g) The Terror 1793 - 1794

Question 1

What were the origins of the Terror, 1792?

Answer 1

August 10: protesters were massacred by the Swiss Guard

September: during the massacre almost 1,500 prisoners were executed by Sans-Culottes

Overall failure at the beginning of the war helped to spread tensions

Question 2

What factors helped to suppress the violence during the Terror?

Answer 2

France’s victory against the Prussians in September at Valmy

Prussia’s defeat halted the invading forces

With France more secure, the violence lessened

Question 3

When did the main Terror begin?

Answer 3

Summer 1793

Question 4

The Terror was a consequence of what?

Answer 4

Was a consequence of both external and internal threats to the revolution

Question 5

What factors helped to increase the Jacobins’s popularity in France?

Answer 5

The need to address both unrest at home and threats from abroad helped them increase their popularity.

Question 6

Who were the most dominant force during the Terror?

Answer 6

The Jacobins

Also known as the Montagnards

Question 7

Between March and May 1793, why did the Convention introduce new measures?

Answer 7

• To strengthen the revolution
• To maintain support from the people
• To try and police those opposed to the revolution
• To try to improve the economy and government

Question 8

What were the organisations set up to suppress opposition?

Answer 8

1. Committee of General Security
2. Committee of Public Safety
3. Revolutionary Tribunal
4. Representatives-on-mission
5. Comites de surveillance

Question 9

What was the Committee of General Security?

Answer 9

Was established to spy against those suspected of opposing the revolution.

It served as the political police force for the government.

Question 10

What was the Committee of Public Safety?

Answer 10

Set up in April 1793

Its role was to supervise the government ministers

Question 11

What was the Revolutionary Tribunal?

Answer 11

Those suspected of being counter-revolutionaries were tried here.

The Tribunal was at the forefront of the Terror and had the authority to send people to the guillotine.

Question 12

What were Representatives-on-mission?

Answer 12

Jacobin representatives who were sent out to enforce the government’s authority.

They were very powerful, and had authority over local government officials.

Question 13

What were Comites de Surveillance?

Answer 13

Set up throughout France to find counter-revolutionaries to send to the Tribunal.

Question 14

What legal and economic measures were passed to strengthen the Convention’s power?

Answer 14

1. Summary execution decree - (gave themselves the power to arrest, try and execute rebels within 24 hour timeframe).
2. Anti-emigres laws - (executed if they returned, their property now belonged to the Convention).
3. Maximum price - (on grain).
4. Loans - (compulsory loan on the wealthy).

Question 15

Why did the Girondins oppose the Sans-Culottes?

Answer 15

They thought that they were too violent

Referred to them as ‘drinkers of blood’

Question 16

How did the Jacobins use the sans-culottes to expel the Girondin deputies?

Answer 16

Sans-culottes were an angry mob, on June 2 1793 they surrounded the Convention

They demanded the expulsion of the Girondin deputies for supporting royalists and introducing maximum prices on goods

The convention was compelled to hand over the deputies

Question 17

When was Marat murdered?

Who murdered Marat?

Answer 17

Marat, a leading Jacobin, was murdered by Charlotte Corday, an aristocrat.

13 July 1793

Question 18

Why did the Federal Revolts against Jacobins a failure?

Answer 18

Although many towns revolted, they were not united in their opposition

They were also defended by small numbers of people

The government thus was quickly able to suppress the revolts

Question 19

Why did the Committee of Public Safety become stronger over the summer of 1793?

Answer 19

Dominated by Jacobins.

Due to what happened to the Girondins, the other political clubs and deputies let them govern.

Question 20

The CPS introduced a new constitution, why was it favourable to the Sans-Culottes?

Answer 20

Included aspects which they found the most important.

Rights to:

• Education
• Work
• Welfare
• Voting Rights
• Price Fixing

Question 21

What happened to the Paris sections under the power of the CPS?

Answer 21

48 elected Paris districts were replaced by 48 sections

Small powerful groups controlled the sections

They had the power to issue certificates to allow citizens to work and deal with counter-revolutionaries

Question 22

What was the Levee on Masse, and when was it introduced?

Answer 22

23 August 1793

Introduced by the CPS - called on people to help with the war effort

Basically conscription

Question 23

Who was Jacques Roux and why was he significant?

Answer 23

Leader of the Enrages group, he demanded to the Convention that they should do more to help the poor

Robespierre had Roux arrested because his actions were undermining the Convention

Question 24

Pressure from the Paris sections, in Sep 1793, forced the Convention to authorise the revolutionary army to do what?

Answer 24

1. Organise food supplies
2. Spread the revolution to the South
3. Hunt down all opponents

Question 25

How did the convention respond to the Sans-Culottes’ demands to deal with the economic crisis?

Answer 25

1. Death penalty for food hoarders

2. Wages and prices were fixed (general maximum)

Question 26

Why were the economic solutions introduced by the convention in late 1793 not universally popular?

Answer 26

1. Peasants resented the low price of produce and refused to sell their stock
2. The revolutionary army forcibly took the grain until the government was compelled to raise prices

Question 27

When did the CPS abandon the constitution?

Answer 27

In October 1793

Question 28

What was the Law of Suspects and when was it introduced?

Answer 28

September 1793

Government gave the local revolutionary committees the power to arrest and imprison suspects

Question 29

Why did the Sans-culottes and the revolutionary army try to destroy the church?

Answer 29

They saw Catholic churches as anti-revolutionary

Saw them as a symbol of the Ancien Regime

Question 30

When was the revolutionary Calendar introduced?

Answer 30

October 1793