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THE NATIONAL CONVENTION, THE JACOBINS, AND THE TERROR 1793-94 (Political…
THE NATIONAL CONVENTION, THE JACOBINS, AND THE TERROR 1793-94
The External Threat: The war of the First Coalition
To add to this, France had also declared war on the United Provinces, Spain, and Britain in February 1793
By August 1793, there were British, Spanish and Austrian soldiers on French soil
After January 1793, the war turned against France again, with major defeats such as the battle of Neerwinden in March, where general Dumoriez defected to the Austrians
The Impact of the Vendee Revolt
After the NC ordered a levy of 300,00 conscripts, the people of the Vendee region rebelled, as they were unwilling to fight for a government that they opposed
Though this was not the only cause of anger, as the CCC had been opposed, with ¾ of priests refusing to take the oath
The Impact of the War in the Vendee
It had control over foreign policy and could issue warrants and sanction decrees.Initially, it was not a radical body, with 7 of the 10 members being from ‘the plain’, requiring approval from the NC each month
The CPS also had to report to the NC once a week
With the situation looking dire, the NC created a body responsible for the war and defending the revolution, called the Committee of Public Safety (CPS), on 6th April 1793
Economic Pressures and Sans-Culottes Discontent
As prices rose, the radical press furthered discontent, with Marat blaming inflation on counter-revolutionaries and hoarders, encouraging sans-culotte intervention.In February 1793 the National Guard was deployed in Paris to control the bread riots
The Paris Commune then put pressure on the NC to impose a maximum price on bread, which the Girondin were opposed to.On 1st May 1793, 8,000 sans-culottes surrounded the NC, and with the support of the Jacobins, a law setting a maximum price was set on 4th May
The economic situation was worsened in France, by the NC funding the war by printing more assignats, causing their value to halve, the price of bread also rose as it was prioritised for the army
Political Pressures: The Fall of the Girondin
On 10th April, Robespierre accused Brissot of being part of corrupt criminal conspiracy, and branded him a traitor along with Marie Antoinette, calling for them to be arrested and put on trial
The Trial of Marat
While they were able to get him arrested and put on trial, when he went to court, on 24th April, he received humongous support from the people, with the judges acquitting him in just one day
With the war going badly, the defection of Dumoriez, and rising prices, the popularity of the Girondin had fallen to an all-time low
The Journee of 2nd June 1793 and the Purge of the Girondins
On 26th May 1793, Robespierre called for the sans-culottes to rise up against the Girondins.On the 2nd June over 80,000 National Guard and sans-culottes surrounded the NC
The Jacobins within the NC called for a price cap on all essential goods, a revolutionary sans-culottes army to deal with grain hoarders, and the creation of state run arms factories
Marat’s Assassination
On 13th July 1793, Charlotte Corday killed Marat hoping to give a blow to the Jacobins, but this had the opposite effect, as he was made into a martyr , with his body being laid out for several days for the public to mourn the loss
After the Girondin Purge, the CPS became far more radical, increasing to 12 members, it now was made up of radical Jacobins.Led by Robespierre, who was supported by Saint-Just and Georges Cuthon, it also included Collot d’Herbois
Federalist Revolt
During spring/summer 1793, against the Jacobins, with 60/85 departments experiencing revolts.Occurred Bordeaux, Marseilles, Lyon, and Toulon and were led by the educated bourgeoisie
In Toulon, rebels opened the port to the British on 28th August, giving over the town and it’s 70 ships.In Lyon, General de Wimpffen aimed to raise a federalist army on 60,000 and march on Paris, he raised just 2,500
In the city of Nantes, mass drownings took place, killing over 200 priests Robespierre called back these representatives demanding they explain their actions, criticising the violence