Chapter 12 - Robespierre & CPS Influence, Robespierre's Fall & Collapse Of The Terror Flashcards
What was the Law of 14 Frimaire?
December 1793
Gave CPS direct power & authorities would take orders from CPS
Armees revolutionnaires disbanded from March 1794
Popular societies & committees closed down
What was the aim of the Law of 14 Frimaire?
Centralised chain of authority w/ CPS as supreme
Destruct sans-culotte influence by destroying channels of activity
What were the 2 laws of Ventose?
Jan & March 1794
Promised needy patriots share of seized land from counter-revs
Hopes of creating egalitarian society
Carried out w/ little enthusiasm or ignored
What was the rival faction of Hebert & his followers?
Hebert: radical leader, pamphleteer
Complained Robespierre setting up a dictatorship
Called sans-culottes to rise against oppressors
Who were the Indulgents?
Rival faction to Robespierre
Danton, Desmoulins
Terror should be scaled back
How did Robespierre respond to rival factions?
Argues self-sacrifice for Republic: good living, fashion, sensual pleasures (shown by Indulgents) incompatible w/ rev
Eliminate vices of Ancien Regime
How were the Indulgents & Hebertists denounced?
March 1794
Saint-Just read report to Convention
What happened to the Hebertists?
Rumours of plot to massacre NC members
Hebert & 18 associates arrested & executed in March 1794
What happened to the Indulgents?
Arrested March 1794
Danton, Desmoulins, 13 others guillotined April 1794
After the removal of the rival factions, what split formed in the Convention?
‘the Plain’ favoured Terror reduction but scared to speak out
Extreme revs & moderates alienated by Robespierre, Couthon & Saint-Just
Who’s power had been broken that allowed Robespierre to further the Terror?
When?
Sans-culottes
Paris commune
Sectional societies
By march 1794
How many were guillotined March - June 1794?
Who was targeted at this time?
1,000
people who failed to meet R moral standards
‘Refuse’ in prisons
What is a ‘refuse’?
Refractory priests
Nobles
What was the Cult of the Supreme Being?
Statue of Robespierre presenting him as supreme being & virtue symbol
Robespierre sees himself as this
When was the festival of the Supreme Being?
What was made for the festival?
June 1794
Manmade mountain with statue of Robespierre atop
What did Robespierre promote the Cult of the Supreme Being instead of?
Why?
De-Christianisation (by sans-culottes)
Felt uncomfortable with it
Believed religion could help Frenchmen lead virtuous lives
What was the Law of 22 Prarial?
10 June 1794
Enemy of the people (could be anyone/class) could be tried & executed without witnesses or evidence
Abuse of power
How did Robespierre aim to create a republic of virtue?
Why?
When?
Law of 22 Prairial
All potential critics executed & criticism stifled
10 June - 27 July 1794
After the Law of 22 Prarial, what were the 2 outcomes of the Tribunal?
How many were sentenced to death in June & July 1794?
Acquittal or death
1,594
What was the Great Terror?
10 June - 27 July 1794
Robespierre aiming to create republic of virtue
Law of 22 Prairial
1,594 executed
What did the Law of 22 Prairial lead on from?
Law of Suspects: anyone deemed a danger arrested
What were the 3 short term causes for Robespierre’s fall from power/coup of Thermidor?
Religious: unpopular Cult of Supreme Being
Economic: popularity amongst sans-culottes
Political: CPS & CGS feuds begin
How did the creation of the Cult of the Supreme Being lead to Robespierre’s fall from power?
Unpopular with a wide range
Cath opp as ignored Cath doctrine
Anti-clerics opp as saw as attempt to reintroduce church (supreme ruler)
How did the sans-culottes lead to Robespierre’s fall from power?
Popularity with s-c failing bc of execution of Hebertists & raising of maximum, causing inflation
How did the CPS & CGS lead to Robespierre’s fall from power?
Began to fall out
Politicians felt threatened by R when CPS (led by R) set up own police bureau to prosecute dishonest officials
What triggered Robespierre’s fall from power/coup of Thermidor?
Month away from public life (July 1794)
Addressed Convention in speech, accused unnamed colleagues of plotting against gov
Everyone felt threatened as could be talking about anyone & executed
Led directly to coup of Thermidor
What was the coup of Thermidor?
Late July 1794
Overthrowing of Robespierre
Shot in jaw - couldn’t give a last speech; ironic
When was Robespierre guillotined?
28 July 1794 (10 Thermidor)
When was the Terror?
10 months
Sep 1793 - Late July 1794
What were the positive outcomes of the Terror?
Dealt with:
Internal enemies
External war
Counter-revs
Federalist Revolt
Prevented economic chaos
Enables survival of rev & Republican values
What were the negative outcomes of the Terror?
High death toll, oft unnecessary
Wasted resources at time of war unnecessarily
Economic development held back
Undemocratic
Caused more % than it healed
How important was Robespierre in the development of the Terror in the years 1793 to 1794? (supp) 24 marker
Led Jacobins
Supp king execution
Supp Girondins overthrow
Supp by s-c
Most important member of CPS from July 1793 & encouraged it to take radical steps
Speeches
Law of 22 Prairial
Winds down after overthrow, suggesting R perpetuated it
How important was Robespierre in the development of the Terror in the years 1793 to 1794? (opp) 24 marker
instruments of Terror emerged before R: Rev Tribunal & CPS
Need for Terror: centralisation, vigilance during war
Power of s-c could be considered as driving radical force: expulsion of Girondins
