2. Me, Amélie Leclerc pouring water
into our village kettles.
July 12th, 1789 July 15th, 1789
All of the Third Estate Storming the Bastille.
3. Journal #1: July 15th , 1789
Liberte? Qui! Eqalite? Qui! Fraternite? Qui! (Freedom? Yes! Equality? Yes! Brotherhood? Yes!) Just last night, us, the Third Estate
overthrew the great Bastille! The Bastille is probably the biggest symbol of authority and power over us peasants. So tell me, isn’t it
a perfect place to steal from? I think yes! So its July 14th, 1789, the sky is pitch black, perfect for our sneaky attack! The real people
of Paris, marched to Bastille, with our pitchforks, knives, farming tools, and sticks ready to storm and tear apart this so called Iron
Fist.
It all began with the Monarchy and government when they started to take down our churches and destroyed our meeting spots. So
they locked us inside of a tennis court, which was in fact a smelly place, it was a place that looked so drippy it reminded me of my
home. I’m pretty sure it had reminded everyone of their homes, and so, we came together. Bourgeoisie, the peasants, and sans-
culottes. Together we made the Tennis Court Oath! My husband, Grégoire Leclerc, my two daughters, Sophie, Thérèse, and I were in
the 24th circle around the table and we heard and agreed to everything that was said. It felt like something from one of my grand-
mere’s stories. The feeling of Liberte, Eqalite and Fraternite coming together was magical.
So yesterday, Grégorie, Sophie and I took our old rusty pitchforks and our bladed sticks to march along with everyone else. The
Bastille was armed with only a few soldiers who had guns. Although, we also had guns, since a few days before we had stormed the
Bastille, we had also stormed the L'Hôtel des Invalides for guns since all we had were pitchforks and sticks. However, the guns had
nothing in them, there was no gunpowder, so we decided that the best choice was to go to the Bastille and take some from there
since they did have a total of 13,600 kilograms of gunpowder. The strength of the idea of freedom, equality and brotherhood
surrounding us we charged!
Everything was all going according to plan until, we came across this very ratty looking guard, and he had an overly curled mustache
as well as a very tightly sharpened goatee. The second he saw us he shot that death spewing machine at us. And that’s when it was
our moment, our moment to show our strength. I actually don’t think Grégorie had ever looked as handsome as he did when he
stood up smiling after stabbing the ratty guard. So we continued on fighting and by the time we had reached the mid quarter of the
cellars, more than half of us had picked up at least 5kg of gunpowder and had at least one head on each of our pitchforks. But then
something absolutely horrific happened; it has now put me in official depression and rage against the Monarchy. One and half hours
after charging the Bastille, my beautiful, strong, kind hearted and brave Sophia was shot. Right in the head. There was blood gushing
everywhere, soon she was lying on the ground, her white shirt soaked in the blood of three other brave men. I can’t express the
feeling that had over taken me, it was as hot as newly burnt out coals, it was as painful as four horses tied to my heart in all four
corners pulling at it. It was death, I thought I had felt death but no I was alive, I was alive to witness the death of my first-born child
and I was ready to avenge her and all of the other brave warriors that had fought with us last night. However, we had won our side of
the bargain, at least this time.
4. October 5th 1789
January 21st
1793
King Louis
XVI’s gruesome
but fulfilling
execution.
Us women’s
march to the
king and
queen’s palace
of Versailles,
ranting on and
on for bread!
5. Journal #2: January 21st, 1793
Some people praise their kings; some people shower their kings with compliments, even in their sleep. But not us, not the people
who have worked hard for years and years watching our children grow up in such a world. A world where as soon as a King goes
bankrupt from spending too much money on his wife and on himself, he gives the rest of his loot to the army. Our country was at
war with Austria, our army was failing and the King felt the need to spend more money instead of create a peace treaty with them.
So we all decided, even the court decided, after the King and his family misbehaving multiple times and taking his money problems
out on us. It was time for his Excellency to die!
It was October 5th, 1789. All the women of Paris marched to Versailles where the royal family was staying. We marched with our
pitchforks and sticks marching on. Shouting “bread, bread, we want our bread!” Two hours after we reached King Louis XVI’s palace,
the King, being the weak pig that he is gave up. We the women of Paris had brought justice, to our class and to our gender. We had
bread!
Now I remember this one-day, it was the 21st of June 1791, just about two and a half years ago. In the morning there were the
gossip ladies; who is what I, prefer to call them. They were murmuring about how last night the King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette
and his family had tried to escape to Montemedy from their home arrest in their palace Tulieries. What ever did they need to
escape from; they had their wealth, their parties, even though they were under arrest. It is amazing how these filthy, rich, spoilt,
rotten and obnoxious rulers could be so dense with their spending’s. Did they not know that their country would one way or another
find out and avenge the shocking news of abandonment. Ever since their escape and being brought to Paris from Varennes, they
have been kept inside of their cellar. Well thankfully Marie Antoinette is inside of a cellar much filthier than King Louis XVI’s cellar.
That money-spending machine has the right to be kept in an area, which in some cases is better than where I sleep at night.
All of the Third Estate came together one more time, and this time we talked about how if the Monarchy still exists there can never
be a revolution that can run as smoothly as planned. So as of today, January 21st I was at the executions of the very King Louis XVI! I
was ready to watch this greedy, self esteem filled man die. And die a painful death I shouted right before the blade of the guillotine
came down on his neck. The moment the head was off of the body, the front executioner came, grabbed the King’s head by his hair
and proudly held it over his head showing everyone, what we have hoped for is here. Revolution will rise over our heads like a
hundred seagulls flying south during the cold harsh winter.
6. Robespierre giving one of
his classical, famous
speeches about what is
right for our country.
August 30th 1793
Our rightful and powerful
leader Napoleon. The true
ruler of France.
November 5th 1799
7. Journal #3:November 10th, 1799
I am now 62 years old and have a five-year-old grandson named Benoît. Which means blessed. He is the most beautiful living
being in the whole wide world. The comfort of knowing that you’re generation has survived through this gruesome, violent Reign
of Terror is absolutely astonishing. But now the whole country is rewarded. After a five year long lasting disastrous directory, that
in fact did nothing for the country. We have a true ruler. A man that has won battles upon battles. Ruled 7 countries and now is
about to make France the nation that it should have become a long long time ago.
Right about after King Louis XVI’s execution, Robespierre came into power. And when that happened the Reign of Terror had
officially been set off. I remember the first 7 months. It was absolutely horrific. The country was soaked in misery and fear. People
wouldn’t talk to each other anymore. France was dead. About 800 people were being guillotined each month. My friend Juliet
was guillotined on March 23rd 1793. All because her stomach rumbled while she walked past a guard. The guard said that she ‘on
purpose, made rumbling sounds just so that he would give her bread’! Can you believe that? Robespierre calls for brotherhood
and equality but there was no brotherhood or equality in how poor Juliet was treated. I sometimes quietly wonder to myself. Was
start of the revolution really the best idea? Our country was at constant war with Austria at the time of the Reign of Terror. We
lost an immense amount of land, money and men. So the Reign of Terror never had any good affect on our beautiful France.
Its now November 10th, 1799. For the past five years we had this new directory, now called the five year directory, since it only
lasted five years. The directory was a symbol of how desperate France was for another ruler. Because the directory was an
example of, no matter how hard your community tries to collaborate after a colossal war. It doesn’t work out.
Almost a year and a half has passed since the the five year directory was brought to an end. Like I said before, France needed a
ruler, it needed to be brought together the way it had always been. But that would also mean that we would go poor and weak
again. We needed someone revolutionary, someone who had won battles upon battles, someone who knew exactly how to rule a
country to success. For France it is Napoleon. Just yesterday Napoleon had made a huge speech on how he could help our
country. And I am willing to sacrifice the rest of my years fighting for a better country that Sophie and Juliet died for. Also for a
better future for my one and only Benoît. France will regain its spirits. Everyone will be equal. Everyone will be free. And everyone
will be united in brotherhood. This is what I would call a revolution!
