“Danton”
STEP 4: View the second excerpt, a continuation of the first one. After Robespierre’s morning powder we see the Chief of Police carrying out his order to round up the pamphlets critical of Robespierre and destroy the press that printed it. Camille Desmoulines, a childhood friend of Robespierre and member of the Jacobin club until his expulsion in early 1794, had written the pamphlet in question, and we see him trying to defend the publisher of his work.
KEY CHARACTERS:
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Camille Desmoulines (1760-1794), whom we first see shouting through the window at Héron for breaking up the printing press that published his pamphlet critical of Robespierre.
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Louis Antoine Léon de Saint-Just (1767-1794), a radical leader of the Jacobin Club and close ally of Robespierre who eventually goes with him to the guillotine. We see him coming in after Robespierre’s morning power. “You’re up,” he says, and “feeling better,” handing Robespierre some white flowers. Then he goes on a rant about Desmoulines and Danton, throws his hat into the fire and at one point even falls asleep leaning against a wall because he is so tired!
VIEW THE 2nd EXCERPT (7:09) (continue from 8:04 mark where you left off before and STOP at the 15:13 mark where there is a break in the video) THEN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW (type up your answers to bring to class):
3. Robespierre sent the head of his secret police, Citizen Héron (known as “Robespierre’s bulldog”) to break up the printing press that published Desmoulines’ pamphlet criticizing Robespierre’s leadership. Why do you think they initially arrest only the printer of the pamphlet and not the author (whom, by the way, they do eventually arrest)?
4. What further evidence does one see in this clip of the country’s ongoing economic difficulties?
GO
TO STEP 5