Eliminating Religion from Daily Life with the Revolutionary Calendar of France

A peasant wrote in a letter about how the new calendar causes peasants to work long hours without having any distractions, which was provided by the Roman Catholic calendar (Doc 4). The revolutionary calendar got rid of holidays, such as Lent, which provided a break for peasants from work. While, the revolutionary calendar imposed days, where peasants had to work hard labor. Most likely, to increase productivity of the French people. Naturally, as a peasant, he would oppose the new calendar because he’s the one who has to go through nine days of labor due to the new calendar. Additionally, Pierre-Joseph Denis talks about how the calendar is an act of despotism on the French citizens (Doc 5). He discusses how the Jacobins overthrew the former government and placed Robespierre as the leader. He uses a bitter tone by using words such as “trample”, which shows his discontent with the Republic. He believes that the calendar is a way for the republic to control French citizens and citizens had to follow along with it. Although, naturally as a former Girondin, he would disagree with the calendar because the Girondins lost their opportunity to gain power in the National Convention, while the Jacobins asserted their power and eventually took political control in the National Convention. Also, he was imprisoned in the Reign of Terror, which was created by the

The revolution emphasized the ideals of “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” and was characterized by the strong will of the French people who stood up for what they believed in. It was also an extremely

The French Revolution was a series of struggles regarding economic and social issues under rule of Louis XVI in 18th century. As a result of the Revolution, there was a shift towards radical changes apropos to the desire for a new historical beginning in revolutionary France. The adoption of the new calendar was created to in hopes to introduce these new republican values, bring about new ideas of de-Christianization, and to celebrate a new marking in French history. This progressive era was a time of radical change in France, where the traditional values and practices were slowly being abolished, which caused many contrary reactions to break out within the people.

A lot of people agreed with the adoption of the new calendar by revolutionary France for many reasons. Gilbert Romme, head of the calendar reform committee, believed that the church calendar was born among ignorant people. He said "Time opens a new book for history, and it must use a new pen to record the annals of a regenerated France." What Romme means by this is that since France is going through new times, they need to change the calendar to fit it (Document 2). In "Instruction Concerning the Era of the Republic and the Division of the Year" which was a decree of the National Convention, it said that the new calendar will eliminate incoherence and inexactitude. This means that with the new calendar people will be more exact and orderly because of more work days. It also states that the new calendar will show the character of our revolution (Document 5). In the letter to the National Convention from the village of St. Quirin, it says how the people spend their day of rest. In the letter it says that they honor the memory of the generals who have become martyrs and they read aloud the republican accomplishments. The people of the

As one can see, his ideas of religious freedom and the government is what brought about the French Revolution, which has affected France up to this very day because they no longer have a royal absolutist government like they once had.

The French Revolution began in the year of 1789, which would soon change the course of history for both France and surrounding nations. During this time, peasants were rebelling because they were being treated unfairly and changes needed to be made for the future of the country. While rebelling, the people used some of the ideas from the American Revolution, which had a positive impact on the people. The revolution did not only affect the French people, but it also had an impact on the countries watching. One can argue that the French Revolution wasn’t effective, however, the members of the third estate rebelled because they weren’t given social or economical equality and their rebellious actions lead to a change in government and the Declaration

village in this document seems to like the new revolutionary calendar and are leaning towards

The calendar was genius because they achieved an understanding of the solar system that was ahead of their time. They applied mathematics to their calendar system.

Secondly, many churches in France have been closed by the government. In document A, it shows that when the French government put in place the Festival Of Reason, it was known as the new republican way of church, replacing Roman Catholic churches into Christian and Catholic churches. This also, made people revolt against the government, because the French government banned churches during the replacement. This caused people to be upset and not happy with the government by taking away their right of freedom of

Abbe Sieyes believed that the time wasn't right to make any changes to the Gregorian calendar. For it would only create, not only a division between the Catholic Church, but their country neighbors and might result in a wall between them that they won't be able to solve(Document 2). When the Gregorian calendar made its return in 1806 it was appreciated and hated(Document 7). For Napoleon, the French Republican calendar was a sad and weak decade in which festivals weren't even dedicated to the to the charity. In Doc 4, it shows how the peasants were unhappy about the new calendar for it increase their labor days to nine days. This was hard on them because they had to work for nine days straight and even the best of them couldn't handle it. Jacobins have damaged the church made the first Pope of deism and now the calendar was just an act of absolutism. For Pierre Joseph Denis, it was clear that the Jacobins have gone to far as to making a new calendar, such act was an exercise of absolute power(Doc 5). As for Document, it points out how the festivals were offensive and had nothing but images of crucifixes and such and no sign of liberty or

Branching off from these lifestyles was the Revolutionary calendar. This calendar was made possible by its many attributes and propositions. Stated by Gilbert Romme, the new era in France required the old church calendar made by “ignorant people” to be revived into something new (Document 1). He has this perspective because he was a political republican who was in charge of the calendar reform committee. This reintroduced the idea of breaking away from old church concepts.

The reactions of the new calendar were similar to a singular person point of view, accept for Cahier de doleances, a report of grievance released in 1789 that were FOR the new calendar. It stated that religious excercises should be reduced, for they were a disadvantage to the revolution. That by limiting these there would be less worship of God. (Doc 1) Others of course still argued against it, farmers were getting first hand experience on what working for nine days in was like, and wanted to reach out to the government to give them an idea of how the new calendar was not helping with production but was weakening it. (Doc 6)

In 1793 the national convention met to replace the gregorian calendar. During the revolution people were fighting against everything, so when they decided to implement the calendar they were not doing it for a logical reason per se, but they thought everything that was pre revolution was made by ignorant people who had no idea what they were doing. There are many reasons why people wanted to get rid of the old calendar such as they thought the calendar before was made by ignorant people who still had hold of the people after the revolution. the ancien regime was out of date And the new calendar would make dates simple, exact and make trading easier.. There are also some bad reactions from people such as days were too long for the peasants to work, and they also believed minutes were messed up when they were switched to 100. There were also good reactions like the new calendar because it eliminated mistakes in previous calendars and the new calendar was simple.

When the time hit France during the French Revolution there were many rough times for people during the 25 years they were fighting. During the French Revolution the people were living in harsh conditions. People were going poor they couldn’t afford things, the middle class was getting robbed of paying taxes, and the working class couldn’t start the French Revolution.

Initially, the methods of the Terror became too extreme as Robespierre’s thirst for blood and power grew. In October 1793, the pro-revolutionaries decided to make an example of the counterrevolutionaries by setting their homes on fire and chopped off 12 heads within five minutes. (Doc C) As a way to protest and change the society that most French despised government officials changed holidays, events, and the calendar. In 1793, a revolutionary campaign against the Catholic Church Sundays were abolished, Christmas, Easter, every Christian