Government by terror 1793-94 Flashcards
What was the first period of Terror?
Government by Terror came into being because of the need to organise the Republic against internal and external threats to its survival.
The first began with the attack on Tuileries on 10 August 1792, included the September Massacres, and came to an end with the Battle of Valmy.
What was the second period of Terror?
The second began with the Journee of 31 May to 2 June 1793, when some Girondins deputies were arrested, and ended with the execution of Robespierre and his supporters in July 1794.
During the start of this second terror, French armies were doing badly and the country once again faced invasion.
Its end came shortly after the victory of Fleurus in June 1794, which secured France’s frontiers.
What were the aims of the CPS?
Danton and Robespierre spoke of the need for winning the people’s support.
They felt this could be done by economic concessions.
On 4 May a maximum price was fixed for grain and later in the month it became compulsory for the wealthy to loan money to the government.
What did Barere, a leader of the Plain, tell the convention to recognise?
In a state of emergency, no government could rule by normal methods.
The Bourgeoisie should not isolate itself from the people, whose demands should be satisfied.
Since it was vital that the Bourgeoisie retain control of this alliance with the people, the Convention must take the initiative by introducing the necessary measures.
What was the machinery of Terror?
Against the mounting crisis - military defeat, civil war, severe economic problems and anti-republican opposition, which threatened to overturn the revolution, the convention passed a range of measures March - May 1793 to deal with these problems and ensure its survival.
What were the objectives of the machinery of Terror?
To identify, place under observation and punish suspects.
To make government more effective and ensure that its orders were carried out.
To meet at least some of the economic demands of the sans culottes.
What was the Committee of General Security?
Had the task of rooting out all anti-republican opposition.
They had overall responsibility for police security, surveillance and spying.
They set up a Revolutionary Tribunal on March 1793, in Paris, to try counter-revolutionary suspects.
It was intended to prevent massacres like those of September 1792.
The tribunal was to become one of the main instruments of the Terror.
What were Representatives-on-mission?
Jacobin deputies were sent to the provinces to reassert government authority, owing to the resistance to conscription and the suspicion of generals after Dumoriez’s defection.
They had almost unlimited powers over the department administrations and the armies were intended to begin reasserting central control.
Plots by royalists were blamed for the Vendee Rebellion, so Comites de surveillance were set up in each commune.
They provided many victims for the revolutionary tribunal.
What was the summary execution decree?
This provided for the trial and execution of armed rebels within 24 hours of capture.
These trials were held without a jury and there was no appeal.
They condemned many more victims than the revolutionary tribunal did.
Very harsh laws were passed against emigres, their property was confiscated by government officials and they were to be executed if they returned to France.
What was the Committee of Public Safety?
The CPS was set up April 1793.
Its purpose was to supervise and speed up the activities of ministers, whose authority it superseded.
The CPS was not a dictatorship, it depended on the support of the Convention, which approved its powers each month.
Who did the CPS compose of?
Danton wanted a committee without extremists.
Of the 9 members selected, 7 were from the Plain, and only 2 were Jacobins, including Danton, and no Girondins.
What was the lead up to the overthrow of the Girondins?
On 26 May Robespierre came down on the side of the sans culottes when he invited the people to place themselves in insurrection against the corrupt Girondin deputies.
On 31 May a rising began which spread rapidly when news of the overthrow of the Jacobins in Lyon reached Paris on 1 June.
What were the events of the overthrow of the Girondins?
On 2 June 1793 80,000 National Guardsmen surrounded the convention and directed their cannon at it. They demanded the expulsion of the Girondins from the Assembly and a maximum price imposed on all essential goods.
When the deputies tried to leave they were forced back.
Why were the Girondins overthrown?
To avoid a massacre or a seizure of power by a revolutionary commune, the convention was compelled to agree to the arrest of Girondin deputies and ministers.
Following the purge of the Girondins, a young royalist, Corday, assassinated Marat in the vain belief this would end the revolution.
What is the Federal Revolt?
In many departments the rebels resented the influence of Paris and its Commune over the Convention and the power of the Jacobins.
Marseille inhabitants turned against the local club.
Encouraged by these events, anti-Jacobins supporters took control of many other towns, including Lyon and Bordeaux.
What was the New Committee of Public Safety?
After 2 June most deputies feared and distrusted the Jacobins because of the way they had dealt with the Girondin.
However, they did not want the Republic overthrown by domestic or foreign enemies, so for the next 14 months, were reluctant accomplices of the Jacobin minority.
A new CPS was formed between July and September 1793, the 12 members were all either Jacobins or plain.
The committee was to become the first strong government since the revolution began.
How did the new CPS differ?
It had more Jacobins.
Nearly all were young, and there was no chairman.
These changes made the Terror more likely as the members were more radical and extreme, and were younger, so were more likely to carry out bad actions.
What effect did Robespierre joining the CPS have?
Joined July 1793.
His influence in the Jacobin club and the Commune was expected to provide a link between the Jacobins and sans culottes.
He never had much support in the convention however and many could not stand his narrow self-righteousness.
He did not however seek power or wealth for himself.
What role had the sans culottes played in the revolution?
The storming of the bastille.
Brought the king to Paris during the October Days.
After the National Guard was opened up to passive citizens, their influence grew.
This was important in the overthrow of the monarchy and from the summer of 1792 to spring of 1794 no one could control Paris without their support.
They were responsible for the Journee which brought the Jacobins to power.
What were the main characteristics of the Sans Culottes?
Hatred of the aristocracy and anyone of great wealth.
Egalitarianism - addressed everyone as citizen and ancien regime titles were rejected.
Wore red caps, originally associated with free slaves, symbolising the equality of all citizens.
Passionate anti-clericalism - as priests had joined in taking wealth.
Believed in direct democracy.
What were the concessions made to the sans culottes?
Because of the power and influence of the sans culottes the CPS made concessions to meet their demands:
A new constitution and Declaration of Rights - stated the right of people to work, have assistance in time of need and be educated, the right of insurrection and all adult males to have the vote.
The sections demanded conscription.
Economic concessions - the maximum legislation to fix prices, making the hoarding of goods a capital offence.
What was the levee en masse?
Decreed 23 August, all the resources of the nation were to be used to help France to win the war.
This included conscription of nearly 500,000 men aged 18 - 25.
They had to be fed, armed and trained, so all the human and material resources of the nation were put at the government’s disposal.
It was very successful in the short term, without it victory would have been impossible.
What did the enrages do?
They demanded action from the government about the deteriorating economic situation.
Roux wanted the Convention to deal immediately with the starvation and poverty.
When it did nothing, he denounced it.
Who were the Enrages?
An extreme revolutionary group led by Roux.
His followers were wage earners, casual labourers, the poor and unemployed.
As a priest in one on the poorest quarters of Paris, Roux was shocked by the starvation.
These were people for whom the revolution had brought little material improvement to their standard of living.
What did Roux propose about economic terror?
He demanded the execution of hoarders who pushed up the price of grain and a purge of ex-nobles from the army.
Robespierre wanted to destroy him, because he was threatening the commune and convention with direct action in the streets.
The Journee of 5 September adopted a more extreme approach to ensure the movement of food into Paris, where Roux was very influential.
Why was the armee revolutionnaire formed?
On September 4 a crowd gathered to demand bread and higher wages.
The following day, urged by Roux, it marched on the Convention, forcing it to accept a series of radical measures.
The Sections imposed on the Convention the proclamation of the Terror as normal.
The Convention immediately authorised the formation of the armee revolutionnaire.
