Dbq Revolutionary Calendar

In November of 1793, the National Convention adopted a new calendar to replace the Gregorian calendar.   The revolutionary calendar renamed the months and had three weeks of ten days each instead of the uniform thirty days, and the remaining five days were to be celebrated as festivals that were dedicated to virtue, intelligence, labor, opinion, and rewards.   This calendar was used until Napoleon I abolished it in 1806.   The National Convention adopted this new calendar because they wanted to get rid of the republic of the old regime and enforce a better system.   Although the some supported the calendar and viewed it as an improvement, others were not in favor of it and were quick to reject it.
The National Convention adopted the revolutionary calendar because it would enable them to carry out a better system.   The cahier de doléances, or report of grievances, stated that “the number of holidays be reduced, for each of them enchains the activity of a great people… not to mention the numerous disadvantages of idleness.   The observance of Sunday will become more solemn and holy…” (Doc. 1).   Since this was written by the Third Estate of Château-Thierry, who had nothing to gain by writing it, it is credible.   The new calendar also created a standard measure of time; The National Convention believed that it would create progress in both trade and commerce: “Soon commerce and the trades will be summoned to new progress through uniformity of weights and measures, which will eliminate incoherence and inexactitude. The arts and history also required a new measurement of time, freed from all errors that credulity and superstitious routine have handed down to us from centuries of ignorance.” (Doc. 5) Since this is a decree of the National Convention, it may not be accurate; it is likely that they were trying to appeal to the people through exaggeration.
The revolutionary calendar may have also been created to rid the republic of the old regime.   Gilbert Romme thought that...