The French Revolution
Exam focus: AQA
Elizabeth Francis
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Planning your essay
This resource provides an essay plan for a sample AQA-style question on the French
Revolution for 2H, France in revolution, 1774–1815.
The first step is to look at the question carefully.
To what extent was the Terror successful in preserving the Republic? (25 marks)
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Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
In an essay question of this
sort it is important to give a
balanced argument with both
sides of the argument shown.
‘To what extent’ signifies that
you must come to a judgement.
Introduction and conclusion
Introduction:
• The Terror was the period from June 1793 to July
1794. The people became the masters of the first
French Republic.
• Jacobins came to power led by Robespierre.
• Terror became a government policy, used to help
reach a higher political goal.
• Terror was successful in preserving the Republic
but at great cost to the French people.
Conclusion:
• Summarise the factors discussed.
• State which factor was the most important in
preserving the Republic, referring to the role of
the Terror.
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
To what extent was the
Terror successful in
preserving the Republic?
(25 marks)
Plan your introduction
and conclusion,
keeping the question
clearly in mind.
Arguments which agree
Arguments which agree that the Terror was
successful in preserving the Republic:
• Economic Terror allowed the Republic to
deal with the potential economic crisis.
• The Terror meant that measures could be
introduced to speed up the process of
dealing with other enemies of France, e.g.
Marie-Antoinette and the Girondins.
• Organisations such as the representative
en mission and the Revolutionary Armies,
set up to deal with internal threats to the
Vendée, helped to restore order to France.
• Measures applied during the Terror to fight
the war, e.g. conscription, actions against
draft dodgers and providing food for the
Revolutionary Army, allowed for victory and
strengthened the Republic.
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Start by giving
arguments which
agree with the factor
stated in the
question.
Arguments which disagree
Arguments which disagree that the Terror
was successful in preserving the Republic:
• The Terror turned people against the
Republic — created great divisions and
resentment.
• It led to the White Terror.
• Towards the end of the Republic, the Terror
became about killing anyone that
Robespierre saw as a threat and who got in
the way of his formation of an ideal society.
• Many innocent people were killed in the
Terror, e.g. Danton and Desmoulins.
There were other factors which helped
save the Republic as well as the Terror:
• Commitment of an army made up of fervent
revolutionaries.
• Army made a formidable fighting force.
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Then move on to
arguments which are
against the factor
given in the question.