Session 6 – “d” questions

Three-step formula for answering “d” questions

• How is the source reliable? State one thing that the source tells us about the revolution at that time.

• How is the source limited? State at least one thing that it doesn't tell us about the revolution at that time.

• What other perspectives are there? Explain the position of ideally two historians/contemporaries – whether they agree or disagree with the view of the revolution presented in the source.

Instructions

• Choose the appropriate word in the brackets and replace with your own references from the source/extract, your own knowledge of the events, and with your own choice of relevant historians.

• Where underlined, choose appropriate reference• Where bolded, insert your knowledge and/ or historian.

Step 1: How is the source reliable?

This (extract/propaganda/ artwork/ document) is (useful/reliable) in so far that it clearly (emphasises/explores/examines) the (role/nature) of the (workers/peasants/army/ideas/leader etc) in the development of the revolution.

Step 2: How is the source limited?• The (extract/ propaganda/ artwork/ document) is however limited

in that the (image/picture/ document/ extract/ source) does not describe the missing aspect of 'insert what else was happening at that point in the revolution'. The (picture/document) emphasises the role of the (workers / peasants/ army) at the expense of (liberal nobility/conservative reformers/royalty/event).

OR• Like most representations, in

(celebrating/vilifying/highlighting/focusing on) one part of the revolution, it can present an unreliable view of the (causes/role of leaders and movements/role of ideology) of/in the revolution overall.

Step 3: What other perspectives are there?

• Historian's name would agree with the manner in which the (artist/author) has describe something in the picture/document as he/she (states/argues), "insert quote."

OR• Historians such as (insert historian's name) would argue that

(pictures/documents) like this forget the role of (liberal nobility/conservative reformers/royalty/event etc) when they state, "insert quote".

AND• (Alternatively/in contrast/similarly) historian's name argues, that

many historians have forgotten or intentionally omitted the role of (liberal nobility, conservative reformers, royalty, event) in the revolution, to which (he/she) argues, "insert quote".

Historiographical activity

• Read extract from Hanson re The Terror in additional reading booklet

• Answer “d” question using paragraph starters

Siege of Lyon, 1793

Evaluate the extent to which the representation is useful in understanding the way in which revolutionary violence was justified between June 1793 and July 1794. In your response, refer to parts of the representation and to different views of this period of the revolution.