ou are a young French person revolution comes, will we get burned, of the middle class. You feel maybe?" Y sorry for the common people in France who are not as lucky as you are. You think about your friend's words. They are taxed too much. They are treated You would like to join other angry young unfairly in the courts. Some of them can't people working for the overthrow of the find jobs. It seems as though all the good king. On the other hand, you don't want to jobs go to the people in the upper classes. see a bloody revolution. You want France to be a fairer place to live, but you don't want "The nobility enjoys the good life violence and suffering. here and the common people suffer," you tell your friend. "I'll tell you where a wonderful new experiment is happening right now," says "Well, that's the way it has always your friend. "The United States is voting on been," your friend says with a shrug. a new Constitution. Let's take a trip over there and see how it's working." You have read John Locke's books on government. You also read popular You find the idea thrilling. Your own French writers like Voltaire, Rousseau, and French Marquis de Lafayette helped the Montesquieu. They all say that people can Americans with their revolution. Now he is do something about improving life in a trying to bring constitutional government country. "I say we should get rid of the king, to France. "you mutter. "I cannot leave France just when "Wait now," your friend says, "Once great things are about to happen," you say. the fires of revolution are lit, who knows "I have some skill as a writer. I could write where it will all end? Remember, we are pamphlets promoting justice." bourgeoisie. We have a nice life. If the 1 The following week a dramatic thing But, to your surprise, the defenders happens. A mob of people storm the of the Bastille don't put up much of a fight. Bastille. The Bastille is a fortress-like prison The large mob has frightened the cowardly in Paris. king's men into Everybody fleeing for their believes the king lives. You are has stored a happy you are considerable part of this great amount of action. You are ammunition making history. there. You have What a heard that wonderful hundreds of poor moment lies people are locked ahead! All the away behind those poor prisoners grim walls, too. will come out. The Bastille seems to stand for all The cell that is hated doors swing about royal open. But only authority in France. seven men come out. Four are thieves, two are mentally ill, and one is an old man! You join the crowd of angry people moving toward the prison. The sight of the Still, there is wild hate in the eyes of great stone fortress fills you with dread and the crowd. Will there soon be blood rage. The Bastille has turrets. It looks like running in the streets? Later your fears are an ugly castle of injustice. realized, the governor and some of the guards of the Bastille are killed (the "What a thrill to be part of this," a governor stabbed to death) under chaotic friend cries. Her face is flushed with circumstances, despite having surrendered excitement. under a flag of truce, and their heads paraded on pikes. "Boldness! Courage!" everyone is shouting. You are all encouraging one You wonder if you should spend a another. Your heart pounds madly. Perhaps few weeks with your cousin in England. It the king's soldiers will fire at you from the would give you a chance to see how things Bastille. Maybe you are about to die for the are going from a distance. But then you cause of justice! might miss the excitement of the revolution! ■ If you stay in France, turn to page 3 ■ If you stay in England, turn to page 4 2 You must remain in France is named Maximilien Robespierre. as history unfolds. He labels anybody who criticizes him an "enemy of the people." You The insurrection at the know what happens to enemies of Bastille and this new spirit of the people. The guillotine waits popular sovereignty spread for them! throughout France. You too want to see justice done, so you join the "It's a reign of terror we are people who roam the countryside seeing now," you whisper to a in July and August of 1789. You friend. You both supported the are with a mob that burns a revolution, but neither of you Robespierre wealthy man's mansion. Being wanted all this bloodshed! part of such an act of destruction bothers you. But the man has been unjust. One day you watch the guillotine at You are convinced that such actions are work. The huge knife comes down, again necessary. This hysteria, known as the and again, chopping off the heads of priests Great Fear, spread across the country but and nobles. Suddenly you see your old gradually burned itself out. friend, the baker, guillotined. Somebody accused him! You are horror-struck. The By 1792 you find yourself in a Paris guillotine is cutting down the innocent and throng of people when King Louis XVI loses the guilty alike! his power. Everybody says he will take the queen, Marie Antoinette, and flee the In 1794 Robespierre himself is country. But events move swiftly into accused of being an enemy of the people. violence. There are rumors that the king is He is guillotined. Now the reign of terror plotting with other countries against ends at last. France. He is arrested and put in prison. A few weeks later you and a friend, Then the king of France is executed the baker’s brother, sit down at a café and for treason. He is put to death by the discuss the tremulous year that just passed. guillotine in January of 1793. The guillotine You hear other news being discussed in the is a new device which cuts off heads more café about how an artillery commander in quickly and efficiently than the old way of the French forces repelled a besieging revolt using an axe. In less than a year the same and saved the young French Republic. thing happens to Marie Antoinette. Your friend wants to go off and join France is now ruled by a Committee the army and be part of this dynamic young of Public Safety. You are a little worried general’s army. He wants to you join him. about the men who run this new governing body. They are violent revolutionaries. One ■ If you join the army, turn to page 5 ■ If you stay in Paris and take up your writing, turn to page 6 3 You travel to England and stay with shudder at the idea of the woman being your cousin. Your cousin supports the beheaded. revolution in France as you do. There is a reign of terror in France "The revolution in France is that frightens you. If anyone criticizes the overdue," your cousin says as you drink tea new government-called the Committee of together. "There must be constitutional Safety-he is accused of being an "enemy of government in France like we have in the people." Such an unlucky person will England." soon go to the guillotine. "Yes," you heartily agree. You find One day a friend criticizes you for an you like life in England very much. You are article you wrote. "You seem to like hired to do a series of articles about France. tyrannical kings," he says. The English newspaper pays you well. You had planned to stay in England just a few "No, no," you stammer nervously. weeks, but now you have been here for But your former friend's eyes glow with almost four years. anger. "I accuse you of being an enemy of the people!" he cries. Events have moved swiftly in France. King Louis XVI has been overthrown. The You are arrested at your home. Your revolution has turned violent. Feelings trial is swift. You are one or a hundred who against the French revolution are rising in must march to the guillotine that day. You England. It is time for you to go home. try to be brave. But you tremble when you glance up at the great knife that will soon Soon after you arrive in Paris, France fall on your neck. Fortunately, death is and England are at war. King Louis XVI, without pain. accused of treason, had his head chopped off by the efficient new head-chopping machine-the guillotine. His wife, Marie Antoinette, follows in several months. You ■ Turn to page 7 4 You are excited to Over the years, more be part of something that enemies of France will be for the first time you feel is met on the battlefield – just. Unlike running with Austria, Britain, Spain and the mob, this army has each will be out shown you how being part maneuvered and out fought of a legitimate force by this French army. validates all your wishes to Napoleon’s success bring be part of something. stability to your country for the first time in many The young general years. who defended France and motivated you to join is You have been a Napoleon Bonaparte. valued member of the When he speaks, he Grand Armée and inspires you. Your heart Napoleon has elevated you swells with nationalistic from a foot soldier in the pride and you are army to become a writer passionate about defending and document his military this republic which your people have and domestic accomplishments.