Final answer:
Iconoclasm during the French Revolution can be seen in the transformation of Notre Dame Cathedral into the Temple of Reason and the creation of the Republican Calendar, both of which were efforts to abolish the established culture and religious beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked for a discussion on two prime examples of iconoclasm from the docu-movie Terror: Robespierre and the French Revolution. Iconoclasm refers to the action of attacking or assertively rejecting cherished beliefs and institutions or established values and practices. Specifically, in the context of the French Revolution, it involves the deliberate destruction of symbols associated with the previous regime. Two significant instances of this can be drawn from the Reign of Terror, which was a period marked by the radical suppression of perceived enemies of the revolution under the leadership of Maximilien de Robespierre.
First Example: Dechristianization and the Temple of Reason
The Jacobins, under Robespierre, endorsed Enlightenment ideas that culminated in a sweeping policy of dechristianization. This is best exemplified by the conversion of the Notre Dame Cathedral into the Temple of Reason, replacing religious worship with secular and rationalist beliefs. Despite its brief existence, this act was a physical manifestation of iconoclasm, directly challenging the deeply entrenched power of the Catholic Church and its symbols.
Second Example: The Republican Calendar
The introduction of the Republican Calendar was another radical change instituted during this period. This new calendar discarded the traditional Gregorian names of months, replacing them with names that reflected nature and the seasons. It underlined the revolutionary government's intent to break from the past and assert a rationalist, secular agenda.