Terror and Resistance

(Pilage de la maison de St. Lazare, from http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/imaging/imagesnoflash/26.html)

Terror and Resistance was a major theme of the French Revolution and played a major role in why the peasants revolted. Peasants during this time were being mistreated by the government and they decided to revolt. Resistance to this Aristocratic dominance proved to be difficult, but things such as the war song of “La Marseillaise” helped provide motivation and encouragement to overthrow this unfair government. Strong individuals also helped the cause of the Revolutionaries. Robespierre gained power after the execution of Louis XVI and used this to help the peasants. He was known as “the immovable one” because his decisions could not be swayed. Later, however, Robespierre was thought to becoming dictator-like and the rest of the Committee of Public Safety overthrew him in the act of the Thermidorian Reaction. Through the terror instated by the Committee of Public Safety revolts continued with the help of motivating factors, such as “La Marseillaise”, eventually ending in the Thermidorian Reaction and the death of Robespierre.
“La Marseillaise” was one of the athems of the French Revolution, and is now the current French National Anthem. The lyrics of the song motivated and provided reasons for why the people were revolting. One such example of a revolt was the Vendee, in which farmer, peasants, and priests created guerilla armies to fight against the Republican Government. As the author, Claude de Lisle, states in the lyrics, “They are coming into your very homes to slaughter your sons and wives.” De Lisle is reinstating the fact that the army is harming them, doing evil things and for this the public must revolt to get rid of this evil. The song took all the reasons on why they were revolting, “sacred love of the homeland…Liberty, beloved Liberty.” This song was a great motivator for the revolutionaries to revolt with great anger, which was the most effective way to overthrow King Louis XVI. (1)

The Marseillaise

Maximillien de Robespierre was one of the most influential revolutionaries during the French Revolution. After the executions of Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XVI a temporary committee of leadership was created, this was the Committee of Public Safety. Although every member of the committee was said to have equal power, Robespierre took control, and had more power than everyone else. He promoted many ideals, including the De-Christianization of France, and the promotion of deism. Robespierre was very staunch in who he thought should be killed because of their crimes against the revolution, because of this he earned the name “L’incorruptible” or “The Incorruptable”, because he could not be swayed in his decisions. He is also famous for saying, “To punish the oppressors of humanity is clemency; to forgive them is cruelty,” which meant that punishing people who wish to oppress is a merciful act, while allowing them to go free is cruel. Robespierre was one of the key deciders in the guillotining of 1,285 people. (2) (Maximilien de Robespierre, from http://www.chd.univ-rennes1.fr/Icono/Thiers/20ThiersHRFt0304Robespierre.jpg)

The Thermidorian Reaction took place on 9 Thermidor Year II (July 27, 1794). This was the day on which, many members of The Committee of Public Safety attacked Robespierre for his “dictatorship” inside the Committee, the one thing Robespierre was trying to dispel from France. After many of the cooperators in Robespierre’s reign of terror had died or been killed, he had been swiftly losing support in the committee, and his only support lied in the Jacobin Club. However, he was also losing support from the Jacobin Club, after he had one of its most prominent members, Danton, an opponent of his, executed. On 9 Thermidor Year II, while there was a convention going on, one of the members of the Committee stood up and called for Robespierre’s arrest. When Robespierre saw this he shouted out to the convention for help on the denial of these charges, however everyone supported the charges, even Robespierre’s “supporters”. Robespierre tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head, however he missed, breaking his jaw. On the following day, 10 Thermidor Year II Robespierre was guillotined. (3) (The Death Of Robespierre, from http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/11/)

During the French Revolution, Terror and resistance became common themes in society. Revolt was introduced against the French nobles and aristocracy. “La Marseillaise,” an anthem of the revolution stimulated the peasants to rebel and take control of the government. Maximillien de Robespierre became an influential revolutionary in society as he became the most prominent member of the Committee of Public Safety, which became the temporary government after the execution of Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI. Robespierre developed into the “dictator” of the committee, and he was eventually overthrown on 9 Thermidor Year II. He was guillotined representing the “Terror” of extreme power and authority of the Revolution. The peasants and lower class dominated France in this chaos of executions, and their cruel ways were successful and unstoppable by any form of government in France.

(1) http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/625/

(2)http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap7c.html

(3)http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap7c.html

Sawyer Rice, Mike Innocenzi, Clay Haarmann, Connor Waite