Final answer:
The consuls were asking the people of France to support the new republic established following the French Revolution. Various political groups and significant events like the fall of the Bastille culminated in the call for a republic, ending centuries of monarchy and nobility-led government.
Step-by-step explanation:
The consuls during the turbulent times of the French Revolution were urging the people of France to support the new republic. After the execution of King Louis XVI, which marked the beginning of the Reign of Terror, different political factions emerged with varying agendas. The radical Jacobins, supported by the sans-culottes, wanted to abolish the monarchy entirely, whereas the Girondins were keen on establishing a constitutional monarchy and making progressive reforms such as the abolition of slavery in the colonies.
The Reign of Terror saw a lot of violence and mayhem, and the reflection of these events in other nations like the United States caused a divide in opinions. While some viewed the French Revolution with skepticism, others, like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, believed it served a 'greater cause'. In 1789, the goal was to draft a constitution to limit the king's powers, and the Estates General transformed into the National Assembly, eventually leading to events like the fall of the Bastille and the establishment of a republic. By February 1848, no monarch would claim the throne of France, signaling the end of monarchy and the establishment of the republic that the consuls were supporting.