Transcript Fr. Rev. Essay Questions – Previous Years

Cambridge Approach
To the French Revolution
www.cie.org.uk
June 2007
•Why did Louis XVI’s policies from
1789 fail to prevent his execution
in 1793?
•The key issue is the assessment
of Louis XVI’s policies as a reason
for his execution. (Analysis and
Evaluation)
•Repeated in 2011
November 2007
• Why was Napoleon more
successful than earlier French
leaders in maintaining power?
• The key issue is Napoleon’s
success in maintaining power
within France when compared
with other revolutionary leaders.
June 2008
• How far did Napoleon Bonaparte
ensure liberty and equality in his
domestic government of France?
• The key issue is the nature of
Napoleon’s government of France.
Evaluation of positive aspects vs.
negative aspects of his rule.
November 2008
• Why did the French ancien régime
collapse in 1789?
• The key issue is the end of the
ancien régime at a specific point.
• Evaluation of the causes – ranking
them.
June 2009
• Why was Napoleon Bonaparte
able to become Emperor of
France?
• The key issue is the creation of
the Empire by Napoleon
Bonaparte. Ranking of the
reasons.
November 2009
• ‘The economic difficulties of
France in 1789 were more serious
than the political problems.’ How
far do you agree with this
judgement?
• The key issues are the problems
of France in 1789 – an evaluation
of the seriousness, ranking.
Nov 2009
• How far, and why, did the aims of
the revolutionaries in France
change during the period from
1789 to the execution of Louis XVI
in 1793?
• The key issue is the changing aims
of the French revolutionaries. How
much change?
June 2010
• How far was France a police state
under Napoleon Bonaparte from
1799 to 1814?
• The key issue is in the phrase
‘police state’. The question asks
‘How far..?’ and candidates should
examine both the extent and
limits of the claim.
June 2010
• ‘The most important problem of the
French ancien régime was poor quality
leadership.’ How far do you agree with
this judgement?
• The key issue is the problems of the ancien
régime. Candidates need to address the
stated claim about the lack of leadership
by kings but can argue that other factors
were more important.
November 2010
• Why did the rulers of France from 1789 to
1799 fail to hold on to power?
• The key issue is the reasons for the
changes in government from 1789 to
1799. Examiners will look for an awareness
of three main developments: the
monarchy of Louis XVI, the radical rule of
Robespierre and the Jacobins and the
comparatively conservative Directory.
November 2010
• Why did the summoning of the Estates
General in 1789 not solve the problems of
the ancien régime?
• This question enables candidates to
explain the background to the 1789 crisis
in France and discuss reasons for the
Estates General’s failure to solve the
problems of the ancien régime.
June 2011
• Why was Louis XVI executed in
1793?
• The key issue is the reasons for
Louis XVI’s execution. The
question asks ‘Why?’ and
candidates should provide a series
of reasons.
June 2011
• How far do you agree that, from
1799 to 1815, Napoleon achieved
more in domestic than in foreign
affairs?
• The key issue is the assessment of
Napoleon.
November 2011
• ‘His main aim was to keep himself in power.’
How far do you agree with this view of
Napoleon Bonaparte from 1799 to 1815?
• The relevant period begins with Napoleon’s
appointment as First Consul in 1799.
Candidates might well agree with the claim in
the question but the answers in the highest
band will consider alternatives, even if they
are decided to be less important.
November 2011
• Explain the rise and fall of the
Jacobins in France during the
period from 1789 to 1794.
• The Jacobins developed as a
group soon after the outbreak of
the French Revolution.
November 2011
• Why were attempts to reform the ancien
régime in France to 1789 unsuccessful?
• The end point of this question is clear but
the beginning date is more open.
Candidates can focus on the reign of Louis
XVI from 1774 but can equally begin in
1715 with the accession of Louis XV.
June 2012
•Was Robespierre more a
success or a failure than a
revolutionary leader?
•Evaluation of Robespierre
June 2012
• How far did the people of France
gain liberty and equality during
the period from 1789 to 1815?
• The key issue is the extent to
which the French gained liberty
and equality from 1789 to 1815.
June 2012
• Did Napoleon Bonaparte do more to
fulfill or to betray the ideals of the
French Revolution?
• The ideals of the revolution can be
summarized quickly in terms of
liberty, equality and fraternity.
June 2013
• Why did Robespierre and the Jacobins
gain and then lose power in France?
• Evaluation of the Reign of Terror and
its impact on society
Last year’s question on F.R
June 2014.
• How far had the French Revolutionaries of 1789 achieved
their aims by the time of Louis XVI’s execution in 1793?
• Evaluation of the success of those favoring Constitutional
Monarchy form of government.
June 2014 – Format of the test
has been changed.
• France,1789–1804
• (a) Why was Louis XVI executed in
1793?
[10]
• (b) How complete was Napoleon’s
power over France by 1804?
[20]
JUNE 2015 – SAMPLE!!
• France, 1789–1804
• (a) Explain the aims of the
revolutionaries in France in 1789. [10]
• (b) How important was Louis XVI,
personally, for the rise of Robespierre
and the Jacobins?
(20)
To interact with these 23
prompts:
• I want you to categorize the prompts. Use five categories.
• Decide which categories you should use and then re-write the
question under the heading of the category.
• Include the month and the year that the questions was used.
• Any prompt about Maximillien Robespierre or the Jacobins
should go with “Revolutionaries.” The November 2010
prompt about “rulers” can also be included with
Revolutionaries.