The Commune cancels three quarters of unpaid rent

Parisian voters elected representatives to a municipal council. The results gave influence to Jacobins, Blanquists, Internationalists, socialists and other republican revolutionaries, although...

The newly elected Council of the Commune began its work. The Central Committee of the National Guard prepared to transfer governmental authority to the elected council.

Before a large crowd at the Hôtel de Ville, the elected Commune was formally proclaimed. The red flag became the symbol of the new revolutionary municipal government.

The Council organized its administration through commissions responsible for war, finance, justice, security, labour, public services, education, food, external relations and executive coordination.

The Commune declared that the National Guard, composed of armed citizens, would replace conscription and the permanent army. This measure expressed its conception of popular self-government.

Government troops opened a military offensive west of Paris and attacked National Guard positions near Courbevoie. The clash marked the beginning of open warfare between the Commune and Versailles.

The Commune ended state financial support for religious institutions and declared religion a private matter. The policy became an important precedent for later French secularism.

National Guard columns moved toward Versailles through Rueil, Bougival and Châtillon. Poor coordination and government artillery fire broke the offensive, after which prisoners including Émile Duval...

In response to summary executions by government forces, the Commune authorized the detention of people suspected of aiding Versailles and threatened reprisals if captured Communards continued to be...

Patrice de MacMahon was appointed commander of the reorganized government army. Released prisoners of war strengthened the force preparing to retake Paris.