La Marseillaise

1. La Marseillaise The French National Anthem By : Allison Fears

2. History • The French National Anthem was written, not in Marseille, but in Strasbourg in 1792 at the instigation of the Mayor of Strasbourg. • The song was written as a response to the invasion of France by Prussian and Austrian forces who were later defeated at the Battle of Valmy.

3. Composition • A young army engineer, Claude Rouget de Lisle, composed the French National Anthem. • He named it Chant de Guerre de l’Armée du Rhin or 'War Song of the Army of the Rhine'. • Little did he know that it would become the French National Anthem

4. First time it was sung • The Mayor of Strasbourg himself, in his own house, sang the first performance of what became the French National Anthem. • To this day, you can visit this building. It still stands in Strasbourg and now houses the Banque de France.

5. A new name • The stirring lyrics immediately struck a chord with the troops of the French Revolution. • A young doctor from Montpelier, François Mireur, had sung it in Marseille at a patriotic banquet. Printed copies were handed out and the song spread through the city. • When French revolutionaries from Marseilles entered Paris, they marched to the Tuilleries singing the song. From then on it was know as La Marseillaise.

6. Now • The French National Anthem is sung at official events and is also sung at major international sporting events. • While most French people know the words to the first verse and the chorus, very few know any of the other many verses of La Marseillaise, the French National Anthem.

7. Pictures

8. La Marseillaise in French Tremblez,tyrans et vous perfides,L’opprobre de tous les partis,Tremblez ! vos projets parricidesVont enfin recevoir leurs prix !Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix !Tout est soldat pour vous combattre,S’ils tombent, nos jeunes héros,La terre en produit de nouveaux,Contre vous tout prêts à se battre ! Français,en guerriers magnanimes,Portez ou retenez vos coups !Epargnez ces tristes victimes,A regret s’armant contre nous. A regret s’armant contre nous.Mais ces despotes sanguinaires,Mais ces complices de Bouillé,Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié,Déchirent le sein de leur mère ! Amoursacré de la Patrie,Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs !Liberté, Liberté chérie,Combats avec tes défenseurs !Combats avec tes défenseurs !Sous nos drapeaux, que la victoireAccoure à tes mâles accents !Que tes ennemis expirantsVoient ton triomphe et notre gloire ! Nousentrerons dans la carrièreQuand nos aînés n’y seront plus; Nous y trouverons leur poussièreEt la trace de leurs vertus.Et la trace de leurs vertus.Bien moins jaloux de leur survivreQue de partager leur cercueil,Nous aurons le sublime orgueilDe les venger ou de les suivre ! Allonsenfants de la Patrie,Le jour de gloire est arrivé !Contre nous de la tyrannie,L’étendard sanglant est levé !L’étendard sanglant est levé !Entendez-vous dans les campagnesMugir ces féroces soldats ?Ils viennent jusque dans nos brasEgorger nos fils et nos compagnes ! Auxarmes, citoyens !Formez vos bataillons !Marchons ! marchons !Qu’un sang impurAbreuve nos sillons ! Queveut cette horde d’esclaves,De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ?Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ?Français, pour nous, ah! quel outrage !Quels transports il doit exciter !C’est nous qu’on ose méditerDe rendre à l’antique esclavage ! Quoi! ces cohortes étrangèresFeraient la loi dans nos foyers !Quoi ! ces phalanges mercenairesTerrasseraient nos fiers guerriers !Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers !Grand Dieu ! par des mains enchaînéesNos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient !De vils despotes deviendraientLes maîtres de nos destinées !

9. La Marseillaise in English Arisechildren of the fatherland The day of glory has arrived Against us tyranny’s Bloody standard is raisedBloody standard is raisedCan you hear in the fields The howling of these fearsome soldiers? They are coming into our midst To cut the throats of your sons and consorts! To arms, citizens, Form in battalions, March, march! Let impure blood Water our furrows! Whatdo they want this horde of slaves Of traitors and conspiratorial kings? For whom these vile chains These long-prepared irons?These long-prepared irons?Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage What methods must be taken? It is we they dare plan To return to the old slavery! What! Theseforeign cohorts!They would make laws in our homes! What! These mercenary phalanxes Would cut down our proud warriorsWould cut down our proud warriorsGood Lord! By chained hands Our brow would yield under the yoke Some vile despots would havethemselves be The masters of our destinies! Tremble,tyrants and traitors The shame of all good men Tremble! Your parricidal schemes Will finally receive their just rewardWill finally receive their just rewardAgainst you, everyone is a soldier, If they fall, our young heroes, France will bear new ones Ready to join the fight against you! Frenchmen,as magnanimous warriors Bear or hold back your wounds! Spare these sad victims, Who regret to take up arms against us. Who regret to take up armsagainst us. But not these bloody despots, These accomplices of Bouillé,All these tigers who pitilessly, Ripped out their mothers’ wombs! Sacredlove of the fatherland,Drive and support our avenging arms Liberty, cherished liberty, Struggle with your defenders.Struggle with your defenders.Under our flags, let victory Hurry to your male tone So that your agonizing enemies See your triumph and our glory! Weshall enter into the pit When our elders will have gone, There we shall find their ashes And the mark of their virtues.And the mark of their virtues.Much less jealous of surviving them Than of sharing their coffins, We shall have the sublime pride Of avenging or joining them.

10. Works Cited • http://www.legallanguage.com/resources/poems/lamarseillaise/ • http://www.learn-french-help.com/french-national-anthem-history.html • http://french.lovetoknow.com/French_National_Anthem • http://www.carpbrostravel.com/france.htm