T3: Preconditions for terror Flashcards
what was a necessary precondition for the Terror to develop?
rise of Jacobins and fall of Girondins
when was the Terror?
sept 1793 - July 1794
how many people were executed in the Terror?
2,500 in Paris alone
15,000 total
how many were killed in Paris during the Terror?
2,500
what body drove the government during the Terror?
the Committee of Public Safety
who were the majority of victims of the Terror?
60 % peasants or working class people
why were the majority of victims of the Terror not royalists?
many ardent royalists or constitutional monarchists had fled France in 1792
when had the Revolutionary War begun?
1792
when did the Revolutionary War gain a new momentum?
early 1793
when did France make gains in the war against Austria and Prussia?
Sep 1792 - Jan 1793
when did the war start to go badly again for France?
Feb- March 1793
continued to go badly for Spring + Summer
in what way did the Revolutionary War intensify in Feb 1793?
French National Convention declared war against Britain, Holland and Spain
what countries was France at war with by end of Feb 1793?
Austria, Prussia, Britain, Holland, Spain and Piedmont-Sardinia (Italian states allied to Austria)
what are France’s enemies at this time collectively referred to as?
the ‘First Coalition’
what is an example of the war going badly for France?
suffered major defeat by Austrians at the Battle of Neerwinden March 1793
when was the Battle of Neerwinden?
18 March 1793
was the Battle of Neerwinden a failure of success for France?
failure
what was a consequence of the Battle of Neerwinden?
French General Dumouriez defected to the Austrians
what was the effect of Dumouriez’s defection?
- caused the Convention to question the loyalty of even its most renowned commanders
- made Girondins look bad - Dumouriez was a Girondin
When did Dumouriez defect to the Austrians?
April 1793
what is an example of the internal threat of Civil War to the Convention?
major uprising in the Vendee
when did the uprising in the Vendee begin?
11th March 1793
what caused the uprising in the Vendee?
- government had ordered levy of 300,000 conscripts to fight against First Coalition
- Vendee unwilling to fight and die for a gov whose policies they objected to
when did news of the levy reach the Vendee?
11th March 1793
when did the Convention order a levy of 300,000 soldiers?
Feb 1793
how many soldiers did the Convention order a levy for in Feb 1793?
300,000
why did the NC order a levy in 1793?
to fight against the First Coalition
what proportion of priests in the Vendee had refused to swear the oath of allegiance in Nov 1790?
3/4
what were the long-term grievances of the Vendee?
- fiercely opposed Civil Constitution of the Clergy
- cost of abolished feudal dues added to the leases of the land - no better off financially
how many NG were in the Vendee to defend against rebels?
mere 1,300
what was the result of so few NG in the Vendee?
rebels made early gains - e.g. won Battle of Pont-Charrault and at Chalonnes
when was the Battle of Pont-Charrault?
19 March 1793
when were revolutionary forces forced to withdraw from Chalonnes?
22nd March 1793
why did rebels make early gains in the Vendee?
numbers outweighed National Guard (only 1,300 NG in Vendee)
what crises was France facing in spring 1793?
- foreign armies advancing
- leading French general defected
- France erupted into Civil War
how did the NC respond to the crises faced by France in spring 1793?
created the Committee of Public Safety
when was the CPS created?
6 April 1793
why was the CPS created?
in response to the crises faced by France in spring 1793 - was responsible for the war effort and to defend the revolution from enemies, both internal and external
what was the role of the CPS?
was responsible for the war effort and to defend the revolution from enemies, both internal and external
- determined foreign policy
- appointed and dismissed military commanders
- responsible for internal defence against counter-revolution
what were the responsibilities of the CPS?
- determined foreign policy
- appointed and dismissed military commanders
- responsible for internal defence against counter-revolution
who were the initial members of the CPS?
9 members: 7 from The Plain, only 2 more radical (one was Danton)
how was the power of the CPS initially checked?
relied on approval of Convention - powers renewed on monthly basis. had report directly to the Convention weekly
how often did the CPS have to report to the NC?
weekly
how often were the powers of the CPS renewed by the Convention?
monthly
what did the government do to help fund the war effort?
printed more assignats - caused value to drop by half
what was the effect of printing more assignats?
caused their value to drop by half- inflation
what was the economic impact of the war?
worsened the already poor economic situation in Paris
3 ways the war effected economy?
- printed more assignats to fund war effort - inflation
- bread supplies scarce - demands of feeding army
- naval blockade of French ports by English ships - hampered overseas trade
what did the radical press blame rising prices on?
Marat blamed hoarders and counter-revolutionaries - encouraged SC to insurrection
what was the real reason for rising prices?
war
- bread supplies for army
- naval blockade
- inflation - printing assignats
what was the impact of rising bread prices in Paris?
riots
when is an example of riots in Paris due to rising bread prices?
Feb 1793 - NG had to be deployed to bring riots under control
difference in reaction to SC in Convention?
- Jacobins failed to condemn- added legitimacy to their actions
- Girondins - attacked their actions
how did PC respond to concerns of SC? how did the NC react?
PC pushed NC to introduce max price on bread and grain. Girondins continues to advocate for free trade
how was a max price for grain and bread eventually introduced?
1 May 1793 - 8,000 SC surrounded Convention to force action.
when was a law setting a max price for bread and grain passed?
4 May 1793
when did SC surround NC demanding max price for bread and grain?
1 May 1793
how many SC surrounded NC 1 May?
8000
why did SC surround NC 1 May 1793?
demanding max price bread and grain
how did Marat respond to Dumouriez’s defection?
attacked the Girondins in his newspaper ‘L’Ami du peuple’ - claimed they were complicit and even called for lynching of Girondin leaders!
what is a clear example of tension in the Convention between Jacobins and Girondins?
physical fighting broke out April 1793
when did physical fighting break out between J + G deputies in the Convention?
April 1793
when did the Girondins call for the trial of Marat?
12 April 1793
on what basis did the Girondins call for Marat’s trial?
calls for violence and scandalous accusations
when was Marat brought to trial?
24th April 1793
what was the outcome of Marat’s trial?
- Marat received applause from public galleries
- judges and jury took just 1 day to acquit Marat of all crimes
how long did the judges and jury to acquit Marat of all crimes?
1 day
when did Robespierre call for the SC to rise up in insurrection against Girondin deputies?
26 May 1793
what did Robespierre do 26th May 1793?
called for the SC to rise up in insurrection against Girondin deputies
what was the result of Robespierre’s call to SC to rise up against Girondins?
80,000 NG and SC mobilised, surrounded Convention on 2nd June 1793
what led to the purge of the Girondins?
journee of 2nd June 1793
how did the actions of Robespierre lead to the purging of the Girondins?
called for SC to rise up against Girondins 26th May 1793
what were the demands of the NG and SC in journee of 2nd June 1793?
- arrets of Girondin deputies
- max price cap on all essential goods
- establishment of SC revolutionary army to deal with bread hoarders and counter-revs
- creation of state-run arms factories
what was the result of the journee of 2 June 1793?
- 3 day stand off
- Couthon proposed a vote in NC on arrest of 29 Girondin deputies
- majority voted in favour
- clear path for Jacobin political dominance
how many Girondin deputies were arrested in the purge of the Girondins?
29
what was the significance of the purging of the Girondins?
path clear for Jacobin political dominncne
2 consequences for Jacobins of purging of Girondins?
- path to political dominance
- murder of Marat
when was Marat assassinated?
13th July 1793
who murdered Marat?
Charlotte Corday, a Girondin sympathiser
why did Charlotte Corday kill Marat?
hoped it would harm the radical Jacobins’ cause
what was the outcome of Marat’s assassination?
- made him a martyr. heart embalmed and hung from ceiling of Jacobin Club
when did the CPS become more radical?
following the purging of the Girondins
in what ways did the CPS become more radical?
- increased to 12 people (from 9) - composed largely of Jacobins, some v radical
- Robespierre in charge
when did the CPS increase to 12 people?
10th July 1793
what was the reaction to the purge of the Girondins and Jacobin dominance?
series of protests and riots across French provinces spring and summer 1793 (federalist revolts)
were the federalist revolts anti-revolution?
no, just anti-Jacobin
stat for number of federalist revolts?
60/85 departments experienced disturbances
why did federalist revolts break out?
in opposition to purge of Girondins and Jacobin dominance
when were the federalist revolts?
spring and summer 1793
where were the most serious federalist revolts?
Bordeaux, Marseilles, Lyon, Toulon
when did the revolt in Lyon begin and end?
started same day as purge of Girondins and lasted 2 months until capitulated due to starvation (9th oct 1793)
how many were executed in Lyon?
nearly 2000
why were so many executed in Lyon?
Government wanted to make an example of towns + cities that rebelled against their rule.
when were the Girondins guillotined?
31st Oct 1793
which of the Girondins were guillotined?
Brissot and 21 others
what was declared by the Convention on the 23rd Aug 1793?
levee en masse
why was levee en masse declared?
- Enrages and Hebertists demanding action to alleviate poverty
- PC + SC demanding increase in effort in fighting foreign enemies
who were the Enrages?
group of extremists, demanded action to alleviate poverty with radical solutions
what king of action did the Enrages want to see?
e.g. higher taxes for rich and execution of hoarders
who were the Hebertists?
group headed by Hebert, head of the revolutionary Paris Commune
when was levee en masse declared?
23rd Aug 1793
what did levee en masse entail?
- whole nation to be geared towards war effort
- all unmarries men 18-25 conscripted
- metal goods confiscated to make cannons
- state munitions factories established
- increasing controls on trade overseas
how many men were conscripted as a result of levee en masse?
nearly half a million
who oragnised the levee en masse?
Carnot
what were the results of the levee en masse?
gains in Rev War but economic situation did not improve
what happened on 4-5 Sep 1793?
thousands of SC marched on Convention
when did thousands of SC march on Convention?
4-5 sep 1793
what did the Convention do to appease the crowd 4-5 sep 1793?
agreed to a number of demands such as the establishment of armees revolutionnaires and general maximum later in month + Law of Suspects
details of armees revolutionnaires?
- armee of 6000 in Paris
- provincial armees totalled 30,000
what was the role of armees revolutionnaires?
avenged federalist revolts and pursued cause of de-Christianisation
how many made up the Paris armee revolutionnaire?
6000
when was the general maximum introduced?
29th sep 1793
why was the general maximum introduced?
to appease the SC- had been march on NC 4-5 sep 1793
what did the general maximum do?
Max price on all basic commodities
how big was the Vendean army at its largest
80,000
How many troops did the Convention have to divert from the Revolutionary War to deal with the Vendee?
30,000
how many rebels attacked and overran town of Cholet.
over 10,000
