AS History - French Revolution Revision Help!?

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Describe the role of Robespierre in enabling the Jacobins to seize control of Revolutionary France. (20 marks)

This is only for revision purposes - I'm making notes in bullet points for each question but I'm not sure about this one.

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Describe the role of Robespierre in enabling the Jacobins to seize control of Revolutionary France. (20 marks)

This is only for revision purposes - I'm making notes in bullet points for each question but I'm not sure about this one.

Thank you for any help.

Here are some notes of The French Revolution and Maximillien Robespierre.

The Modern Period,1789-1914>The French Revolution and Europe,1789-1914>Overview>The National Assembly>1789 May 5th>Oct 5-6th.

The Political clubs had existed since early 1789 but were growing in power. The Jacobins,enjoying a wide democratic base and led by Maximillien Robespierre ,became a growing power in the state. The Cordeliers ,more radical than the Jacobins,were led by Georges Jaques Danton,Jean Paul Marat,Camille Desmoulins,and Jaques Herbert. The Feuilants,moderate monarchists including Lafayette and Baily,had separated from the Jacobins.

The Modern Period,1789-1914>The French Revolution and Europe,1789-1914>Overview>The National Convention;The Revolution's Most Radical Phase>1792 Sep 21-1795 Aug 22.

The National Convention,longest lived of the revolutionary assembles. It was elected by male suffrage and composed entirely of republicans[749 members,of whom 486 were new men] Parties; The Plain had a majority but was dominated by the Girondists and then by the Mountain. The Girondists now formed the right ,and the Mountain,under Robespierre,Danton and others formed te left.

The Modern Period,1789-1914>The French Revolution and Europe,1789-1914>Overview>The National Convention; The Revolution's Most Radical Phase>1792,Sep 21-1795,Aug 22>Dec 16th.

As a result of a struggle between the Girondists and the Mountain,allpower in the convention centred in three institutions[1] the committee of general security[2] the Paris commune,reorganized on basis of male suffrage and acting through it's committee led by Chaunette and Herbert ,and [3] the committee of public safety . The latter was composed of 9[later 12] members[including Robespierre,Danton,and St Just] with dictatorial power.

The Modern Period,1789-1914>The French Revolution and Europe,1789-1914>Overview>The National Convention; The Revolution's Most Radical Phase-1793-94.

The Reign of Terror. Robespierre gradually came to dominate the whole government. He was never a "dictator" in the modern sense ,his power was checked by his colleagues in the committee of Public Safety by the opposing Herbertists faction in the commune and the convention ,and by the commissioners of the convention sent into the provinces [repre'sentants en mission]. These commissioners ,sent out to supress counterrevolutionary movements ,were often responsible for extreme terrorism in their districts . They collaborated with the local Jacobin clubs and revolutionary committees. Horrors were perpetrated by Tallien at Bordeaux ,Lebon at Arras,Carrier at Nantes ,and Couthon ,Fouche,and Collot d'Herbois at Lyons. Some commissioners,however ,were fairly clement and spared their regions [eg.the younger Robespierre in the east and south ,Lakanal in the southwest]

The Modern Period,1789-1914>The French Revolution and Europe 1789-1914>Overview>The National Convention; The French Revolution's Most Radical Phase>1793>Dec.

The Allied retreat across the Rhine marked the first appearance of Napoleon Bonaparte,a young Corsican artillery officer connected with Robespierre and the Jacobins.

The Modern Period ,1789-1914>The French Revolution and Europe1789-1914>Overview>The NationalConvention; The Revolution's Most Radical Phase>1794.

Robespierre consolidated his power . Commune leaders[Herbert,Chaunette,Cloots]were executed on March 24th. Dantonists[Desmoulins,Herault de Schelles were executed on April 6th.

The Modern Period,1789-1914>The French Revolution and Europe 1789-1914>Overview>The National Convention; The Revolution's Most Radical Phase>1794>June 8th.

Festival of the Supreme Being,established,with Robespierre[having abolished the cult of reason]as high priest to provide ceremonies to replace Christianity.

The Modern Period,1789-1914>The French Revolution and Europe,1789-1914>Overview>The National Convention; The Revolution's Most Radical Phase>1794>July 27th.

A conspiracy by members of the Mountain and more moderate elements led to the fall of Robespierre. He his brother ,and St Just were arrested. Released by friends ,they were outlawed,surprised at the hotel de Ville,and executed . More than 80 of the party met the same fate over the next few days. The Paris commune was nearly extinct. The objective was to remove Robespierre not to end the terror . Public opinion however ,forced Robespierre successors to adopt more moderate policies.

Called "the Incorruptible" because of his unwavering dedication to the Revolution, Robespierre joined the Jacobin Club and earned a loyal following. In contrast to the more republican Girondins and Marie Antoinette, Robespierre fiercely opposed declaring war on Austria, feeling it would distract from revolutionary progress in France.

Robespierre's exemplary oratory skills influenced the National Convention in 1792 to avoid seeking public opinion about the Convention’s decision to execute King Louis XVI. In 1793, the Convention elected Robespierre to the Committee of Public Defense.

He was a highly controversial member, developing radical policies, warning of conspiracies, and suggesting restructuring the Convention. This behavior eventually led to his downfall, and he was guillotined without trial on 10th Thermidor An II (July 28, 1794), marking the end of the Reign of Terror.

Robespierre was the best known and most influential of the members of the Committee of Public safety. He was rasied in Arras, but attended grammer school in Paris. His best friend during his school years was Camille Desmoulins, another prominent figure in the Revolution. Robespierre was a presence in all of the major events that occurred between 1789-1794. He was a representatvie at the Estates General, and had a large following in the radical Jacobin clubs of Paris and among the Sans-Culottes.

During the reign of Terror, Robespierre was the most prominent member of the Commitee of Public Safety. He was a hard worker with strong principles, and he became known as the Incorruptible because of his honesty and rigid commitment to transforming France into a republic of Virtue. He was a cold man however, and was never as popular amoung the people of Paris as Marat, Desmoulins, or Danton. He believed more in the ideas of Rousseau than in men, and was suspicious of those around him.

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