Chapter 13

Question 1

What happened between the Terror & Napoleon?

Answer 1

1795-99
The Directory

Question 2

What was the Directory?

Answer 2

Next rev gov after the national Convention & Terror

Question 3

Timeline of all French rev governments

Answer 3

National Constituent Assembly 1789-91- building of const
Legislative Assembly 1791-92 - const monarchy
National Convention 1792-95 - republic gov, CPS, Terror
The Directory 7195-99

Question 4

What led to the establishment of the Directory?

Answer 4

Thermidorian Reaction (dismantling of the Terror)
Causes violence & attempts to overthrow Convention from left & right
Leads to Const of year III (1795) establishing Directory

Question 5

How was the Terror dismantled?

Answer 5

Through the Thermidorian Reaction

Question 6

What was the Thermidorian Reaction?

Answer 6

Rev tribunal abolished May 1795
Law of 22 Prarial repealed & those held under it released from prison
Power of CPS & CGS curbed (to avoid another R)
Jacobin (v/ radical) club closed
Paris Commune abolished - Paris back under central/gov control

Question 7

Why were there attempts to overthrow the Convention from the left?

Answer 7

Dire economic outlook remained - unemployment & famine in Paris
Angry, desperate people

Question 8

What was the rising of Germinal?

Answer 8

Leftist reaction
April 1795
10,000 Parisians march to Convention
Demand bread
Peacefully dispersed

Question 9

What was the rising of Prarial?

Answer 9

Leftist reaction
May 1795
20,000 National Guards surround Convention
Demand price controls
No-one prepared to open fire, Convention regains control

Question 10

Why had the sans-culottes prominence decreased by 1795?

Answer 10

Divided: no-longer had full supp of National Guard (aft rising of Prarial) or Paris Commune (abolished in Thermidorian Reaction) to co-ordinate activities

Question 11

What was the extent of attempts to overthrow the Convention from the right? (4)

Answer 11

The White Terror
Royalists
veronal Declaration (Louis XIV’s brother)
Rising of Vedemiaire

Question 12

What was the White Terror?

Answer 12

Rightist reaction
Vengeance in Federal cities & vendee
Those who profited from rev slaughtered: biens nationaux, Jacobin supps

Question 13

What was the royalist reaction to the Convention by 1795?

Answer 13

Rightist reaction
Jeunesse dore & muscadins youth groups intimidated & murdered sans-culottes

Question 14

What was the Verona Declaration?

Answer 14

Rightist reaction
June 1795
Louis XVI’s brother statement of intent to restore monarchy as ‘heir’ to throne

Question 15

What was the rising of Vedemiaire?

Answer 15

October 1795
25,000 march on Convention supposedly in supp of royalism
Demanded monarchy restoration
Defeated by Bonaparte
300 killed

Question 16

What was the Const of year III (1795)

Answer 16

New government: the Directory
Hopes: stable, liberal gov, preserving gains of the rev & principles
Power vacuum after Robespierre

Question 17

What was the 1st aim of the Const of year III?

Answer 17

Avoid extremism of leftists (Jacobins & sans-culottes):
Little voice to poor
Prevent groups exerting too much power
Stop factionalism, all wort towards common good

Question 18

What was the 2nd aim of the Const of year III?

Answer 18

Avoid threat of royalist restoration (right extremism):
2/3rds of deputies in first Councils chosen from existing Convention members
5 original Directors had voted for king’s death (regicides)

Question 19

Describe the Directory gov principles and how it affected it’s structure?

Answer 19

Rev principles
Democratic gov - separation of powers, annual elections, 1 director steps down annually to prevent dictator
Moderate gov - weakening of Jacobin & royalist influences

Question 20

What was the structure of the Directory government?

Answer 20

Men over 21 (no active citizens atm) vote for electors
Annual election of 1/3 electors to 2 councils
Legislative = Council of Ancients & Council of 500
Executive = 5 Directors, elected by Ancients

Question 21

How was one able to qualify to become an Elector?

Answer 21

Men to pay taxes equivalent to 150-200 days’ labour
Restricted role to the very rich (30,000/3 million eligible)

Question 22

How were members of the Legislative prevented from holding power for too long?

Answer 22

3rd retired annually
3rd of electors elected to 2 councils annually

Question 23

What was the Council of Ancients?

Answer 23

250 men over 40
Pass or veto legislation, couldn’t change it
Chose the 5 Directors from Council of 500

Question 24

What was the Council of 500

Answer 24

500 Deputies over 30
To propose new laws
Electorates for the 5 Directors

Question 25

What were the 5 Directors?

Answer 25

Chosen by Ancients from 500
Hold office for 5 years, 1 member drops out annually
Appoint gov ministers not on Ancient or 500
Couldn’t veto legislation, no control of treasury
In charge of diplomacy, military affairs, law enforcement

Question 26

What did the 1795 Paris risings consist of?

Answer 26

Rising of germinal (April)
Rising of Prairial (May)
Rising of Vendemiaire (October)

Question 27

What caused the 1795 Paris risings?

Answer 27

‘Bourgeois’ Thermidorians:
Ended price controls (maximum)
Restored paper currency (assignats)
Proved disastrous, esp when paired with 1794 poor harvest & freezing winter

Inflation, factories closed
Starvation, froze to death, suicide

Question 28

What was the rising of germinal?

Answer 28

Part of 1795 Paris risings
April 1795
Sans-culottes wanted power back
10,000 invaded Convention
Demanded bread & const of 1793
Unarmed & unorganised
Escorted out peacefully
Leaders arrested
Paris put under martial law

Question 29

What was the rising of Prarial?

Answer 29

Part of 1795 Paris risings
May 1795
Larger no of sans-culottes, women & armed men than Germinal
Invaded Convention
Demanded release of Jacobins, const of 1793, better food supply
Convention agreed to est a food commission
Troops drive them out 20,000 against 40,000 guards, no shots fired

Question 30

What was the rising of Vendemiaire?

Answer 30

Part of 1795 Paris risings
October 1795
Royalist uprising
Led by Muscadins, factory & property owners
Hated republican gov as didn’t protect their interests
25,000 march on Convention
Napoleon in charge of gov troops, fires 40 cannons into Royalists
1 v 6, royalists v Republicans

Question 31

Who were the Muscadins & Jeunesse doree?

Answer 31

Youth groups intimidated & murdered sans-culottes
Well-off, young bourgeois men
Royalists
Fought w/ ex Jacobins
Wearers of bonnet rouge
Own song