Introduction to the Exhibition
This exhibition showcases the extensive collections pertaining to the French Revolution found in the Special Collections of the University of Maryland Libraries. The European Heritage Documents Collection of the Archives and Manuscripts Department (20 linear ft., ARCH 72-279) contains original manuscripts and related materials documenting the revolution. The Rare Book Collection contains over 4,500 pamphlets and books pertaining to the revolution.
Documents from these collections have been brought together to illustrate some of the various issues and events from this tumultuous period. Books that influenced the revolution, such as Diderot's Encylopedie and Rousseau's Contract Social, as well as works central to the revolution are displayed.
Four basic areas are explored--the three estates (aristocracy, clergy, and the general population) and their concerns; the trial and execution of King Louis XVI and his Queen, Marie Antoinette; the Terror under Robespierre and the execution of many of the aristocracy and opposition; and finally the military and foreign views of the revolution.
This electronic exhibit is a recreation of an exhibition originally displayed in 1994 in the Maryland Room. The display would not have been possible without the generous assistance of the Department of French & Italian, Professor Carol Mossman, and her graduate student Jacqueline Stockdale-Delay, who processed the pamphlet collection and helped select the items displayed. The original concept for this exhibition was the idea of Professor Susan Lanser, Director of Comparative Literature at UMCP. Special thanks also should be extended to Lauren Brown and Irmina Ulysse of the Archives and Manuscripts Department for their assistance with the manuscript material.