Chapter 10: Internal and external war

Question 1

What was the name of the series of revolutionary wars between 1792 to 1797?

Answer 1

War of the First Coalition.

Question 2

Who were France fighting against in the War of the First Coalition?

Answer 2

Austria, Prussia, Portugal, the United Provinces and Great Britain.

Question 3

Why was there an uprising in Vendée?

Answer 3

• Angry about 300,000 men levy.

- Sale of church lands mean’t new land-owners with high rent.

Question 4

Very briefly explain the events of the Vendée uprising.

Answer 4

• City in Vendée seized.
• Massacre of local officials, juring priests and NG.
• Guerrilla warfare.
• Convention sent 30,000 men to stop the rebellion - didn’t work.
• Eventually 100,000 men had to be sent to stop them.

Question 5

What was vendée like?

Answer 5

Catholic and conservative. Lots of refractory priests.

Question 6

When did the Vendée uprising begin?

Answer 6

March 1793.

Question 7

What political group did Robespierre belong too?

Answer 7

Jacobins.

Question 8

When was the Committee of General Security (CGS) established and what was it?

Answer 8

October 1792.

• Policing and administration of justice.
• Had to report to NC.

Question 9

What were représentants-en-mission?

Answer 9

• Travelled across France to make sure all départements remained loyal.
• Could arrest suspects.
• Raised troops morale.
• Insured generals remained loyal (no longer trusted after Lafayette deflected).

Question 10

Who did the Revolutionary Tribunal try?

Answer 10

Counter-revolutionaries.

Question 11

What were Comités de surveillance?

Answer 11

• In every commune.
• Handed suspicious people over to Revolutionary Tribunal.
• Members could not be former nobles or churchmen.

Question 12

When was the Committee of Public Safety (CPS) set up and what was it?

Answer 12

April 1793.

• Conduct of war.
• Control of army.
• Application of revolutionary laws.
• Had control of CGS.
• Elected by and reported weekly to NC.

Question 13

Who did Marat blame for France’s problems with food in his newspaper L’ Ami du peuple?

Answer 13

Girondins.

Question 14

What legislations were Girondins fighting for in the convention in 1793?

Answer 14

Price controls so prices wouldn’t be so high.

Jacobins initially blocked these.

Question 15

Who did Girondin’s arrest in April 1793, and what were the outcomes?

Answer 15

Marat.

• Because he wrote badly about them in his newspaper, sparking attacks on Girondins.
• Acquitted by Revolutionary Tribunal.
• Jacobins made Girondins seem against republic.

Question 16

How did Jacobins (namely Robespierre) win support from the Sans-culottes in May 1793?

Answer 16

Introducing price controls on bread.

Question 17

When did Robespierre expelled Girondins from the Convention and place them under house arrest? Who supported this?

Answer 17

2nd June 1793.

Sans-Culottes supported, most of plain didn’t.

Question 18

When and what were the Federalist Revolts?

Answer 18

May and June 1793.

• Revolting against Girondin expulsion.
• Many Jacobins forced out of office.
• Not really counter-rev, just against centralisation and Jacobin control.
• Some royalist eg/ Toulon (which was seiged in Dec thanks to Napoleon).

Question 19

What was in the 24th June Jacobin constitution?

Answer 19

• All males could vote.
• Everyone entitled to state assistance (providing people with work etc.)
• Society more important than the individual.
• Never put in place because of war*