another revolt occurred in October 1795, led by Royalists. This revolt was suppressed by General Napoleon Bonaparte using grapeshot. These events showed how fragile the new political order remained. The regime struggled to balance moderate rule with constant threats of uprising.

Ultimately, the Thermidorian Reaction connected to the broader evolution of French governance. The era ended when the National Convention was replaced. On November 2, 1795, the Directory took power. The Directory was an executive body made of five men. This change followed the adoption of the Constitution of the Year III. This new constitution established a bicameral legislature and an electoral college. Historians now use the term "Thermidor" to describe similar shifts in other revolutions. It refers to when radical leadership is replaced by more conservative regimes.