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MAXIMILIEN ROBESPIERRE (1758-1794)

Maximilien Isidore Robespierre fortune, Maximilien was indebted to was a leading figure in the French the benevolent protection of the Revolution, which took place between Bishop of Arras, M. de Conzié, for the 1789 and 1799. Robespierre was the situation of bursar of the College of leader of the most violent of those Louis XIV. theorizers who overthrew the French monarchy, headed by Louis XVI. 2. At what age was Maximilien Robespierre was the exponent of all Robespierre orphaned? that deep-rooted hatred which the a. 1 commoners of France, as the result of b. 5 long centuries of oppression, harbored c. 9 against their king, nobles, and clergy. d. 13 Robespierre ruled the infant republic during its first bold defiance of united From his infancy, Robespierre Europe. Yet his name has become, manifested a cruel, reserved, and even among his countrymen, a symbol timid disposition, and an ardent love of horror. of liberty and independence. After having passed through his studies, 1. Who ruled France prior to the Robespierre obtained the honor of ? being chosen by his fellow students to a. Henry IV address Louis XVI, upon the entrance b. Louis XIV of that monarch into —a king c. Louis XVI whose death Robespierre would one d. Robespierre day call for.

Robespierre was born at Arras 3. Robespierre manifested a hatred of in 1758. His father was an advocate in liberty and independence at a the supreme council of Artois, and, young age. ruined by his dissipation, had left a. True France long before the revolution. An b. False orphan at the age of nine, and without

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Maximilien Robespierre Robespierre returned to Arras. which took place at the Champ-de- Having become an advocate of the Mars, on July 14, 16, 17, 1791. council of Artois, he composed Robespierre attacked, on the strictures against the magistrates of 14th, in the Assembly, the principle of that province. A daring enthusiast, in the inviolability of the sovereign (the 1789 he was elected, on account of his divine right of kings), in the hope of revolutionary principles, by the third having Louis XVI arraigned. But at estate of Artois, to a seat in the the end of the sitting, finding his Constituent Assembly. We shall not opinion rejected, Robespierre began to follow him in detail in that assembly. tremble for his temerity, and required We shall simply remark, that he spoke that they should not provoke the ruin much without obtaining any of persons who had engaged in that particular influence. He evinced affair. himself constantly the enthusiastic champion of the people. 5. Why do you imagine that the Assembly was unwilling to 4. When was Robespierre elected to assassinate Louis XVI at this time, the Constituent Assembly? yet did eventually do so (on ______January 21, 1793)? ______Robespierre, in all his ______harangues, appears to foresee events. ______The avowed enemy of royalty, we ______behold him on the side of ______republicanism, of which he ventured ______to alter the name on the day when the ______Assembly decreed the French ______government monarchical. We behold ______him again, after the arrest of the king ______at Varennes (when Louis XVI and ______Marie Antoinette tried to flee from ______France with their children), resuming ______his projects for the destruction of that ______monarch, preparing the movements ______

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Maximilien Robespierre Robespierre was unable to were the means of his acquiring distinguish himself among the orators among the that reputation of the Constituent Assembly. His and favor which, daily increasing, principles appeared obnoxious to the rendered him at last the idol of the innovators acting from sentiment in people and the ruler of the 1789. They often drew upon him the government. He was called "The indignation of his colleagues. They Incorruptible."

Vocabulary Terms: Write each term (found in the text above) twice, using your best handwriting. Then define the term.

6. avowed

7. benevolent

8. bursar

9. disposition

10. exponent

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Maximilien Robespierre

11. harangues

12. harbored

13. incorruptible

14. indignation

15. inviolability

16. oppression

17. sovereign

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Maximilien Robespierre

18. strictures

19. temerity

20. theorizers

The day of the closing of the criminal tribunal at Paris, to which he Assembly, the populace surrounded had been appointed. him on his coming out of the hall, put a crown of oak upon his head, placed 21. Robespierre was aligned with him in a carriage, and, taking out the what political faction? horses, dragged him to his house, a. Cordeliers exclaiming as they moved, "Behold the b. Girondists friend of the people, the great defender c. Jacobins of Liberty!" d. Royalists Robespierre was fully sensible of the advantages which might result Until his election to a seat in the from his alliance with the Jacobins. Convention, Robespierre was never He devoted himself entirely to the seen personally to engage in those direction of a club bearing that name. insurrections which produced the He refused, in order to give up his atrocious attack upon the king, nor in whole time to the objects they had in the horrible massacres which, in 1792, view, the office of accuser in the covered Paris with murder and blood,

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Maximilien Robespierre and the French name with eternal Robespierre availed himself opprobrium. He refused even to particularly of the latter, in order to preside at the tribunal of August 10th, overthrow the , who, from because, as he said, "He had long since the fifth session, had suspected his denounced and accused the ambition, and accused him of aspiring conspirators, whom this tribunal was to the dictatorship. ordained to judge." 23. What political faction did 22. Why do you suppose that Robespierre hope to overthrow? Robespierre avoided publicly ______partaking in actions which he ______personally advocated? ______It was during this struggle that ______Louvet3 pronounced against him that ______very eloquent harangue, which ______Madame Roland called the ______"Robespierreiad." Assisted by his ______brother and by Danton, Robespierre, ______in the sitting of November 5th, ______overpowered the Girondists. ______Robespierre then went to the Jacobins ______to enjoy the fruits of his victory, where ______Merlin de Thionville declared him an eagle, and a barbarous reptile. But Robespierre had scarcely entered the Convention when he 24. Who declared Robespierre both resolved to raise his faction upon the an eagle and a barbarous reptile? ruins of all the others, and his power ______upon the destruction of those factions ______which he might employ. To attain this end, he was seen at first to strengthen the ties by which he had already been 2 (October 26, 1759-April 5, 1794) was a united to Marat1 and Danton2. leading figure in the overthrow of Louis XVI. He served as the first president of the Committee of Public Safety, yet was himself later killed on the guillotine after being accused of being too lenient toward enemies of the 1 Jean-Paul Marat (May 24, 1743-July 13, 1793) was a French Revolution. journalist who advocated against “enemies of the 3 Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvrai (June 12, 1760-August revolution.” Marat was infamously murdered in his 25, 1797) was a French writer aligned with the bathtub by . Girondists.

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Maximilien Robespierre

From that moment, Robespierre pronounce upon him (according to the never ceased to promote the death of expression of one of his colleagues) des Louis XVI, with an asperity and a vociférations de cannibale, and the perseverance almost incredible. In most atrocious prejudgments. It is short, until the fatal day of the almost superfluous to add, that execution of that amiable and Robespierre voted for his death on the unfortunate king, Robespierre day of the nominal appeal to the continually importuned the tribune to nation.

Vocabulary Terms: Match each term (found in the text above) to its meaning.

25. _____ acrimony or severity 26. _____ acts of rebellion or revolt against governmental authority 27. _____ extremely brutal or cruel 28. _____ helped or served 29. _____ indiscriminate and unnecessary mass killings 30. _____ infamy 31. _____ possessing the power of fluent and forceful speech 32. _____ pressed with solicitations 33. _____ putative or so-called 34. _____ the second of two things mentioned

(a) asperity (f) insurrections (b) atrocious (g) latter (c) availed (h) massacres (d) eloquent (i) nominal (e) importuned (j) opprobrium

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Maximilien Robespierre

Within any moderate limits, it 36. When was Louis XVI awarded a would be impossible to give the details death sentence? of this monstrous proceeding. Of all ______the disorders which had occurred ______during the stormy period which had ______seen him on the throne of France, ______Louis XVI was accused. He was assigned counsel; and MM. Tronchet, Constant in his hatred of the Lamoignon, Malesherbes, and De Girondins, Robespierre attacked them Séze, with his approbation, undertook with great vehemence until May 31st, his defense. when he obtained a complete triumph. Robespierre’s most dangerous enemies 35. Which of the following was not a among the men of that faction were member of the king’s defense team? outlawed, and others arrested. The a. Danton success of this day rendered him b. Lamoignon absolute ruler of the Convention, and c. Malesherbes founded that tyrannical empire which d. Tronchet only terminated with his life.

Their exertions, though 37. When did Robespierre gain creditable to themselves, were of no absolute control over the avail. On January 16, 1793, after Convention? hearing them in his defense, and his ______solemn denial of the crimes laid to his ______charge, and after a sitting of nearly ______thirty-four hours, the punishment of ______death was awarded. ______

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Maximilien Robespierre

Robespierre's arrest.

Among the factions which had Georges Danton, who had been lent Robespierre their assistance, the particularly serviceable on this Hebertistes were the first that occasion, whose energy had been of separated from his cause. This faction such utility, who had aided aspired to sole dominion, but the good Robespierre in sweeping away the fortune or the address of Robespierre other factions; Danton, in short, whom was able at once to oppose to it the Robespierre ought to have considered Jacobins and the Cordeliers, and it as the instrument of his power, sunk in March, 1794, under their became a formidable enemy, after united efforts. being for a length of time a most devoted friend and faithful ally. The 38. What faction was sunk, through two parties were at issue; one or the Robespierre’s efforts, in March of other must necessarily be overcome. 1794? The cunning of Robespierre ______triumphed over the inconsiderate ______ardor of his rival, whom Robespierre ______took pains to render unpopular by ______sending him to enrich himself in

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Maximilien Robespierre Belgium. A few days afterward, In the course of the same month Danton was accused, arrested, and (April, 1794), Robespierre delivered conveyed to the scaffold with over to the the Desmoulins, La Croix, Fabre, and remainder of the party of the others. Georges Danton met his end Hebertistes, and that of the on the guillotine on April 5, 1794. Cordeliers, whom he degraded by the name of Atheists. From that moment 39. Imagine that today’s political to the period of his downfall, parties are living under a political Robespierre met no opposition. It was climate similar to that of then that his language assumed a revolutionary France. Conjecture different tone. "I must be," "it is what it might be like if a modern necessary," "I will," were his general political party began accusing expressions. The Convention, as members of the opposing political Robespierre himself called it, was only party of disloyalty, then conducting his machine à décrets. treason trials and having these people executed. 40. One of the major reasons why ______the French overthrew their ______monarch (Louis XVI) was because ______of their hatred of absolute rule. ______Why do you suppose that one form ______of absolute rule (Louis XVI’s ______monarchy) was so quickly replaced ______by another (Robespierre’s ______Committee of Public Safety)? ______

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Maximilien Robespierre What is worthy of remark is, Danger, however, inspired that France, groaning under the Robespierre with courage. From June struggles of different parties, should 10th, Ruamps and Bourdon de l'Oise, applaud the conduct of Robespierre, in particular, had expressed some from an idea that it would be less distrust of the Committee of Public miserable under a single . Safety. This produced a discussion in Robespierre’s new plan of religion, which Robespierre, speaking with an ridiculous as it was, gained him some air of despotism, had the good fortune adherents. But it must be evident to to silence them. This was the moment every reflecting mind that Robespierre he should have chosen to overwhelm must have conceived himself at the the party, which redoubled its head of the government, since he, intrigues for his destruction; and at whose sole object had hitherto been to whose head Tallien rendered himself destroy, attempted to rebuild. remarkable. It is impossible to conjecture Robespierre’s friend, St. Just, how long his power might have advised him to strike the first blow. continued, had he spared his Robespierre had passed several days colleagues, and if he had not incited to in retirement, occupied in projecting, resistance men who, until then, had at a moment when he ought to have blindly executed his orders, and who acted. When Robespierre reappeared desired nothing more than to continue on the 26th, at the Convention, his to serve and obey him. But in partisans abandoned him. He in vain sacrificing the leaders of the endeavored to regain the ground he Revolutionary Government, had lost. Robespierre sought support from the Sensible of the danger which moderate party. This policy ruined threatened him, Robespierre called him. Those whose destruction he had together his most intimate friends on meditated occasioned his downfall. the night of the 26th. St. Just pressed him immediately to act. He hesitated 41. Robespierre caused his own for twenty-four hours, and this delay downfall by executing those was the sentence of his death. The revolutionary leaders who were as next day Billaud-Varennes removed radical as himself. the veil, and Robespierre having a. True rushed to the tribune to reply to him, b. False the cries of "Down with the tyrant!" drove him instantly from the assembly. A few minutes after a

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Maximilien Robespierre decree was passed for Robespierre’s the Convention having put him out of arrest, and that of St. Just, Couthon, the protection of the law, the Parisians and Lebas. abandoned him, and at three o'clock in the morning he found himself with his 42. Describe the events which led to accomplices in the power of the officers Robespierre’s downfall. of the Convention. ______At the moment he was about to ______be seized, Robespierre discharged a ______pistol at his head, which only ______fractured his lower jaw. (Others say it ______was fired by Medal, one of the ______gendarmes, who had stepped forward ______to arrest him, and against whom he ______defended himself.) Robespierre was ______immediately conducted to the ______Commune, from thence conveyed to ______the Conciergerie, and executed on the ______same day, July 28, 1794. ______Robespierre’s last moments ______presented a terrific scene—his mouth ______full of blood, his eyes half closed, his ______head bound up with a bloody ______handkerchief—he was thrown into the ______same cell which had been successively ______inhabited by Hébert, Danton, and Chaumette. When Robespierre "The robbers triumph," quitted the prison to meet his Robespierre exclaimed, on turning to punishment, the proscribed persons the side of the conquerors. He was obstructing the passage, the jailer afterward conducted to the cried out, "Make way for monsieur the Luxembourg, and in a little time incorruptible!" removed from that palace and conveyed to the tribune which had 43. When was Robespierre delivered him up. He for some time executed? cherished the hopes of a triumph. The ______national guard, under the command of ______Henriot, assembled in his defense. But ______

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Maximilien Robespierre Robespierre was conveyed in a ssortment-01/Graphic- cart between Henriot and Couthon. Organizers/Five-Paragraph-Essay- The people halted before the house, Organizer-Instructions.html). Feel two women danced before the wagon, free to compare Robespierre to and one of them exclaimed, "Your other leaders in history. sufferings intoxicate us with joy! You ______will descend to hell, accompanied by ______the curses of all wives and mothers." ______The executioner, in order to dispatch ______him, rudely tore away the bandage ______from his wound. Robespierre uttered ______a cry of horror as his lower jaw ______separated itself from the upper. The ______blood again flowed, and his head ______exhibited a spectacle of the most ______frightful kind. Robespierre died at the ______young age of thirty-six. ______Robespierre was not a monster; ______his life attests it. Nor was he solely ______guilty of the atrocities which ______signalized his reign. By his downfall ______he was loaded with all those iniquities ______which, had he triumphed, he would ______have attributed to his opponents. ______44. The (September ______5, 1793-July 28, 1794) saw ______thousands upon thousands of ______people put to death. Is it fair for ______history to blame the Reign of ______Terror on Maximilien Robespierre? ______Do political leaders act alone, or ______with public support? Why or why ______not? Compose your answer in ______standard five-paragraph essay ______format (guide available here: ______http://www.studenthandouts.com/A ______

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Maximilien Robespierre ______

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Maximilien Robespierre

Artistic Expression: Illustrate a scene from the life of Maximilien Robespierre.

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Maximilien Robespierre

Word Search Puzzle

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Commune Jacobins Convention Marat Danton Paris enemy revolution faction Robespierre France trial Girondists tribunal guillotine tyrant

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