Introduction
As soon as power had been secured after the Revolution of 1789, France’s new government began invading neighbouring countries in Europe, and seeking to evangelize the world with revolutionary fervour. Happily, the seed of republicanism fell on very stony ground on this side of the Channel.
IN 1793, during their year of bloody Terror, the newly republican government in France publicly executed King Louis XVI, and promptly declared themselves at war with Britain unless the oppressed subjects of King George III followed their revolutionary example.
The cheerful British public did no such thing. Instead, the order went out from Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger to strangle French trade in the Caribbean, and to blockade grain imports from the United States of America with the Royal Navy, leading to a bruising confrontation so far out in the Atlantic that it is known only by date, ‘The Glorious First of June’, 1794.*
That particular shipment of grain did get through, but the blockade held thereafter; both fleets withdrew badly damaged, but thanks to Admiral Richard Howe’s innovative tactics the French came off worse.
Moreover, the following November George Washington lent his weight to the Jay Treaty,* confirming Britain as America’s preferred partner in trade and banishing any fears of a Franco-American alliance.
If the name seems grandiose, it should be remembered that there were noisy radicals in England who wanted a revolution in London too, even as the Reign of Terror in Paris saw over sixteen thousand death sentences carried out across the country in only thirteen months, between June 1793 and the end of July 1794. Many, many more people from all backgrounds died in prison, or of disease, or in civil war. The battle was a glorious deliverance indeed.
Précis
In 1793, the new republican government in France declared war on Britain, hoping Parliament would overthrow George III. Instead, Parliament blockaded France’s grain imports from America, leading to a sea-battle in the Atlantic on June 1st, 1794. Both sides suffered heavy losses, but there were no more grain convoys and the British commander, Lord Howe, became a national hero. (59 / 60 words)
In 1793, the new republican government in France declared war on Britain, hoping Parliament would overthrow George III. Instead, Parliament blockaded France’s grain imports from America, leading to a sea-battle in the Atlantic on June 1st, 1794. Both sides suffered heavy losses, but there were no more grain convoys and the British commander, Lord Howe, became a national hero.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, besides, just, may, must, not, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Execute. Fear. Subject.
2 Come. Confirm. Public.
3 Off. Thank. Thereafter.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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