Week 28- Influence of the sans-culottes and Robespierre Flashcards
How did the sans-culottes impact the dechristianisation campaign?
They supported the a move to close churches and destroy all religious signs and symbols.
How did the Paris Commune respond to the idea of dechristianisation?
They made in an official policy in October 1793.
All the remaining churches were closed in November 1793.
What was Notre Dame cathedral transformed to?
It was transformed to the ‘Temple of Reason’.
In November the the ‘Festival of Reason’, organised by the Paris Commune was held there on 23rd November 1793
How did the Robespierre view the ‘Festival of Reason’?
He was fearful of such excess as it ran the risk of earning the revolution more enemies.
This contrasted the ideas of Hérbert who wanted a completely secular society.
What stopped violent attacks on religion?
After an attack on a local Jacobin club in December 1793, Robespierre persuaded the Convention to prohibit violent attacks on religion.
What was the ‘liberty of cults’?
A decree that reaffirmed religious toleration.
However, this came too late as 20,000 priests had already renounced their positions.
What was the Law of 14 Frimaire II?
Passed on 4th December 1793
Gave the CPS direct power over ministers, generals and the représentants-en-mission and local government.
Provided a highly centralised structure in which the CPS was supreme.
Also weakened the power of the sans-culottes who wanted shared power.
What enemies did the CPS have in the first months of 1794?
The followers of Hérbert who claimed Robespierre was setting up a dictatorship and called for the sans-culottes to rise against him.
And the ‘indulgents’ who suggested it was time for the Terror to be scaled back.
Why was the Hérbert and his associates arrested?
Rumours of a plot the massacre members of the Convention resulted in the arrest of Hérbert and his associates.
He and 18 associated were executed on 24th March 1794.
When were the indulgents arrested and executed?
30th March.
Danton, Desmoulins and 13 other indulgents were executed on 5th April.
What was the state of the CPS after the executions of the Hérbertists and indulgents?
It was extremely divided.
Anyone who opposed Robespierre, Saint-Just and Couthon (the triumvirate) was in danger.
What did Robespierre do about religion?
Robespierre believed dechristianisation had gone too far.
He wanted to develop central control over religion.
A decree on 7th May 1794 announced Robespierre’s new version of religion.
What was the festival of Supreme Being?
A festival used to celebrate Robespierre’s new structure of religion in which he was elected president of the Convention.
Marked a highpoint of Robespierre’s power and temporarily disguised political uncertainties at the time.
What did The Law of 22 Prairial III announce?
All those accused of political crimes were to be taken before the Revolutionary Tribunal.
Citizens were obliged to denounce any suspects.
Trials were to take no more than 3 days.
There were only two possible outcomes; acquittal or death.
The Convention’s immunity from prosecution disappeared.
What was ‘The Great Terror’?
A two month period after The Law of 22 Prairial.
The Revolutionary Tribunal pronounced 1284 death sentences.
