Names:_________________________________________________

Readthedocumentstogether,discussthequestionsthatfollow,andanswerthemthoroughly.

DocumentA:ReignofTerror
TheTerrorGripsFrance
ForeignarmieswerenottheonlyenemiesoftheFrenchRepublic.TheJacobinshad
thousandsofenemieswithinFranceitself.Theseincludedpeasantswhowerehorrifiedbythe
kingsexecution,priestswhowouldnotacceptgovernmentcontrol,andrivalleaderswho
werestirringuprebellionintheprovinces.Howtocontainandcontroltheseenemiesbecame
acentralissue.

RobespierreAssumesControl
Intheearlymonthsof1793,oneJacobinleader,Maximilian
Robespierre,slowlygainedpower.Robespierreandhissupporterssetouttobuildarepublic
ofvirtuebywipingouteverytraceofFrancespast.Firmbelieversinreason,theychanged
thecalendar,dividingtheyearinto12monthsof30daysandrenamingeachmonth.This
calendarhadnoSundaysbecausetheradicalsconsideredreligionoldfashionedand
dangerous.TheyevenclosedallchurchesinParis,andcitiesandtownsalloverFrancesoon
didthesame.

InJuly1793,RobespierrebecameleaderoftheCommitteeofPublicSafety.Forthenext
year,RobespierregovernedFrancevirtuallyasadictator,andtheperiodofhisrulebecame
knownastheReignofTerror.TheCommitteeofPublicSafetyschieftaskwastoprotectthe
Revolutionfromitsenemies.UnderRobespierresleadership,thecommitteeoftenhadthese
enemiestriedinthemorningandguillotinedintheafternoon.Robespierrejustifiedhisuseof
terrorbysuggestingthatithelpedFrenchcitizenstoremaintruetotheidealsofthe
Revolution...

Thousandsofunknownpeoplewerealsosenttotheirdeath,oftenontheflimsiestofcharges.
Forexample,an18yearoldyouthwassentencedtodieforcuttingdownatreethathadbeen
plantedasasymbolofliberty.Perhapsasmanyas40,000wereexecutedduringtheTerror.
About85percentwerepeasantsormembersoftheurbanpoorormiddleclassforwhose
benefittheRevolutionhadbeenlaunched.

Source:ModernWorldHistory:PatternsofInteraction.Evanston,IL:McDougalLittell(2006),
pp.226227.
ReignofTerrorQuestions
1.Accordingtothissource,whydidtheJacobinshavesomanyenemies?

2.Robespierreandhissupporterscreatedanewcalendar.Whywouldtheywanttowipeout
everytraceofFrancespast?

3.AccordingtoDocumentA,RobespierrebelievedterrorhelpedFrenchcitizensremaintrue
totheidealsoftheRevolution.WhatweretheidealsoftheFrenchRevolution?(Usewhat
youalreadyknowabouttheFrenchRevolutiontoanswerthisquestion).

BasedonDocumentA,doyouthinktheCommitteeofPublicSafetyprotectedtheRevolution
fromitsenemies?Circleone:

YES
NO

Explainyouranswer.

DocumentB:DecreeAgainstProfiteers
InJuly1793,facedwithanangryandhungrypopulation,theleadersoftheCommitteeof
PublicSafetypassedtheDecreeAgainstProfiteers.Thelawaccusedprofiteersinthe
countrysideofhoardingormonopolizinggraininordertoraisethepriceofbread.
26July1793
Vocabulary
capital
:punishablebydeath
decree
:anofficialorder
monopoly
:totalcontroloversomething
municipality
:localgovernment
commodities
:thingsthatcanbeboughtorsold
circulation:
availability

1.Monopolyisacapitalcrime.

2.Thosewhokeepoutofcirculationessentialmerchandiseorcommoditieswithoutoffering
themforsaledailyandpubliclyaredeclaredguiltyofmonopoly...
3.Theessentialcommoditiesandmerchandiseare:bread,meat,wine,grain,flour,
vegetables,fruit,butter,vinegar,cider,brandy,charcoal,tallow,wood,oil,soda,soap,salt,
[etc.]
4.Thosewhohaveanyofthesecommoditiesshallberequiredtodeclarethemandsellthem
...5.Oneweekfromtoday,thosewhohavenotdeclaredtheirgoodsshallbeconsidered
monopolists,and,assuch,punishedwithdeaththeirpropertyshallbeconfiscated,andtheir
commoditiesormerchandiseshallbeplacedonsale.
6.Thoseconvictedofmakingfalsedeclarationslikewiseshallbepunishedwithdeath.Public
officialswhoprotectmonopolistsshallalsobepunishedwithdeath.

DocumentBQuestions
1.WhydidtheCommitteeofPublicSafetypasstheDecreeAgainstProfiteers?

2.WhydidtheCommitteeofPublicSafetyconsidermonopolytobesuchaseriouscrime?
(Hint:ThinkbacktotheidealsoftheFrenchRevolution).

3.Whatwasthepunishmentforthosewhodidnotcomplywiththislaw?

Basedonthe
DecreeAgainstProfiteers
,doyouthinktheCommitteeofPublicSafety
protectedtheRevolutionfromitsenemies?Circleone:

YES
NO

Explainyouranswer.

DocumentC:LawofSuspects
BySeptember1793,theleadersoftheCommitteeofPublicSafetyfacedgrowing
counterrevolutionaryuprisingsandmountingfearofforeigninvasion.Theyrespondedby
passingtheLawofSuspects,whichestablishedrevolutionarycourtstotryanyonesuspected
oftreasonagainsttherevolution
.
Vocabulary
capital
:punishablebydeath
decree
:anofficialorder
monopoly
:totalcontroloversomething
municipality
:localgovernment
commodities
:thingsthatcanbeboughtorsold
meansof
existence
:waytopaythebills

1Immediatelyafterthepublicationofthepresentdecree,allsuspectedpersonswithinthe
territoryoftheRepublicandstillatlibertyshallbeplacedincustody.
2.Thefollowingaredeemedsuspectedpersons:
1st,thosewho,bytheirconduct,associations,talk,orwritingshaveshownthemselves
tobeenemiesofliberty
2nd,thosewhoareunabletojustifytheirmeansofexistenceandtheperformanceof
theircivicduties
3rd,thosetowhomcertificatesofpatriotismhavebeenrefused
4th,publicofficialssuspendedordismissedfromtheirpositionsbytheNational
Conventionorbyitscommissionersandnotreinstated
5th,thoseformernobles,husbands,wives,fathers,mothers,sonsordaughters,
brothersorsistersofmigrs,whohavenotsteadilydemonstratedtheirdevotionto
theRevolution

DocumentCQuestions
1.WhatwasthegoaloftheLawofsuspects?

2.Listtwoexamplesofpeoplewhowouldhavebeenconsideredsuspects.Explainwhythe
CommitteeofPublicSafetywouldhaveconsideredthemsuspects.

3.WhatmighttheleadersoftheCommitteeofPublicSafetyhavesaidtojustifythislaw?

Basedonthe
LawofSuspects
,doyouthinktheCommitteeofPublicSafetyprotectedthe
Revolutionfromitsenemies?Circleone:

YES
NO

Explainyouranswer.