Consequences- France

Question 1

Explain the kings flight from Paris and its outcomes.

Answer 1

20th June 1791, Louis XVI on the advice of Mirabeau, fled Paris in disguise. Hoping to reach the border region of Montmedy to await Austrian support to retake Paris. The attempt was organised by the Queen and the Kings advisors. It was unsuccessful when the King was recognised by the postmaster at Varennes. The royal family was then arrested and returned to Paris where they were kept under house arrest.
Outcomes: most of the moderate deputies in the National Assembly changed their allegiance to increasingly radical and republican agendas.
The public lost all affection for Louis XVI and fears grew of an international counter revolutionary conspiracy.
The idea of constitutional monarchy fell out of favour.

Question 2

Explain the civil constitution of the clergy.

Answer 2

The National Assembly passed the Civil Constitution of the Clergy in July of 1790 which mandated that the administrative (upper clergy) and theological division (lower clergy) were to operate separately. Also all clergymen now had to be elected, and the Pope could no longer appoint bishops/ archbishops, and all clergy were required to swear an oath to the revolution.

Question 3

Explain the clerical oath and its reactions.

Answer 3

Passed in November 1790, this mandated all clergy swear and oath of loyalty to the nation. Any who refused could either: retire and get a pension, or if they protested be punished.
This was unpopular with peasants in the regional departments of France, alienating them to the new revolutionary government and instigating counter revolutionaries.

Question 4

Explain the champ de mars massacre and its effects.

Answer 4

17th July 1791. Shortly after Louis XVI return to Paris after his attempted escape, a crowd of 50 000 gathered on the Champ de Mars demanding the Kings abdication. Bailey believing a riot to be imminent ordered Lafayette and the National Guard to disperse the crowd. The National Guard fired, killing 50 people.
Effects: Bailey fled Paris but was recaptured and executed for his part in the event on the 12th of November 1793.
Radicals like Marat and Danton who had encouraged the demonstration were forced into hiding.
Lafayette eventually defected to Austria August 19th 1792.

Question 5

Outline the constitution of 1791.

Answer 5

Drafted by a committee of the National Assembly including Lafayette, Mounir and Sieyes.
King reduced to a public servant with no executive power, but could still appoint his own cabinet and declare war (with the National Assembly’s approval).
King granted a suspensive veto that could delay the passing of laws for up to 5 years.
Legislature (national assembly) was unicameral.
Created a distinction between active citizens (those who could vote. Had to be a land owner and of a certain age) and passive citizens (everyone else).

Question 6

Explain the Brunswick manifesto and its effect.

Answer 6

Issued on the 25th of July 17792. It was intended to frighten the French government into not harming Louis XVI. This was a threat from the Duke of Brunswick that if they royal family were not freed and restored to full power “they will exact an exemplary and ever memorable vengeance thereon by delivering the city of Paris to military punishment and total destruction”.
This had the opposite effect intended. Seen by the public as evidence of an international counter revolutionary conspiracy.

Question 7

What was the revolutionary commune?

Answer 7

The revolutionary commune was established on the 9th of August 1772 at the Hotel de’ Ville, it controlled 48 sections of Paris and many of the National Guard, acting as the seat of power for the city. The commune was controlled by radical Jacobins like Danton, Desmoulins and Herbert after Bailey fled Paris after the Champ De Mars Massacre.

Question 8

Explain the storming of the Tuileries and its outcomes.

Answer 8

On August 10th of 1772 the revolutionary commune ordered 20 000 force of armed san culottes to storm the Tuileries Palace, the residence of the royal family.
In the attack 560 guards were killed and 300 attackers killed. The royal family then escaped to the National Convention.
Outcomes: The National Assembly compromised with the Commune: with the National assembly recognising its authority and the Commune accepting the National Assemblies decisions.
The monarchy was suspended by the National Assembly and the royal family imprisoned in the temple prison.
This spurred Lafayette to defect on the 19th of August 1772.

Question 9

Explain the formulation of the National Convention.

Answer 9

On the 21st of September the National Assembly voted to rename itself the National Convention. It was made up of 750 active citizens for members, with half of them being lawyers. Marat and Brissot gained seats and produced political pamphlets with an increasingly radical tone.

Question 10

Explain the trail of the King and its outcome.

Answer 10

Louis XVI, now citizen Louis Capet, was indicted before the convention in late January of 1772. Charged with treason through uncovered letters of correspondence with Leopold the 2nd of Austria.
Outcome: His guilt was a forgone conclusion. On the 7th of January he was found guilty, and in a 360-361 vote, to be executed.
Louis XVI was executed on the 21st of January 1773.

Question 11

Outline and explain the instruments of the terror.

Answer 11

The committee of public safety. Tasked with overseeing the war effort and national security.
The committee of general security. Tasked with maintaining internal security by pursuing suspected counter revolutionaries.
The law of suspects. Passed by the convention in September of 1773, this allowed for the detainment of anyone deemed a “suspect” according to a very broad criteria.
Committees of surveillance. Put into place to enforce the law of suspects, by issuing arrest warrants and drawing up lists of suspects.
Revolutionary tribunals. Formed in March of 1793 to investigate and prosecute enemies of the revolution. These were show trails with no rules of evidence, rights of the accused or defence. Almost always ended in execution.

Question 12

Define the law of the maximum.

Answer 12

Passed on the 4th of May 1793; this fixed prices of wheat and flour to appease the san culottes and try to solve the harvest crisis.

Question 13

Define the law of the general maximum.

Answer 13

Passed on the 29th of September 1793, this fixed wages and prices on essential goods.

Question 14

Define the law against hording and its outcome.

Answer 14

Passed on the 26th July 1793; any merchant or farmer found to be hoarding food was to be executed.
The outcome of this was that less food was produced, as farmers feared they would be executed if they held too much at any one time.

Question 15

Define the law of 14 frimare.

Answer 15

Granted committee of public safety full executive power. Allowing it to become a 9 man dictatorship of France.

Question 16

Explain representatives on mission.

Answer 16

Spies dispatched in March of 1793 to the front lines of the war. Responsible for checking the loyalty of officers and generals. Operated without any checks. If any battle were to be lost the commanding officer would be accused of treason and sent before a revolutionary tribunal. They were also dispatched to the regional departments in revolt like Nantes and Lyon to quell the rebellion.

Question 17

Outline the politics of the terror.

Answer 17

Expulsion of the Girondins. Monteguards eliminate Girondins from the Convention to take control (Jacobins and Monteguaards in control).
Purge of the Herbertists. Jacobins eliminate Herbitists through a decree on conspiracies (Herbert and followers arrested and executed).
Purge of the Indulgents. Jacobins try and execute the indulgents (Danton, Desmoulins and followers).

Question 18

Define the law of 22 praireil

Answer 18

Included “criticism of patriotism” as counterrevolutionary activity. Mandated only verdicts in cases before the Revolutionary Tribunal could be death or innocence, and accused were allowed no defence representation and not able to present evidence. Also removed the deputies of the National Conventions immunity from arrest.

Question 19

Outline and explain the fall of Robespierre.

Answer 19

26th July 1794, Robespierre makes speech saying their are traitors in the National Convention that will be punished, but refuses to name them.
27th July, Members of the convention vote to accuse Robespierre of dictatorship. He is arrested, taken to the Hotel De ville and shot in the jaw.
28th July, Robespierre is executed.

Question 20

Explain the constitution of 1795.

Answer 20

Tried to reiterate the ideals of 1789 revolution but also distance them from the terror of 1773-1774.
Dissolved the National Convention and formed the Directory.
Articles 1-22 reaffirmed popular sovereignty, general will, liberty, equality, security, property and separation of powers.
“Equality” reduced to everyone being equal before the law.
Article 3 defined that each it each member of society had an obligation to society to “submit to is laws and its agents”.
Stated that private property is the basis of society.

Question 21

What was the role of Louis XVI in developing the new society?

Answer 21

His attempted escape from Paris killed all public affection for the monarchy, and resulted in radicalising many previously moderate deputies of the National Assembly. Mortally wounding the concept of a constitutional monarchy.

Question 22

What was the role of Danton in developing the new society?

Answer 22

Co founder of the Cordeliers club (most radical at the time). Became the deputy prosecutor of the Paris Commune in 1792, and made speechs instigating the San culottes to storm the Tuileries palace. Eventually causing the suspension of the monarchy. Voted for the execution of Louis XVI. Formulated the revolutionary triubanls and committee of public safety. Danton was executed in April of 1774 for criticising the terror.

Question 23

What was the role of Marat in developing the new society?

Answer 23

Wrote and published his own radical newspaper “The friend of the people”. A Jacobin. Encouraged demonstrations at the Champ de Mars for the Kings abdication. Went into hiding after the Champ de Mars massacre. Elected to the National Convention. Newspaper increasingly radicalised the San Culottes. Was assassinated 13th of July 1793 contributing to the downfall of the Girondins.

Question 24

What was the role of Robespierre in developing the new society?

Answer 24

Orchestrated the downfall of the Girondins, Herbitists, and Indulgent in the National Convention. Instituted Jacobin allies on the committees of public safety and general security, effectively making him a dictator. Engineered the Law of Suspects, the Law of 14 Frimaire and the Law of 22 prarial. Executed on 28th July 1794.