Page 10 - Understanding NCERT Histroy 09th

Activity (Page no. 15)

Q. Look carefully at the painting and identify the objects which are political
symbols you saw in Box 1 (broken chain, red cap, fasces, Charter of the
Goyal Brothers Prakashan
Declaration of Rights). The pyramid stands for equality, often represented
by a triangle. Use the symbols to interpret the painting. Describe your
impressions of the female figure of liberty.
Ans. The scroll in the right hand of the woman symbolizes the Declaration of
Rights of Man and Citizen. The pyramid in the background stands for equality,
as all the three sides of a pyramid are equal. The left hand holding aloft the
red cap that symbolizes the torch of freedom.
The female figure of liberty symbolizes the equality of women and men.

3.1 The Reign of Terror
l The period from 1793 to 1794 is referred to as the Reign of Terror. Robespierre took
to repression and punishment.
• All his enemies, clergy, members of other political parties, even members of his party
who did not agree with his methods were arrested, imprisoned and guillotined.
• The guillotine is a device consisting of two poles and a blade with which a person is
beheaded, named after Dr Guillotin.
• Laws were issued to place a maximum ceiling on wages and prices.

• Meat and bread were rationed.
• Expensive white flour was forbidden to use.
• Equality was practised through forms of speech and address.

• All French men and women were addressed as Citoyen and Citoyenne (Citizen).
• Robespierre pursued his policies so relentlessly that even his supporters began to demand
moderation.
• Finally, he was convicted by a court in July1794, arrested and the next day sent to the
guillotine.

Source D (Page no. 16)
What is liberty? Two conflicting views: The revolutionary journalist Camille
Desmoulins wrote the following in 1793. He was executed shortly after,
during the Reign of Terror. ‘Some people believe that Liberty is like a
child, which needs to go through a phase of being disciplined before
it attains maturity. Quite the opposite. Liberty is Happiness, Reason,
Equality, Justice, it is the Declaration of Rights … You would like to
finish off all your enemies by guillotining them. Has anyone heard of
something more senseless? Would it be possible to bring a single person
to the scaffold without making ten more enemies among his relations and
friends?’ On 7 February 1794, Robespierre made a speech at the Convention, which was then
carried by the newspaper Le Moniteur Universel. Here is an extract from it: ‘To establish and
consolidate democracy, to achieve the peaceful rule of constitutional laws, we must first finish
the war of liberty against tyranny …. We must annihilate the enemies of the republic at home
and abroad, or else we shall perish. In time of Revolution a democratic government may rely

H-8 History Class IX