9489 History AS-level (French Revolution - past paper compilation)

French Revolution

(questions updated until June 2022 - please update this with the newer questions that have been asked)

Causes and immediate outcomes of the 1789 Revolution Checklist

10-mark questions

Explain why Necker resigned in 1781. (9489 March 2022 Paper 22)

Explain why the Assembly of Notables met in 1787. (9489 May 2022 Paper 23)

Explain why Louis XVI issued the edict of 24 January 1789, summoning the
Estates General. (9489 May 2022 Paper 21)

Why was the Estates General called in 1789? (Oct 2016 Paper 21)

Why were the Estates General divided in 1789? (May 2021 Paper 21)

Explain why the Estates General was not able to deal with the issues France
faced. (9489 May 2021 Paper 21)

Why did Louis XVI oppose demands for reform in 1789? (May 2020 Paper 21)

Why was Louis XVI unwilling to accept a constitutional monarchy? (May 2018
Paper 22)

Why was the Tennis Court Oath taken? (May 2019 Paper 21)

Why was the National Assembly formed? (May 2019 Paper 23)

Why was the Bastille stormed? (May 2019 Paper 22)

Explain why the National Constituent Assembly introduced the August Decrees.
(9489 Oct 2021 Paper 22)

20-mark questions

To what extent did the ideas of the Enlightenment cause the outbreak of the
Revolution in 1789? (9489 Oct 2021 Paper 23)

How far was the passing of the August Decrees in 1789 caused by ideas of the
Enlightenment? (9489 May 2022 Paper 22)

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 9489 History AS-level (French Revolution - past paper compilation)

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Instability of the French governments from 1790-95 Checklist

10-mark questions

Why was there increasing hostility towards the King from 1789 to 1793? (May
2018 Paper 21)

Why did demands for reform become more radical between 1789 and 1792?
(Oct 2021 Paper 21)

Why did the working-class people in Paris play such an important part in the
Revolution? (Oct 2020 Paper 23)

Why did the aims of the French revolutionaries change in the period of 1789 to
1793? (May 2017 Paper 23 // Specimen Paper 2015)

Why did French revolutionaries between 1789 and 1795 find it hard to agree on
what kind of government they wanted? (May 2021 Paper 22)

Why did a counter-revolutionary movement emerge after 1789? (May 2020

Why was there no successful counter-revolution in France between 1789 and

Why were so many reforms passed by the Legislative Assembly in 1791 and
1792? (Oct 2019 Paper 21)

Why did Louis XVI attempt to flee from France in 1791? (May 2015 Paper 23)

Why did the flight to Varennes provoke such a strong reaction? (Oct 2016
Paper 23)

Why did France go to war in 1792? (May 2015 Paper 21)

Explain why the September Massacres of 1792 happened (May 2022 Paper
22)

Explain why the monarchy was abolished in 1792. (9489 March 2021 Paper 22)
// Why was a Republic created in 1792? (May 2018 Paper 23)

Explain why Louis XVI was executed in 1793. (9489 Oct 2021 Paper 21)

Why did the execution of the King fail to end political instability in France? (May

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 9489 History AS-level (French Revolution - past paper compilation)

2021 Paper 23)

Why were political clubs, such as the Jacobins, set up during the Revolution?
(May 2020 Paper 23)

Why did the Jacobins oppose Louis XVI? (May 2016 Paper 22)

Why did the Jacobins become increasingly powerful? (Oct 2021 Paper 23)

Why was there a ‘terror’ in France between 1792 and 1794? (Oct 2017 Paper
23) // Explain why France experienced the ‘Reign of Terror’ between 1792 and
1794. (9489 Oct 2021 Paper 23)

Why did the Jacobins fail to retain power? (May 2017 Paper 21)

Why did the Terror come to an end in 1794? (Oct 2018 Paper 21)

20-mark questions

To what extent was lower-class unrest the driving force of the Revolution from
1789 to 1794? (Oct 2018 Paper 22)

‘Louis XVI was responsible for the political instability of 1789 to 1792.’ How far
do you agree? (Oct 2020 Paper 21)

How far would you agree that Louis XVI was responsible for the political crises
between 1789 and 1793? (Oct 2015 Paper 21)

To what extent was Louis XVI responsible for his own downfall? (May 2015
Paper 22)

‘Economic weakness was the main cause of political instability in France

‘It was caused by taxes.’ How far do you agree with this view of the French
Revolution? (May 2016 Paper 23)

‘Social and economic factors provide the best explanation for government
instability between 1789 and 1795.’ How far do you agree? (Oct 2017 Paper
21)

‘Political instability in France between 1789 and 1795 was caused by economic
problems.’ How far do you agree with this view? (May 2015 Paper 23)

‘Hunger was the main cause of political instability between 1789 and 1795.’
How far do you agree? (Oct 2016 Paper 22)

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 9489 History AS-level (French Revolution - past paper compilation)

‘Division among the revolutionaries was the main cause of political instability in
France between 1789 and 1795.’ How far do you agree? (Oct 2020 Paper 22) -

‘Divided and leaderless.’ How far does this explain the failure of the
Counter-revolutionaries? (Oct 2021 Paper 22)

‘Internal divisions were the main reasons why the counter-revolutionaries failed
between 1789 and 1795.’ How far do you agree? (Oct 2017 Paper 22)

‘The counter-revolutionaries failed through poor leadership.’ How far do you

To what extent were French government and society reformed by the end of
1791? (Oct 2019 Paper 23)

How far had the ideals of ‘liberty, equality and fraternity’ been established in
France by the end of 1792? (Oct 2019 Paper 22)

Assess the reasons why France was no longer a constitutional monarchy by

To what extent did foreign wars affect the course of the French Revolution prior
to 1799? (May 2020 Paper 22)

To what extent were Robespierre and the Jacobins responsible for the political
instability in France between 1789 and 1795? (May 2016 Paper 21)

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Napoleon Bonaparte and his overthrow of the Directory in 1799 Checklist

10-mark questions

Why was the Directory established in 1795? (May 2016 Paper 23)

Why did the Directory survive for four years? (Oct 2018 Paper 22)

Why did the Directory fall? (Oct 2017 Paper 22)

Explain why the Directory was overthrown in 1799. (9489 May 2021 Paper 22)

Why was the Brumaire coup d’ etat successful? (Oct 2019 Paper 23)

Why was Napoleon able to overthrow the Directory? (Oct 2020 Paper 21)

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 9489 History AS-level (French Revolution - past paper compilation)

Why was Napoleon able to become First Consul? (May 2016 Paper 21)

20-mark questions

‘The ideas of the Revolution were ignored by the Directory.’ To what extent do
you agree with this view? (9489 Oct 2021 Paper 22) // To what extent did the
Directory ‘abandon the revolution’? (May 2016 Paper 22)

The Directory governed France well.’ How far do you agree? (May 2021 Paper
21)

‘The Directory fell because it could not manage the French economy.’ How far
do you agree? (Oct 2021 Paper 23)

Which better describes the period of the Directory: ‘revolutionary chaos’ or ‘a

‘The Directory successfully restored order to France.’ How far do you agree?
(Oct 2018 Paper 23)

To what extent was the Directory a failure? (9489 May 2022 Paper 22)

To what extent was Napoleon’s military ability the reason for the ending of the
Directory in 1799? (9489 Oct 2021 Paper 21)

‘Napoleon had the support of his army.’ How far does this explain the success
of the Brumaire coup d’etat of 1799? (Oct 2020 Paper 23)

‘The failings of the Directory explain Napoleon’s rise to power.’ How far do you
agree? (May 2017 Paper 21)

To what extent was Napoleon’s military ability the main reason for his rise to
power by 1799? (Oct 2015 Paper 23)

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 9489 History AS-level (French Revolution - past paper compilation)

Napoleon Bonaparte’s domestic aims and achievements from Checklist

10-mark questions

Why was Napoleon able to become increasingly powerful in France after the
Brumaire coup? (Oct 2021 Paper 22)

Why did Napoleon face so little opposition to his rule in France? (Oct 2018
Paper 23)

Why was Napoleon popular with the French people? (Oct 2017 Paper 21)

Why did Napoleon become Emperor in 1804? (Oct 2015 Paper 22)

Explain why Napoleon introduced the Civil Code (9489 May 2021 Paper 23) //
Why was the Code Napoleon introduced? (May 2017 Paper 22)

Why was Napoleon interested in domestic reform? (Oct 2020 Paper 22)

20-mark questions

‘He was a successful and popular general.’ To what extent does this explain
why Napoleon was able to retain power? (Oct 2019 Paper 21)

‘Napoleon remained in power because he was not a revolutionary.’ How far do

‘Effective propaganda was the main reason why Napoleon remained in power
for so long.’ How far do you agree? (May 2020 Paper 23)

How firmly did Napoleon establish his control over France as First Consul,
1799–1804? (9489 March 2022 Paper 22)

‘An enlightened dictator.’ Assess this view of Napoleon. (Oct 2017 Paper 23)

‘A popular dictator.’ Assess this view of Napoleon. (May 2021 Paper 23)

To what extent was Napoleon a dictator? (May 2018 Paper 22)

Analyse the reasons why Napoleon was popular with the French people. (May
2019 Paper 21)

‘A great reformer’. How far do you agree with this view of Napoleon? (Oct 2016
Paper 21)

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 9489 History AS-level (French Revolution - past paper compilation)

How successfully did Napoleon govern France between 1799 and 1804? (May
2015 Paper 21)

How far were Napoleon’s domestic policies aimed at increasing his personal
power? (Oct 2021 Paper 21)

To what extent did Napoleon’s domestic policies change France in the period
1799-1814? (9489 May 2022 Paper 23)

‘Napoleon’s domestic policies brought great benefits to France,’ How far do you
agree? (May 2021 Paper 22) // How far did Napoleon’s domestic policies
benefit the French people? (9489 March 2021 Paper 22)

‘Bringing stability to France was Napoleon’s greatest domestic achievement.’

Assess the reasons why Napoleon was able to bring stability to France. (May
2019 Paper 23)

To what extent was maintaining order Napoleon’s principal domestic aim? (May
2018 Paper 23)

How far did Napoleon as First Consul, 1799-1804, maintain the principles of the
Revolution? (9489 May 2021 Paper 21)

To what extent did Napoleon’s reforms maintain the principles of the

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