Political Reform
History: KS3, topic 13.1.4
Political Reform
After the Storming of the Bastille, measures were taken to make French society more equal and representative. But the political changes caused chaos in France and led to violence and terror.
The new constitution
- Following the Storming of the Bastille, the National Assembly seized power in France.
- They began writing up a new set of laws (a constitution) which would make the king less powerful, and give more power to the people.
The Declaration of the Rights of Man
- The Declaration of the Rights of Man was passed on 26th August 1789 AD.
New laws
- This promised the French people:
- Freedom of speech.
- Equality in the face of the law.
- Representative government (meaning that all groups of French society would be able to vote and elect people to represent them in government).
Values of France
- The slogan of the revolution became ‘liberté, égalité, fraternité’, meaning ‘freedom, equality, brotherhood’.
Test yourself on Political Reform
What was NOT something the National Assembly did in 1789?