National Convention (French Revolution) Facts & Worksheets

The National Convention (1792-1795) was the third attempt by the French people to create a government following the French Revolution. After the failures of the National Constituent Assembly and Legislative Assembly in previous years, there was a desire for a more permanent form of governance. The overthrow of the monarchy in favor of representative democracy was the most crucial component of the National Convention.

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Key Facts & Information

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

• The great concern after the French Revolution was what sort of governance would be instituted next. The monarchy had been in place for hundreds of years, but the revolution toppled it and created the opportunity for reform. 
• Furthermore, the growing popularity of Enlightenment-era philosophers resulted in a new way of thinking about liberty, equality, and governance. 
• The National Convention was a synthesis of the French Revolution’s changes with the concepts of Enlightenment intellectuals. France was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1786 following its engagement in the American Revolution and a string of disastrous harvests. 
• The same year, a levy was levied that enraged many French residents, and they organized an assembly in 1789 to submit grievances to King Louis XVI, who capitulated on many of them when they presented the grievances. 
• Because of the breakdown in royal authority, many citizens began to resist, and on July 14, 1789, a group stormed the Bastille, marking the start of the French Revolution.
• Despite transitioning from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy, the new administration has several problems. 
• The drafting of a new constitution was required, and the different legislative bodies strove to create a model of governance that was decentralized and democratic.
• The National Constituent Assembly established and drafted a constitution similar to that of the United States. 
• However, a significant dilemma arose when the National Constituent Assembly decided to reinstate the monarchy as long as he swore to uphold the constitution. 
• Riots and instability erupted due to this decision, and the system was officially dissolved in September 1791.
• The new government was established by the Constitution of 1791, which established the National Legislative Assembly. 
• This freshly elected legislature was mostly made up of former members of the National Constituent Assembly, but it also included a few more radical candidates. 
• This parliament was trapped between a more radical citizenry and a King who did nothing to appease the public’s rage. 
• Even though the National Legislative Assembly only existed for one year, it was responsible for significant social improvements. 
• However, an insurrection in Paris in August 1792 repealed the 1791 Constitution and the National Legislative Assembly.

THE FORMATION AND DISSOLUTION OF THE CONVENTION

• The collapse of the National Legislative Assembly necessitated the formation of a new administration in the fall of 1792. 
• During the French Revolution, a new form of government was required following the dissolution of the National Legislative Assembly. 
• Following a general election in September 1792, the National Convention was formed. 
• Maximilien Robespierre, a lawyer, and influential statesman, presided over the election conducted in Paris. The election was widely seen as fraudulent, with relatively few ballots cast and no pro-monarchy representatives chosen for the Convention.
• At the outset of the National Convention, the French Revolution was in full swing, but the famous Reign of Terror had yet to begin. 
• The Convention was a legislative and executive body, although substantial authority was reserved for establishing sub-committees for specific laws and policies.
• The new National Convention differed significantly from prior legislative assemblies. 
• The National Convention had nearly five times the number of members, a president chosen every two weeks, and overall restricted legislative powers. 
• Many of the specialized legislative authorities were kept for subcommittees, most notably the Committees of Public Safety and General Security.

ELECTIONS AND COMPOSITION

• Elections for the next National Convention were rushed through in the first week of September 1792. Despite the considerable rise in suffrage, voter turnout was low, with just around one million males casting ballots. 
• This election coincided with the killing of around 1,100 inmates in Paris, which may have hampered the outcome.
• The Convention elected 749 representatives in all. Their political ties have been thoroughly investigated. 
• Most new lawmakers belonged to the Plain or Marais, the moderates who represented the middle ground and who occupied the floor of the assembly hall and lower reaches. 
• A quarter (200 or so) of the new delegates were Jacobins and another fifth (160) centered around Jacques Brissot.
• The majority of the elected deputies had prior political or public service experience. 
• Almost half of the 749 were lawyers, 55 were clerics, eight were noblemen, and one was a minor royal (Philippe Égalité, the former Duke of Orleans).
• The National Constituent Assembly included 83 representatives, including Robespierre. However, the new Convention also had a radical element omitted from prior legislatures. 
• Louis Legendre was a butcher from Paris who had stormed the Bastille; Jean-Baptiste Armonville was a foul-mouthed wool carder; and François Montegut was a southern French gravedigger.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF THE CONVENTION

• Within the elected members of the National Convention were three significant groupings or factions. They were as follows:

Factions

• They were extreme democrats, and many were Jacobins. They constituted more than a fourth of the membership. Some were working-class sans-culottes who had never served in legislatures.
• The Girondins were more moderate Republicans who took more conservative stances on topics. They constituted less than a fourth of the total membership.
• The Plains were the meeting point between the Montagnards and the Girondins. They were frequently less ideological, and their larger numbers forced the other factions to solicit their support.
• While the legislature was initially effective in working together, the two ideological camps increasingly clashed.

Deciding the fate of the King

• The Legislative Assembly resolved to suspend King Louis XVI and the National Convention was convened in the absence of the monarch. The new assembly, however, had to determine what to do with the monarch. They voted for his execution in January 1793.
• The vote exposed the schisms between the Montagnards and the Girondins. The Girondins argued that the choice to execute the monarch should be put to the French people in a referendum. 
• They did, however, lose the vote to submit the decision to the public, and the more extreme Montagnards and many sans-culottes in Paris accused them of royal sympathies.

The Revolutionary War

• In 1792, France declared war on Austria and Prussia ahead of time. By 1793, Spain and Portugal had entered the war against France, and after the death of Louis XVI, Britain, and the Dutch had also joined.
• In the early months of 1793, France faced royalist revolts in numerous places, the most noteworthy of which was the uprising in the Vendée region, in addition to foreign invaders.
• In April 1793, the Convention formed the Committee of Public Safety to supervise the defense of the revolutionary government.

Instability

• War and insecurity wreaked havoc on the economy. Bread and other food costs remained high. 
• This meant that ordinary people’s unhappiness, particularly among urban working-class sans-culottes in Paris, remained strong and were on the verge of insurgency.

National Convention Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the National Convention during the French Revolution, along with ready-to-use worksheets across 22 in-depth pages. The National Convention (1792-1795) was the third attempt by the French people to create a government following the French Revolution.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. National Convention Facts
2. Is It True?
3. Mystery Words
4. The French Revolution
5. Living in Monarchy
6. Composition of Convention
7. The King’s Execution
8. New Governments
9. Government Elections
10. The Subcommittees
11. Montagnards vs. Girondins

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the National Convention?

The National Convention was the governing body of France from September 1792 to October 1795 during the French Revolution. It replaced the Legislative Assembly and was responsible for drafting a new constitution and making important decisions regarding the future of France.

How was the National Convention formed?

The National Convention was formed through the election of deputies by universal male suffrage. Deputies were elected from across France, and the Convention consisted of around 749 members. It was initially tasked with drafting a new constitution and quickly became the center of political power during the revolutionary period.

What were some significant actions taken by the National Convention?

The National Convention made several significant decisions and reforms during its tenure. It abolished the monarchy and declared France a republic. It put King Louis XVI on trial, convicted him of treason, and ultimately sentenced him to death by guillotine. The Convention also implemented the Reign of Terror, a period characterized by mass executions and suppression of counter-revolutionary elements.

Who were some prominent figures in the National Convention?

The National Convention included several notable figures who played significant roles during the French Revolution. Some prominent members were Maximilien Robespierre, Georges Danton, Jean-Paul Marat, and Camille Desmoulins. These individuals represented different political factions and had varying degrees of influence during the revolutionary period.

How did the National Convention come to an end?

The National Convention came to an end in October 1795 with the establishment of the Directory, a new form of government. The Convention’s dissolution was prompted by widespread dissatisfaction with its rule and a desire for stability. The Directory lasted until 1799 when it was overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte in the coup of 18 Brumaire, marking the end of the French Revolution.

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