What was the Vendée uprising and how did the revolutionary government respond?

• A. A secular, anti-clerical protest; responded with negotiation.
• B. A foreign invasion from neighboring states that was quickly repelled by diplomacy.
• C. A royalist and Catholic revolt in western France; met with brutal military suppression and conscription, causing significant casualties.
• D. A peasant uprising focused on economic reforms with peaceful settlement.

Answer: (C)

The Vendée uprising was a royalist and Catholic revolt in western France during the early years of the Revolution. It sprang from opposition to the revolutionary government's policies—especially anti-clerical measures and the levée en masse, the large-scale conscription that forced peasants into the army and disrupted local life. The rebellion drew support from regional nobles, clergy, and peasants who favored the old order and traditional faith.

The revolutionary government did not negotiate with the rebels. Instead, it answered with brutal military suppression, sending Republican armies to crush the uprising. Tactics included harsh campaigns, scorched-earth actions, and the use of ruthless punitive measures and deportations, resulting in very high casualties and widespread devastation. This combination of royalist resistance and severe military response is why it’s described as a royalist and Catholic revolt in western France met with brutal suppression and conscription, causing significant casualties.