Chapter 14

Question 1

What financial problem did the Directory have?

Answer 1

Inflation
Assignats paper currency
More printed for war
Worthless by 1796

Question 2

How did the Directory combat inflation?

Answer 2

Assignat discontinued
Mandat territoriaux introduced - didn’t last
Metal coins became only legal tender
Too few in circulation
Deflation; as prices fall, businesses are hit & economy worsens

Question 3

Why did the Directory plunder foreign states?

Answer 3

To avoid bankruptcy
Possible bc of current successes in war

Question 4

How did Ramel (financial minister) help the Directory avoid bankruptcy?

Answer 4

Wrote off 2/3 of National debt
Those who bought bonds (bourgeois, lent money to gov hoping to collect interest) lost their money

Question 5

Why did the Directory increase revenue?
Why?

Answer 5

To avoid bankruptcy
Restored indirect tax: octrois (food entering towns)
Direct taxation: land tax on doors & windows etc (creates enemies as richer people have more - B targetted)

Question 6

When did France conquer:
Netherlands (Belgium)
United Provinces (Holland)

Answer 6

1794
1795

Question 7

In 1796, where did napoleon score no. of successes?
What treaty does he conclude with?

Answer 7

Against Austria in Italy
Favourable peace treaty, Campo Formio 1797

Question 8

How did Napoleon undermine the Directory?
As a result, what do they let him do?

Answer 8

Campo Formio w/o consulting Directory
Attack Britain through Egypt (1798-99) - agree to get him away

Question 9

How popular was the Directory?

Answer 9

Not very

Question 10

What was the Babeuf Plot?

Answer 10

1796
Against Directory
Elements of communism (not invented yet tho):
Favoured abolition of private property
Rev comes through dictatorship able to make change
Undermined rev cause

Question 11

How did the Babeuf Plot fail?

Answer 11

Not popular
Not supp by sans-culottes
Babeuf arrested 1796, guillotined 1797

Question 12

What caused the Coup of Fructidor (Sep)?

Answer 12

1797 - monarchists won half seats on the council
Only 2/5 Directors Republicans

Question 13

What was the significance of the Coup of Fructidor?

Answer 13

End of Parliamentary democracy
Sort-of-Terror against emigres & refractory priests
Alienated Cath
Increased opp to Directory

Question 13

What was the Coup of Fructidor?

Answer 13

The 2 Republican Directors used Paris troops to prevent royalist restoration
Army surrounded the Councils
55 deputies & 2 Directors exiled, rest frightened & cancel election results in 49 departements

Question 14

What was the Coup of Floreal (May)?

Answer 14

1798 - Jacobins do well in elections
Directory annul elections & choose Jacobin replacements

Question 15

Why did the Coup of Floreal cause the Directory to lose all legitimacy?

Answer 15

Not much justification as republic was safe
Only shows fear of potential power of Jacobins

Question 16

What was Jourdan’s law?

Answer 16

1799
Conscription for war with Britain
Reluctance as don’t supp Directory; 248/402,000 join

Question 17

What was the forced loan?

Answer 17

Loan on France’s rich of up to 75% of income
For war w/ Britain
Made Directory more unpopular

Question 18

What was the Law of Hostages?

Answer 18

July 1799
Relatives of challengers to Republic authority (Directory) imprisoned & property seized
Potential return to arbitrary arrests

Question 19

Why was there a need for the Coup of Brumaire?

Answer 19

Virtual collapse of local gov
No-one willing to fulfil gov decrees
Directors decided way to save R wat to create strong gov by forcing change in electoral system

Question 20

How was Lucien Bonaparte elected as president of the Council of 500?
Why?

Answer 20

Both council members bribed
Position to control events

Question 21

Why were the 2 councils moved to St Cloud?

Answer 21

So crowd couldn’t defend Directory
Tricked through rumours of foreign inspired plot, moved for safety

Question 22

When Napoleon addressed the 2 councils during the coup, what did he say?

Answer 22

Need to set up new provisional gov

Question 23

Why are soldiers sent to ‘calm’ the 500 during the coup?

Answer 23

Napoleon received badly
Cries of ‘outlaw the dictator’

Question 24

What are the 2 councils forced to agree to during the coup?

Answer 24

Abolition of Directory
Creation of new gov

Question 25

Why was the Directory able to last so long (not doomed)?

Answer 25

Few wanted return to Jacobin Terror, absolute monarchy or regime
Royalists divided
Public rev enthusiasm reduced
Army supp Directory

Question 26

Why was the Directory not able to survive?

Answer 26

Constitution had no stability (elections)
Interference in election results
Most supps (bourgeois) alienated
Reliance on army