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Jacque’s Journal: Meaningful Moments that removed Monarchy

Wednesday, May 15, 13

March 23rd 1789 – Last loaf of bread

Famine and High taxes of the third estateMonarchy, isn’t it horrid? Ruining the lives of us third estate peasants in the city of Versailles. Our country, France, has been ruled over a new leader under the name of King Louis XVI. He looked quite young and lively if you ask me, sitting upon the throne at a young age of twenty. I thought he would be trustworthy, for he looked like a king that would make a huge difference in our country and inGluence us positively. Little did I know how his leadership was far from what I expected. He brought back feudalism. The clergy and the noble men part of the First and Second estate did not need to pay taxes, while us normal citizens who suffer from poverty, need to pay all the money. It is just so utterly unfair! We already live an environment that is far worse than theirs and we still need to do all the tough duties as well as pay our taxes, which in this state, I am barely able to afford. Since that day, famine and high taxes hit the city of Versailles. Many died of hunger and rioted about unaffordable taxes. It makes me so frustrated to think about it.

Just a few months ago, I mourned the death of my own father, who passed away from malnutrition. The high taxes had not only made us struggle to pay for many things in general, it struck many of us peasants. It came to the point where we did not have enough to eat a fair amount of food. My family and I used to be able to split two loafs of bread amongst each other, which included four people. However, ever since the change in monarchy, we’ve only been able to split one. My dad insisted that I was a young boy, and needed my nutrients. He sacriGiced and said that he refused to watch me experience famine. That day, I ate the bread with much guilt within me, and that was the last day I’d ever seen my father. That night at around eleven thirty, he passed away due to lack of food. Times have not gotten any better ever since. My family and I have far from enough food to eat on a daily basis. Food market prices have risen drastically and it seems that if we were able to afford just one loaf of bread, it would be considered lucky. Sadly, there isn’t enough bread in this city to supply all of us third estate members, especially following the harsh winters that have passed not so long before. But of course, the government does not seem to care.

I hate our king for what he has done to us. It is his fault that my father had to make sacriGices all for the sake of my life. It is his fault that the working class people and us peasants are forced to pay unreasonable amounts. Until the nobles pay the prices as well, my anger towards them will continue to rise.

I must go now, but I just wish we could somehow Gind some light in the dark lives of us peasants.


June 20 1789 – Vows that end

torture

The Tennis Court OathIt has been a while since I have updated what has been going on in my life, but since the last time I have written, things have actually improved by a decent amount. It turns out that I was not the only one who felt hatred towards the way that our cruel king, Louis XVI, decided to rule our country. Many peasants and working class citizens felt the same way. Even some nobles and bishops seemed to agree with us! Because so many of us had similar thoughts about this situation, we eventually bonded into a group, naming ourselves the “National Assembly”.

Then came one day where a huge difference was made upon us third estate citizens. It was the day that changed the lives, a day that surely could not be forgotten by people like me. It started the same as any other day. I brought all the things I needed and headed out, ready to meet up with the rest of the National Assembly. However, just as I arrived, I realized that the doors of the chambers were locked shut with soldiers surrounding, staring down at me with their narrowed eyes and grasping my wrist so tightly I remember it tinting white. I panicked at Girst, thinking I’d be attacked by these soldiers, or even killed. We were sure that there was nothing we could do, but proved wrong later on. Luckily, we discovered another area that would qualify for us to have our meeting: the indoor tennis court nearby.

During that meeting, we vowed to each other that we would never separate until the new constitution was developed. All but one citizen agreed to this oath, which still, made me question many things about him. Doesn’t he want our voting system to be by head, and not estates? Isn’t he sick of being put down just because of his class? The thought that someone would refuse this oath still makes me wonder if he was honestly a part of us in the Girst place! Oh how strange for someone to not want this change. But yet, perhaps he has his own reasoning for this. With or without him, the institution continues for the sake of the good.

Since that day, we met at the tennis court each time. It became the ofGicial place that us, as a group, would meet up until changes were made.

Tomorrow I must be up early for another meeting at the tennis court, so I will end soon. For now, I am just hoping that our secret attack towards King Louis XVI will be successful, that we will Ginally say farewell to the feudal system, and live under new rules that will beneGit us.


July 14th 1789- Fighting for Family

Storming of the BastilleAll cheers to the National Assembly! Our rebellion has come to a success, and we have Ginally gotten what we wished for since a long time back. That day, we marched on the streets of Versailles to the prison called Bastille, which as I was told, carried all the gunpowder that we needed. We marched in the three colors that clearly represented our revolution, red, blue and white. Even the minister of Louis XVI, Necker, had come to help us. More citizens from the noble class had decided to join our side over the kings, and I felt that at that rate we could do it, and we did. Oh I am so proud that words cannot express how truly happy I am right now.

It started with us Ginding the gunpowder we needed, for the Bastille was the only place that would store such a thing. Wearing the colors that symbolized us as a group, we headed off to the Bastille, running in a big clumped mess led by Amaria Cahila. At that moment, I remember thinking about my father, and how he always wanted to me to remain strong no matter what. I knew I was a part of this Assembly because of him, because I wanted to give back to him after all he had done to me. He would have been very proud to know that there has been a change in the economics of Versailles. With much determination, I faltered into the prison doors, charging with the thousands of soldiers from our estate that surrounded, for they were all here for a purpose: to make a change on our countries tyranny. Finally in the building, I seized the environment around me, noticing the death of the commander and the eventual freedom of each of the innocent prisoners of the Bastille as well as some criminals, who were sent their mainly because they disobeyed our king. There was indeed huge chaos, but good chaos really. We were doing this for a good change that will not only beneGit us but some of the other estates as well. Yes, we were going against our king, but if felt good after what he had done to us peasants previously, making us suffer more than we can handle, more than we could ever handle.

Because so many people were a part of this event, King Louis XVI eventually backed down, allowing us as the National Assembly to come in power like we never have before. The voting of Versailles was now under the control of us, and like I have always wanted, we now vote by head, and not by estate.

Honestly I am so happy I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight, but of course, I need to get my rest. If only father were here, he would be so proud to hear all this good news.


October 16th 1793 – Farewell to

Kings and Queens

Death of King Louis XVI and Queen MarieThese past months have indeed been the best that I have had so far. The king and queen who have prevented us from sharing fair equality amongst the Girst and second estate are Ginally executed.

Since then, us as the National Assembly have been able to come to full power. For now, there shall be no more monarchies and there will never be anymore. King Louis was deGinitely a horrible and irresponsible ruler, taking advantages of being a part of the highest class, and giving us third estate members who already had less than we could survive with, absolutely nothing. He has then left our country France in order to let the old establishment start over, however, failing. What an absurd fool! He didn't even make the fortress of Montmed before he was caught trying to escape. Our hatred towards him spread even further knowing that he would come up with such an idiotic plan.

Near the morning of January 21st this year, we awaited his execution, all wearing blank expressions whilst the guillotine arrived, but secretly feeling excitement for what was about to happen. It did change all that had happened ever since his death. That night, a guillotine sheared through his neck, slicing not so cleanly but enough to kill him, allowing his dark red blood to drip and spread across the Gloor, staining the knife itself in a shade of dark scarlet. Following this event was the execution of his despised wife under the name of Queen Marie Antoinette, who was in trial for about four months before she was Ginally killed off.

The Queen was not only a foreigner, originating from the country of Austria, but she was also a bad inGluence to our country, and betrayed us as one of the royal family members. Because of her, we had gone through much war against Austria. I even heard a rumor that one of her relatives of some sort were part of the wars that we had fought against each other. She however, showed no reaction towards this, and is just a material needy person who spends all her money on well, nothing valuable really, if you ask me. Her execution was today, which followed shortly after the Reign of Terror, a dark time for us French citizens where many were killed. The guillotine executed King Louis and Queen Marie’s children however, is something I worry slightly about. Maybe they will be killed off just like their parents. This again, was a good time for us.

With both the queen and king out of our way, the National Assembly have now come to full power, and there is no way that the government will change back to its previous form. All rise towards our new leader part of the assembly, Robespierre, and lets hope he will make a difference upon Versailles.


July 28th 1794 – The tip of Terror

Death of Robespierre It was “off with the head” once again with another signiGicant death; however, this time it was not one to celebrate for. The honored, Robespierre, who had once come to great power after the death of Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, has now been executed as well.

Since the death of our previous kings and queens, the National Assembly, soon was renamed the “National Assembly Constitution.” Robespierre was part of the Jacobins, a popular political club who constantly went against their rivals, the Girondists. He wad actually one of the main causes of what happened afterwards, the Reign of Terror.

. I remember him giving strong speeches that made me support him immediately, saying that he would protect the revolution even if it meant him dying, which again, tied me back to the death of my father, and how he had sacriGiced for me. Honestly, Robespierre did remind me a lot of my father. He was elected as an estate general, and he did, in fact, create a huge inGluence amongst the lives of many in the city of Versailles as well as France itself. His admired self did not last too long though.

The following years have been nothing but brutal, bloody deaths one after another. He began to guillotine anyone who had us citizens wanted no more of this. I thought Robespierre would have made a change about this, hearing what we had to say about the way. My close friend under the name of Jacque, were executed because he made a slight objection, which resulted to death by the guillotine. It was hard to watch him leave me, it really was. Just as things were beginning to improve and I was Ginally able to afford at least one meal per day, another person who was important to my life, followed by my beloved father, wad killed. I started to lose respect for Robespierre, and his lack of willingness to listen to what the citizens have to say. I was told that he t sent to prison for this, and even tried to commit suicide by shooting himself, but not getting much out of it. Instead, he broke his bottom jaw. That, I have to say, was quite foolish of him to think of, but I guess getting put into jail is not something one would like to happen to them. Robespierre did eventually get executed, just earlier today.

It was just like what happened with King Louis and Queen Marie all over again. His head came off rather quickly, and before I knew it, he was dead. His death was somewhat similar to the ones we’ve seen in the past, however, it was one that is going to be memorable. Thinking of this, I still remembered the Girst time I’d heard of him, and thought he was a model towards us. Even though he isn’t alive anymore, I have a feeling he will still remain within me despite the fact that he had changed over the years. Right now, the thought that just will not leave my head is, who will our next ruler be, and how will he affect our country


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