ACTUAL 2025 AQA A-LEVEL HISTORY Component 2H France in Revolution, 1774–
1815
Question Paper & Mark Scheme (Merged) Friday 6 June 2025 [VERIFIED]
IB/G/Jun25/G4007/V2 7042/2H
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, issued by the National Assembly, July 1790.
Beginning with the day of publication of the present decree, there shall be but one way of choosing
bishops and parish priests, namely that of election.
All elections shall be by ballot and shall be decided by the majority of the votes.
Priests, performing as they do the first and most important functions of society and forced
to live continuously in the place where they work, shall be paid by the government. 5
No bishop shall absent himself from the area that he controls for more than two weeks
consecutively during the year, except in case of real necessity and with the consent of the
directory of the department in which his bishopric is situated.
Bishops and parish priests, as active citizens, are allowed to be elected as deputies to the
legislative body, or as members of the general council of the communes or of the 10
administrative councils of their districts or departments.
Source B
From an article published in the radical newspaper, ‘Les Révolutions de Paris’, July 1790.
The reign of the priests has passed; and the more efforts they make to shore up the tottering
remains of ecclesiastical power, the sooner will they hasten its collapse. The National Assembly,
in debating the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, has declared that each department will form a
single bishopric. It has established the election of bishops
and priests, and committed this election to the same body that nominates the members 5
of the departments and districts. If the clergy were less concerned with their past glory and
wealth, if they did not wish to provoke civil war at any possible price, they would no longer resist
the lawful will of the nation. We would not see the majority of the bishops of France, together
with the priests, crying out that the Catholic religion is lost because they
have been denied a display of wealth that is both offensive and absolutely opposed to the 10
principles and spirit of the Gospel.
IB/G/Jun25/7042/2H
, 3
Source C
From a letter to bishops in France, about the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, from
Pope Pius VI, 13 April 1791.
We have just learned of the war against the Catholic religion, which has been started by the
revolutionary thinkers who, as a group, form a majority in the National Assembly of France. We
have wept in God’s presence, shared our sorrow with the cardinals, and proclaimed public and
private prayers. Then we wrote to King Louis on 9 July 1790 and repeatedly encouraged him
not to confirm the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which would lead his people into error and 5
schism. For it was intolerable that a political assembly should change the universal practice of
the Church. It is unacceptable that they disregard the opinions of the Papacy and the decrees
of the councils and have overturned the order of the hierarchy and now control the election of
bishops and have destroyed the bishoprics. We beseech you all, beloved Catholic children in
10
the kingdom of France, as you recall the religion and faith of your fathers, we urge you lovingly
not to abandon it.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, assess
the value of these three sources to an historian studying the Civil Constitution of the
Clergy in the years 1790 to 1791.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/G/Jun25/7042/2H Turn over ►
1815
Question Paper & Mark Scheme (Merged) Friday 6 June 2025 [VERIFIED]
IB/G/Jun25/G4007/V2 7042/2H
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, issued by the National Assembly, July 1790.
Beginning with the day of publication of the present decree, there shall be but one way of choosing
bishops and parish priests, namely that of election.
All elections shall be by ballot and shall be decided by the majority of the votes.
Priests, performing as they do the first and most important functions of society and forced
to live continuously in the place where they work, shall be paid by the government. 5
No bishop shall absent himself from the area that he controls for more than two weeks
consecutively during the year, except in case of real necessity and with the consent of the
directory of the department in which his bishopric is situated.
Bishops and parish priests, as active citizens, are allowed to be elected as deputies to the
legislative body, or as members of the general council of the communes or of the 10
administrative councils of their districts or departments.
Source B
From an article published in the radical newspaper, ‘Les Révolutions de Paris’, July 1790.
The reign of the priests has passed; and the more efforts they make to shore up the tottering
remains of ecclesiastical power, the sooner will they hasten its collapse. The National Assembly,
in debating the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, has declared that each department will form a
single bishopric. It has established the election of bishops
and priests, and committed this election to the same body that nominates the members 5
of the departments and districts. If the clergy were less concerned with their past glory and
wealth, if they did not wish to provoke civil war at any possible price, they would no longer resist
the lawful will of the nation. We would not see the majority of the bishops of France, together
with the priests, crying out that the Catholic religion is lost because they
have been denied a display of wealth that is both offensive and absolutely opposed to the 10
principles and spirit of the Gospel.
IB/G/Jun25/7042/2H
, 3
Source C
From a letter to bishops in France, about the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, from
Pope Pius VI, 13 April 1791.
We have just learned of the war against the Catholic religion, which has been started by the
revolutionary thinkers who, as a group, form a majority in the National Assembly of France. We
have wept in God’s presence, shared our sorrow with the cardinals, and proclaimed public and
private prayers. Then we wrote to King Louis on 9 July 1790 and repeatedly encouraged him
not to confirm the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which would lead his people into error and 5
schism. For it was intolerable that a political assembly should change the universal practice of
the Church. It is unacceptable that they disregard the opinions of the Papacy and the decrees
of the councils and have overturned the order of the hierarchy and now control the election of
bishops and have destroyed the bishoprics. We beseech you all, beloved Catholic children in
10
the kingdom of France, as you recall the religion and faith of your fathers, we urge you lovingly
not to abandon it.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, assess
the value of these three sources to an historian studying the Civil Constitution of the
Clergy in the years 1790 to 1791.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/G/Jun25/7042/2H Turn over ►
