Chapter 16: The Establishment of The Consulate

Question 1

What is the name of the Coup that brought Napoleon to power as First Consul of France?

Answer 1

Coup of Brumaire.

Question 2

Roughly what month does Brumaire equivalent to?

Answer 2

November.

Question 3

When did Sieyes become a director in the Directory?

Answer 3

May 1799.

Question 4

Who did Sieyes originally recruit to help him overthrow the Directory?

Answer 4

Joubert - but he died in battle 1799.

Question 5

What were some of the weaknesses in the Directory leading up to the Coup of Brumaire?

Answer 5

• Unpopular.
• Jacobin and royalist uprisings within.
• Poor economy.
• Wealthy nobles isolated eg/ forced loans and law of hostages.

Question 6

Outline the events of the Coup of Brumaire.

Answer 6

• Lucien elected as Council of 500 president.
• Council of Ancients convinced of Jacobin conspiracy.
• Both councils fled to Saint-Cloud.
• N and commander Murat surrounded Saint Cloud building with army.
• Sieyes, Ducos and Barras resigned as directors, other 2 under house arrest - destroyed Directory.
• N lost patience - stormed Ancients.
• N moved onto Council of 500 and made threats.
• Lucien got palace guards to intervene.
• Deputies either fled or forced to appoint Sieyes, Ducos and N as Consuls.

Question 7

What is the name of Napoleon’s brother?

Answer 7

Lucien Bonaparte.

Question 8

Who did the Council of 500 elect as president in the lead up to the Coup of Brumaire (after bribes from Sieyes).

Answer 8

Lucien Bonaparte.

Question 9

Who were the 3 Directors that resigned in the Coup of Brumaire?

Answer 9

Sieyes.
Ducos.
Barras.

Question 10

What was made as a result of the Coup of Brumaire?

Answer 10

Constitution of VIII (8).

Question 11

How did Sieyes want the Consul system to work?

Answer 11

1 consul for internal affairs (Sieyes), one for external affairs (N).
N vetoed so 1 First Consul with 2 advisory consuls introduced instead.

Question 12

What was different about the Constitution of year VIII compared to previous rev constitutions?

Answer 12

Only one not to include the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen.

Question 13

How long would the first consul stay in office? (constitution of year VIII)

Answer 13

10 years.

Question 14

Who had the power to initiate all legislation in the constitution of year VIII?

Answer 14

First Consul.

Question 15

What are the names of the 2 advisory bodies to the First Consul in the constitution of VIII?

Answer 15

Council of State.
Senate.
- Both appointed by First Consul.

Question 16

How long could members of the senate stay in office for?

Answer 16

Life.

Question 17

Briefly describe the process of voting in the Constitution of year VIII.

Answer 17

First stage
- All Frenchmen that lived in their house for more than a year.
- Voted for 10% of themselves to form communal list.
Second stage
- Communal list voted for 10% of themselves to form departmental list.
Third stage
- Departmental list voted for 10% of themselves to form ‘notables’.
Senate selected notables to form legislature..

Question 18

What is a senatus consultum?

Answer 18

Senatorial decree not referred to the tribunate or legislative body.

Question 19

What were the 2 groups in the legislature? (constitution of year VIII)

Answer 19

Tribunate (lower chamber).
Legislative body (upper chamber).

Question 20

What were the different roles of the tribunate and legislative body? (constitution of year VIII)

Answer 20

Tribunate - discuss legislation but not vote.

Legislative body - vote on legislation but not discuss.

Question 21

Who were the 3 consuls in the constitution of VIII?

Answer 21

Napoleon.
Cambaceres.
Lebrun.

Question 22

Who were 2 key members in the senate?

Answer 22

Sieyes and Ducos.

Sieyes was disappointed with the constitution so din’t take role of Consul.