The First War on Terror: Revolutionary France and the British Response
This course explores Anglo-French politics in the late eighteenth century when the outbreak of Revolution in France in 1789 transformed political culture. In the process a concept of terrorism was born whose echoes continue to resonate today.
At the start of the eighteenth century the difference between French and British political culture could hardly have appeared greater, with Britain’s relative freedoms standing in sharp contrast to the repressive absolutism practised on the other side of the channel. With the outbreak of revolution in 1789, it seemed that France too was about to embrace liberalism. Yet those hopes were soon brought crashing down when in September 1792 news emerged of a terrifying massacre taking place on the streets of Paris. The repercussions of those days would go on and on, giving birth to a concept of terrorism whose echoes continue to resonate today.
These issues will be addressed throughout this course, as we explore the nature of the French revolution and the British response. The course will end with a consideration of the longer term implications.
Date created:
Course: Further details, online booking
Resources for this course
| Type | Resource | Description | People | Full details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Coursework Book |
A copy of the class coursework book |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
Useful Links |
For those who are interested in further study, a list of potentially useful websites related to the French Revolution, Terror and the British... |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 2 |
A key foundation document - the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 2 |
A major step in the creation of a National Assembly - the Tennis Court Oath |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 2 - What is the Third Estate? |
A hint of things to come? The first signs of radicalism - What is the Third Estate? EVERYTHING! |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
Key Comparative Timelines |
A look at key events in France and Britain during the period |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 3 |
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy - an early and deeply divisive reform from the Constituent Assembly |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 3 |
A letter from George Washington to Morris, American minister in France, 1789 - insightful and revealing account of events from a foreign... |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 3 |
Key times and events from the constitutional monarchy period |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 4 |
Leading Girondin and female politician Madame Roland's harrowing account of the September Massacres |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 4 |
A (chilling?) insight into Robespierre's thinking! |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 4 |
A timeline of key events in the Terror period |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 5 |
Key events and issues from the Thermidorean period |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 5 |
Insightful glimpses into events leading up the overthrow of Robespierre, from the Diary entries of one of the soon to be Thermidoreans |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 5 |
Popular report of Robespierre's rather miserable end |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 6 |
The British reaction to the French revolution - key timeline and events |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 6 |
Extracts from Burke's Reflections - his key views on the excellence of the British constitution (with an implicit condemnation of the French... |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 6 |
Extracts from Paine's Rights of Man - vivdly exposing the tensions between the two men, and between British whigs generally in the face of the... |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 7 |
Leading radical Whig, Charles James Fox, welcomes the French Revolution |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 7 |
The (moderate?) resolutions of the Paineite London Corresponding Society |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 7 |
Pitt's government on the growing and inherent dangers of 'French Principles' |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 8 |
Correspondence to the loyalist APLP association - with some interesting (telling?) conclusions! |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 8 |
A declaration of loyalty from a popular association, in the year war was declared |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 8 |
Extract from a loyalist propagand tract by the popular writer and evangelist Hannah More |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 9 |
A very early (and surprisingly negative?) view on the revolution from the local press |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 9 |
Account of the September Massacres from The Times - giving a typically horrified reaction from this side of the Channel |
Kate Watson | view |
|
|
unit 9 |
An interesting insight into the links between the British government and the wider loyalist campaign |
Kate Watson | view |