16/20
I did read the chapters before taking the exam.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The French Revolution and the Terror DBQ
Discuss the advantages and the disadvantages of the Terror as an instrument of the French Revolution
In 1793, the event known as the Terror began in Europe. The Jacobins political party in France allied with another party, the Mountain, to try and revolt against the Gerodins. During this time thousands of people were killed on many different accounts, ranging from conspiracy to revolting against the state. Reforms were made by the Commission of Public Safety to attempt to combat the crises that the Terror had caused. The Terror was essential to the French Revolution because it brought about much change all across France, especially in the peasantry, and had lasting effects but it also hindered France's ability to continue on with the revolution because there was so much bloodshed and deceit within France.
The Terror was like the spark that started the French Revolution. It prompted much change to go about in Europe to cope with all of the revolutionary views. Robespierre said, "…because [the government] is compelled to deploy, swiftly and incessantly, new resources to meet new and pressing dangers" (Doc. 7). He says that the government is constantly changing, and the Terror made it change rapidly, which was the original intention of the Jacobins. The peasantry of France was effected the most by the Terror. It was written in a report: "If they were nobles or rich people it would not be strange, their being counterrevolutionists, but in that class we should expect all to be patriots" (Doc. 12). The people of France had their places in society, and they were expected to view the world in the same was as other members of their class. The Terror makes this untrue, as peasants, instead of going along with the Terror, are becoming counter-revolutionists.
The Terror was an effective method used to make the French Revolution stronger because the reforms that were laid down at the time were not abolished. Ronsin said " It is necessary that the flames from their devastated dens proclaim tar and wide the punishment that is destined for those who try to imitate them" (Doc. 5). The revolutionary army was laying waste to everything that was against reform. These events left imprints on people's minds, and they knew that the Terror was not something to oppose for a long while afterwards. William Pitt provides a counterargument for the stay of the Terror's doings: "what can be the dependence on the steadiness of their operations, or what rational prospect can there be of the permanence of their exertions?" (Doc. 8). Since the people of the Terror had mostly been acting out of fear on both sides, once people calm down, everything will return to normality once again.
The Terror was not useful in helping the French Revolution because it caused too many deaths, and caused too many parts of France to turn against each other. The public's actions are brought into question about how they deal with getting rid of people against the revolution: "That they acquit the innocent and punish the guilty, although murmurs are heard among the public at their judgments” (Doc. 9). Innocent people had been killed, and it would be impossible to keep the Revolution going if everyone who had been for it had been killed off. Document 10 says, "Bitter complaints already expressed numberless times, were repeated today of the arrest and imprisonment of citizens who are good patriots and are victims of ambition." Not everyone who was killed during the Terror was against revolution. This it not the way to bring about change. Also, "What a pity that a people [the French] capable of such Incredible energy, should he guilty or rather be governed by those who are guilty of such unheard of crimes and cruelties" (Doc. 4). France had been driven to turmoil, and it became impossible to bring about revolution.
In some ways, the Terror did bring about the revolutionary ideas that the Jacobin had wanted in the first place. In other ways, though, it did nothing to France as a whole. Even though deaths had occurred, people had only been scared into succumbing to the powers of the Terror. It was not an effective method for the French Revolution.
In 1793, the event known as the Terror began in Europe. The Jacobins political party in France allied with another party, the Mountain, to try and revolt against the Gerodins. During this time thousands of people were killed on many different accounts, ranging from conspiracy to revolting against the state. Reforms were made by the Commission of Public Safety to attempt to combat the crises that the Terror had caused. The Terror was essential to the French Revolution because it brought about much change all across France, especially in the peasantry, and had lasting effects but it also hindered France's ability to continue on with the revolution because there was so much bloodshed and deceit within France.
The Terror was like the spark that started the French Revolution. It prompted much change to go about in Europe to cope with all of the revolutionary views. Robespierre said, "…because [the government] is compelled to deploy, swiftly and incessantly, new resources to meet new and pressing dangers" (Doc. 7). He says that the government is constantly changing, and the Terror made it change rapidly, which was the original intention of the Jacobins. The peasantry of France was effected the most by the Terror. It was written in a report: "If they were nobles or rich people it would not be strange, their being counterrevolutionists, but in that class we should expect all to be patriots" (Doc. 12). The people of France had their places in society, and they were expected to view the world in the same was as other members of their class. The Terror makes this untrue, as peasants, instead of going along with the Terror, are becoming counter-revolutionists.
The Terror was an effective method used to make the French Revolution stronger because the reforms that were laid down at the time were not abolished. Ronsin said " It is necessary that the flames from their devastated dens proclaim tar and wide the punishment that is destined for those who try to imitate them" (Doc. 5). The revolutionary army was laying waste to everything that was against reform. These events left imprints on people's minds, and they knew that the Terror was not something to oppose for a long while afterwards. William Pitt provides a counterargument for the stay of the Terror's doings: "what can be the dependence on the steadiness of their operations, or what rational prospect can there be of the permanence of their exertions?" (Doc. 8). Since the people of the Terror had mostly been acting out of fear on both sides, once people calm down, everything will return to normality once again.
The Terror was not useful in helping the French Revolution because it caused too many deaths, and caused too many parts of France to turn against each other. The public's actions are brought into question about how they deal with getting rid of people against the revolution: "That they acquit the innocent and punish the guilty, although murmurs are heard among the public at their judgments” (Doc. 9). Innocent people had been killed, and it would be impossible to keep the Revolution going if everyone who had been for it had been killed off. Document 10 says, "Bitter complaints already expressed numberless times, were repeated today of the arrest and imprisonment of citizens who are good patriots and are victims of ambition." Not everyone who was killed during the Terror was against revolution. This it not the way to bring about change. Also, "What a pity that a people [the French] capable of such Incredible energy, should he guilty or rather be governed by those who are guilty of such unheard of crimes and cruelties" (Doc. 4). France had been driven to turmoil, and it became impossible to bring about revolution.
In some ways, the Terror did bring about the revolutionary ideas that the Jacobin had wanted in the first place. In other ways, though, it did nothing to France as a whole. Even though deaths had occurred, people had only been scared into succumbing to the powers of the Terror. It was not an effective method for the French Revolution.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Optimism and Pessimism in Candide Redux
Thesis: Martin's pessimism, or realism, is preferred over Pangloss's optimism because Martin's thoughts allow more room for interpretation, and exhibit more of an enlightened mind.
I. Martin's realism provides more room for interpretation, and does not have to fall back on the same old reasonings.
A. Pangloss always says that everything is for the best, but this is not true, especially for Candide. Candide begins to think the same ways that Pangloss does, but soon finds that this is not for the best.
1. At the end of Chapter III, Candide praised Pangloss for his views that everything works out for the best. He had been blessed with good fortune after escaping from the Bulgarians. Candide then saw a beggar who was diseased and dying. This is Voltaire's argument against Pangloss's ideas.
2. In Chapter VI Pangloss is hanged for "speaking his mind." Even as he is walking to the gallows, Pangloss is still optimistic. This is when Candide first began to doubt his master, "If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others?"
B. Martin is not always pessimistic in his views, rather he sees aspects of life as not always the best that could have happened.
1. When the ship of the thief sank, Pangloss rejoiced, exclaiming that, "Crime is sometimes punished."
2. Martin saw the situation as a poor one. He questioned why "should the passengers be doomed also to destruction?" It is this reasoning that makes Martin's point of view more enlightened.
II. With Martin's outlook of life, one can find happiness faster than with Pangloss's method.
A. Martin showed that even though things do not always happen in the best possible way they could, everything works itself out in the end.
1. One of the few instances in which having misfortune turn into fortune occurred in Chapter XXVI. There was a poor king who needed money. Candide and the kings helped out their friend. By being in a bad position, this man was helped.
2. Right after that event, Candide saw " four Serene Highnesses, who had also been stripped of their territories by the fortune of war" but does not help them. This gives reason for Martin's pessimism.
B. By Pangloss's views, God wants to watch Candide suffer so that in the end he can be a little bit happier than he had been in the first place.
1. In the final chapter of the book, Pangloss tells Candide all he did and what it all amounted to: "preserved citrons and pistachio-nuts." Pangloss seemed optimistic about this, but it was a disheartening truth that made Candid'es journey seem like a horrible joke.
2. While Martin's judgments may be harsh, they tell it like it is. In Chapter XXI, he said that the world was created "To plague us to death." Even though that is not a nice statement, it can be applied to Candide's life.
III. Voltaire used Pangloss to represent Leibniz and his ideas, and presented Martin as a static opposite for Pangloss. Martin is Voltaire's opinions of what the best outlook on life is.
A. At the dawn of the Enlightenment, many new ways of thinking about the world were created. Leibniz thought of the "everything is for the best" mindset, which Voltaire did not agree with.
1. Voltaire uses satire to show how wrong he though Leibniz was. The slave in Chapter XIX is Voltaire showing people a horrible situation and seeing if they will still say that the world is the best.
B. Martin was Voltaire's presentation of what is the "right" way of thinking, or at least more right than what Leibniz had been proposing.
1. In the chapter where Martin is introduced, XX, he provides several counterarguments that prove that the world is not the bets of all possible worlds. "Even in those cities which seem to enjoy peace, and
where the arts flourish, the inhabitants are devoured by more envy, care, and uneasiness than are experienced by a besieged town." Unhappiness exists everywhere.
February 9
French Revolution
- The Gerodins and the Jacobins were the two parties of France
- They gain power and become a bit tyrannical
- Another party starts to develop, a party that listens to the people on the street, the Mountain.
- 1793- Louis XVI is found to be secretly talking with the King of Austria
- He is charged with treason and executed
- Robespierre is elected as the representative of the Mountain party
- The working class thinks that they have found a hero, someone who has been through the same turmoils that they have
- The Committee of Public Safety is established
- Their aim was to protect France
- Laws were created that negated the rights of the accused
- Women were banned from gathering
- The Terror starts in 1793 and goes until 1794
- During this time the convention and the CPS decide that the Mountain and Jacobin will unite against the emigrates, the nobles, and the Gerodins.
- 18, 000 to 40,000 people were killed including Marie Antoinette and Olympe de Gouge
- July 1794- Conservatives and radicals turn against Robespierre
- A new group rises up- the Thermodorians
- They wrote a third French constitution which goes into effect in 1795
- Electors chose the new national legislature
- The lower house of legislation was called the 500, the upper house was called the Elders.
- The executive branch was made out of five people
- There was unrest among the people over the subject of a new government
- A young commander was put in the position of calming people's nerves.
- Napoleon married a widow named Josephine who had ties to the Directory
- With her help, Napoleon goes to Italy and drives out the Habsburgs.
- The Cisalpine government wants Napoleon to come back and want to make a deal with Austria.
- Napoleon refused, and kept all of the possessions he had taken from Austria
- France has an election in 1797, however the candidates leading the election were favoring the royalists and the return of the exiled Louis XVIII.
- Napoleon sends a force against the royalists in the French government.
- He leaves 3 of the 5, Napoleon got rid of 2 of them
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Feb. 8
Estates
- The estates general was called together for a meeting in 1789.
- The first and second states would not meet with the third estate
- This battle went on for six weeks, during which parish priests from the first state split and go to the third state.
- They call their own national assembly, saying that they are the true representative of the French people.
- The first and second estates locked the third estate out of the meeting.
- June 20, 1789- The national assembly moved to an indoor tennis court to meet. They swore to continue to meet there as the national assembly, driving a wedge between the clergy and nobility and the others.
- They vowed to do this until a new constitution was written for France.
- The king dismissed the third estate from the meetings of the state general.
- Bread prices become inflated because there had been a bad harvest
- The price of bread became too high and unavailable. This was bad because it was a staple in the French diet.
- July 14, 1789- A mob attacked the Bastille
- Nobles began to fear for their lives. The Count of Artois became the leader of the emigrates.
- The citizens committee is constructed
- Lafayette is put in charge of the National Guard
- August, 1789- The assembly completed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens
- Basic Human Rights: Liberty, Property, Security, Resistance to oppression, Freedom of religion, Due process of law, Taxes by common consent
- Women were revolutionaries.
- Olympe de Gouge wrote The Rights of Women
- Argued for a woman's right to education, her ability to own property within a marriage, and the right to initiate divorce
- October, 1789- Everything is culminating
- 100, 000 people, most of them women, march on Versailles. They have two demands:
- Bread, and that the royal family returns to Paris
- The king submitted to the requests, including:
- He lost veto power over anything coming out of the assembly
- He was granted suspending power, meaning that he could hold up legislation but gave up his absolute right to make law.
- Slavery was abolished
- No one is left to collect taxes.
- Louis XVI is left to seize property from the church
- Paper money was issued
- Property was sold
- Inflation increases drastically
- The king sells anything he can find, just to get money
- The church in France couldn't support itself
- 1791- The Royal Family attempted to flee, but they are not able to do so
- Influential critics of the government begin to rally for a republic
- Danton and Marat
- The new form of government was a constitutional monarchy with one legislative branch.
- The Declaration of Pillnitz
- Leopold said that if necessary he would use military order to restore the government in Paris.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Optimism and Pessimism in Candide
Thesis: Martin's pessimism, or realism, is preferred over Pangloss's optimism because Martin's thoughts allow more room for interpretation, and exhibit more of an enlightened mind.
I. Martin's realism provides more room for interpretation, and does not have to fall back on the same old reasonings.
A. Pangloss always says that everything is for the best, but this is not true, especially for Candide. Candide begins to think the same ways that Pangloss does, but soon finds that this is not for the best.
1. At the end of Chapter III, Candide praised Pangloss for his views that everything works out for the best. He had been blessed with good fortune after escaping from the Bulgarians. Candide then saw a beggar who was diseased and dying. This is Voltaire's argument against Pangloss's ideas.
2. In Chapter VI Pangloss is hanged for "speaking his mind." Even as he is walking to the gallows, Pangloss is still optimistic. This is when Candide first began to doubt his master, "If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others?"
B. Martin is not always pessimistic in his views, rather he sees aspects of life as not always the best that could have happened.
1. When the ship of the thief sank, Pangloss rejoiced, exclaiming that, "Crime is sometimes punished."
2. Martin saw the situation as a poor one. He questioned why "should the passengers be doomed also to destruction?" It is this reasoning that makes Martin's point of view more enlightened.
II. With Martin's outlook of life, one can find happiness faster than with Pangloss's method.
A. Martin showed that even though things do not always happen in the best possible way they could, everything works itself out in the end.
1. One of the few instances in which having misfortune turn into fortune occurred in Chapter XXVI. There was a poor king who needed money. Candide and the kings helped out their friend. By being in a bad position, this man was helped.
2. Right after that event, Candide saw " four Serene Highnesses, who had also been stripped of their territories by the fortune of war" but does not help them. This gives reason for Martin's pessimism.
B. By Pangloss's views, God wants to watch Candide suffer so that in the end he can be a little bit happier than he had been in the first place.
1. In the final chapter of the book, Pangloss tells Candide all he did and what it all amounted to: "preserved citrons and pistachio-nuts." Pangloss seemed optimistic about this, but it was a disheartening truth that made Candid'es journey seem like a horrible joke.
2. While Martin's judgments may be harsh, they tell it like it is. In Chapter XXI, he said that the world was created "To plague us to death." Even though that is not a nice statement, it can be applied to Candide's life.
III. Voltaire used Pangloss to represent Leibniz and his ideas, and presented Martin as a static opposite for Pangloss. Martin is Voltaire's opinions of what the best outlook on life is.
A. At the dawn of the Enlightenment, many new ways of thinking about the world were created. Leibniz thought of the "everything is for the best" mindset, which Voltaire did not agree with.
1. Voltaire uses satire to show how wrong he though Leibniz was. The slave in Chapter XIX is Voltaire showing people a horrible situation and seeing if they will still say that the world is the best.
B. Martin was Voltaire's presentation of what is the "right" way of thinking, or at least more right than what Leibniz had been proposing.
1. In the chapter where Martin is introduced, XX, he provides several counterarguments that prove that the world is not the bets of all possible worlds. "Even in those cities which seem to enjoy peace, and
where the arts flourish, the inhabitants are devoured by more envy, care, and uneasiness than are experienced by a besieged town." Unhappiness exists everywhere.
I. Martin's realism provides more room for interpretation, and does not have to fall back on the same old reasonings.
A. Pangloss always says that everything is for the best, but this is not true, especially for Candide. Candide begins to think the same ways that Pangloss does, but soon finds that this is not for the best.
1. At the end of Chapter III, Candide praised Pangloss for his views that everything works out for the best. He had been blessed with good fortune after escaping from the Bulgarians. Candide then saw a beggar who was diseased and dying. This is Voltaire's argument against Pangloss's ideas.
2. In Chapter VI Pangloss is hanged for "speaking his mind." Even as he is walking to the gallows, Pangloss is still optimistic. This is when Candide first began to doubt his master, "If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others?"
B. Martin is not always pessimistic in his views, rather he sees aspects of life as not always the best that could have happened.
1. When the ship of the thief sank, Pangloss rejoiced, exclaiming that, "Crime is sometimes punished."
2. Martin saw the situation as a poor one. He questioned why "should the passengers be doomed also to destruction?" It is this reasoning that makes Martin's point of view more enlightened.
II. With Martin's outlook of life, one can find happiness faster than with Pangloss's method.
A. Martin showed that even though things do not always happen in the best possible way they could, everything works itself out in the end.
1. One of the few instances in which having misfortune turn into fortune occurred in Chapter XXVI. There was a poor king who needed money. Candide and the kings helped out their friend. By being in a bad position, this man was helped.
2. Right after that event, Candide saw " four Serene Highnesses, who had also been stripped of their territories by the fortune of war" but does not help them. This gives reason for Martin's pessimism.
B. By Pangloss's views, God wants to watch Candide suffer so that in the end he can be a little bit happier than he had been in the first place.
1. In the final chapter of the book, Pangloss tells Candide all he did and what it all amounted to: "preserved citrons and pistachio-nuts." Pangloss seemed optimistic about this, but it was a disheartening truth that made Candid'es journey seem like a horrible joke.
2. While Martin's judgments may be harsh, they tell it like it is. In Chapter XXI, he said that the world was created "To plague us to death." Even though that is not a nice statement, it can be applied to Candide's life.
III. Voltaire used Pangloss to represent Leibniz and his ideas, and presented Martin as a static opposite for Pangloss. Martin is Voltaire's opinions of what the best outlook on life is.
A. At the dawn of the Enlightenment, many new ways of thinking about the world were created. Leibniz thought of the "everything is for the best" mindset, which Voltaire did not agree with.
1. Voltaire uses satire to show how wrong he though Leibniz was. The slave in Chapter XIX is Voltaire showing people a horrible situation and seeing if they will still say that the world is the best.
B. Martin was Voltaire's presentation of what is the "right" way of thinking, or at least more right than what Leibniz had been proposing.
1. In the chapter where Martin is introduced, XX, he provides several counterarguments that prove that the world is not the bets of all possible worlds. "Even in those cities which seem to enjoy peace, and
where the arts flourish, the inhabitants are devoured by more envy, care, and uneasiness than are experienced by a besieged town." Unhappiness exists everywhere.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Enlightenment
Gottfried Leibniz
Encyclopedia
- Theodicy and optimism
- Optimism meant the optimal viewpoint
- He questioned whether or not God was all powerful. He said that because God is all powerful, all just, and all knowing the world as it is is the best world possible. Since God created the world, nothing in the world would go against His will.
Encyclopedia
- Aristotle had thought of making an encyclopedia
- Diderot wrote the Encyclopedie
- Encyclopedias categorize information alphabetically, scientifically, and without bias.
Montesquieu
- Used reasoning and nuance to make decisions
Rousseau
- Wrote one of the fundamental documents for the Enlightenment and was used as the foundation for the Enlightenment's principles.
- Within a democracy, everything is different.
- To get along, no one looks up to a certain individual.
- When there are laws set and everyone belongs to everyone else, society can function better.
- The social contract is between people in a society and the people and the government.
Jonathan Swift
- Wrote "A Modest Proposal" which said that people should eat babies when they run out of food.
- It was satirical, and met with discontent.
Adam Smith
- Proposed the ethics of capitalism
- Anyone in society, through the process of trading goods, could gain wealth
Immanuel Kant
- Critique of Pure Reason
- Categorical imperative
- If a rule is created for one person, it applies to everyone.
- Forced legislators to be more thoughtful about which types of laws are allowed to be established
Jeremy Bentham
- Argued against Kant
- Utilitarian choice- his ethical philosophy
- The idea that what is best for the most people must be carried out
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