El McCoys verdadero

History of the districts of Paris

Paris of the Revolution occupied 3.440 hectares instead of the 7.800 of today. It had as limits: in the west the place of Star, the east the cemetery of the Lachaise Father, in north the place of Clichy, the south the cemetery of Montparnasse.

Under the Old Mode the city was made up of twenty and one districts. In 1789, for the elections with the General states, it was divided temporarily into sixty districts.

Creation of the 48 districts or sections

By the decree of May 21st, sanctioned by the king on June 27th, 1790, the constituent Assembly created 48 sections (territorial and administrative divisions), to replace the districts.

Each section was composed: of a civil committee, of a revolutionary committee and an armed force.

The civil committee

At the head of each section a civil committee of sixteen members elected by the active citizens of the section was placed (of the district), the Justice of the Peace and the members intended to be used interpreters between the Commune as Paris and their section. As from 1792, the sections were occupied in a permanent way of the political questions. The Parisian ones deciding at the end of July 1792, to abolish the distinction between passive and active citizens. Consequently the assemblies of section sat permanently and became the political body of the Sans-culottes. They asked after the Manifeste of Brunswick (July 25th, 1792) the forfeiture of the king. August 9th, 1792, each section delegates police chiefs elected by the passive citizens and credits which it invests of its capacities to replace the municipality of Paris. They were with the number of fifty-two. These police chiefs started the day of the fine August 10th, 1792 putting at monarchy, which gave the insurrectionary Commune of Paris. Among these police chiefs were: Jacques-Rene Hébert, Pierre-Gaspard Chaumette, Xavier Audoin, etc

The revolutionary Committee

Instituted by the law of March 21st, 1793, it initially had the role only the monitoring from abroad, without involving itself in the life of the French citizens. The activity which it could deploy in the performance of their duty, and often appreciably exceeded the limits which were assigned to them, made it indicate for the application of the Loi of the suspects (September 17th, 1793). It had aunsi the capacity to draw up the list and to decree warrants for arrest of it. They also seize the right to issue the certificates of good citizenship, while establishing a direct correspondence with the Comité of general security.

The armed force in the sections

The armed force of Paris having at its head a general-in-chief commander, was divided into six legions, each legion including/understanding eight sections. In each section, there were a commander-in-chief, a second in command and an executive officer. The companies were in more or less great number according to the population of the sections. Each company included/understood from 120 to 130 men. She was ordered by a captain, a lieutenant, two second lieutenant. There was a company of gunners by section (60 men per company and two guns). The Thermidor 9 year II (July 27th, 1794) during the fall of Maximilien Robespierre, 18 had been sent to the face by order Lazare Carnot. On these thirty companies, three were of lawful guard: the national Convention, the Arsenal, the Temple, 17 answered the call of the Commune of Paris, in the night from the 9 to Thermidor 10 year II (from July 27th to 28th 1794).

Sections after Thermidor 9 year II (July 27th, 1794)

After Thermidor 9 year II (July 27th, 1794), the sections still played a big role in the popular insurrections then were removed by the Directoire in 1795. One substituted in the name of section, that of division, then of district.

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