Robespierre and The Reign of Terror

The Reign of Terror was a period of violence that occured fifteen months after the onset of the French Revolution (1793 - 1794). Durning this period of time, thousaunds of people were murdered. The amount ranged from 16,000-40,000. Many were killed by the guillotine device, in which victims lay their heads and a razor sharp blade cuts their heads off.

Maximiliem Robospierre's aim was to eliminate all counter-revolutionary things, to make new armies, and to assure food for the armies and cities. Some of their measures were demanded by the people of Paris, whose support was essential. He took control of the governmetn and tried to wipe out any trace of the old monarchy. Kings, queens, and jacks were removed from playing cards and replaced with faces of revolutionaries. The calendar was also changed. All of the churches in Paris were closed. He had completely changed the original revolutionary ideas of liberty, equality and freedom.

French Revolution Work Sheet

1)
a- The Nobility.
The peasants were most critical to the nobles because they had almost complete control over them. The peasants were very angry and thought that they had no rights to take control over them. They believed that man is born free, and no one has natural authority over them.

b- The King.

The king had the luxurious life. He ruled with absolute power, and no one could tell him what to do. He had complete authority over France.

c-The Clergy.

The Clergy were like the nobles. They usually lived in luxury in chateaux and

palaces. They didn't really have to pay taxes, and so people in France were critical to them.

2)

Most French peasants had to pay impossible taxes. They had to pay almost ten times what they had. One small article says that a woman and her husband owned a small piece of land. They only owned one cow and a poor horse, but had to pay 20Kg of wheat, three chickens, 60Kg of oats, and more.

3)

The authors point was that peasants had most of the work to do. The cartoon shows a peasant carrying the burden of maintaining the feudal lords and the clergy. The person carrying the other two people is a peasant. The people the peasant is carrying represent the feudal lords and the clergy. the caption, "One hopes this will end soon," is important because its showing that the peasants are desperate for a change. They don't want everyone else to have all the power.

4)

It is clear that source B shows the downside of a French peasants life. (If there are any good sides) Source B explains that the peasants were taxed heavily, and most couldn't even keep up with them. This particular person owned a small amount of land, and only a cow with a poor horse. He was being taxed way more than what he had. The quote at the end, "The taxes and feudal dues are crushing us," means that they can barley survive with these taxes.

5)

Sources A, B, and C do explain why poor people resented the rich because all of them show how hard life is from a peasants point of view. For example, source C shows that all of the people in the higher classes get a yearly income, some more than others. But, the peasants don't make any money.

(6)
Rousseau was an influential writer at this time. Along with other writers
like Voltaire, he wanted France to have a more democratic form of government. The peasants would highly be influenced by his words. Peasants lived a desperate and unfair life. They are born free, then "taxed to death." The wealthy classes ruled all the people, while in Rousseau's pamphlet he states that power to make laws belongs to the people and only to the people. He disliked the current government, as almost all of the peasants did.

(7)
The pamphlet made from Rousseau was banned in 1775. It was probably banned because it opposed the way the government stood. The wealthy members of the French society would want it to be banned. The pamphlet would influence peasants and could cause a revolt against the government. The wealthy estates would lose their money, power, luxury, and privileges.

John Locke and "The Enlightenment"

John Locke & his ideas -
John Locke was probably the most famous of the Enlightenment Thinkers. He heavily influenced modern democracy. His ideas influenced Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the U.S. Constitution. The rights that Jeffeson was talking about are: All men are created equal, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also, Citizens are born with these rights, and no one can take them away from you, no matter what.

The Government -
The Governmetn gets its power from the people. According to the Declaration of Independence people have the power of choosing the ones who will govern. John Locke's ideas were that all men had liberty and therefore they voted on what they wanted and who they wanted.

Miguel A's Global Blog Studies ~ The Trial of Galileo

Geocentric vs. Heliocentrism -
The Geocentric theory is the belief that the Earth is the center of the universe. Everything revolves around the Earth in perfect circles, including the Sun. Also it was believed that farther off after a layer of stars was heaven. Heliocentrism however, is that the Sun is in the center and the planets revolve around the Sun. The Geocentric theory was the first theory as people belived entirely on the bible and religion. Heliocentrism came after the scientific revolution and is proven in modern times.

The Trial of Galileo -
The trial of Galileo was a trial on Geocentrism vs. Heliocentrism. His beliefs were against the beliefs of the Catholic Church. His beliefs of science and humanism went against the beliefs of scholaticism and absolutism that the Catholic Church held in power. Galileo believed in science and in a more complex world. Others however, believed in God being the lord and making Earth the center of the universe. Therfore, this was the reason of his trial.

Miguel A's Global Blog Studies ~ Scientific Revolution.

Scientific Method -
The Scientific Method was a new way of thinking during/after the Scientific Revolution. Before the 1500's, people believed what others said. However, as the Scientific Method was created scientist only made theories into facts by proof. They conducted experiments and concluded their results as proof. The Scientific Method is the most sophisticated way to prove or disprove a theory.

An experiment -
An example where the scientific method is highly helpful is in solving crimes. For example, to catch a suspect of a murder, the police will gather DNA and observe the crime scene. They will soon gather suspects and hypothesize who the guilty one is. They will keep testing their theories and expand their thinking. Soon after having a consistant solution, they will finally have proof on who the real suspect is. Therefore, the Scientific Method is useful in solving practically any theory.

Miguel A's Global Blog Studies . . . prd 03 evolution vs. creationism

Darwin's theory of evolution -

This theory suggests that all organisms evolved from one another. All animals are connected in thi s theory. It is said that the organisms evolved from natural selection. Thus, the organisms evolved for better chances of survival. The orgainisms obtain more complex traits to enhance their srvivalbility in the wild. For example, apes were said to evolve to being homo-sapiens to overwatch for predators.

Creationism -

Creationism suggests that all life forms, the Earth, and the universe were created by a diety (as god). This is a religious belief that everything was formed as it is. Nothing is connected by evolution, everything was formed individually.

My Belief -

Being catholic, i believe in creationism. I beleieve that god is the overseer who has created life forms, humans, Earth, and the Universe. However, Darwin's theory of evolution seems well explained. Also in these days, his theory is well backed up by evidence to look real enough. I still believe enough in god to understand the theory of creationism.

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