Directory

Question 1

White Terror

Answer 1

• 1795
• Thermidorians supported by Muscadins - attacked sans-culottes and Jacobins
• Victims of terror - Rebels in Vendee - murdered Jacobins
• RT operated until May 1795 - To permit legal action against Jacobins

Question 2

Rising of Germinal

Answer 2

• April 1795
• 10,000 sans-culottes invaded convention
• Demanding ‘Bread and constitution of 1793’
• Convention placed Paris under martial law

Question 3

Martial Law

Answer 3

Ruling through the army, using military measures

Question 4

Rising of Prairial

Answer 4

• May 1795
• 20,000 sans-culottes invaded Convention
• Demanding better supply of food and constitution of 1793
• 40,000 soldiers called to dispel crowds

Question 5

Rising of Vendemiare

Answer 5

• October 1795
• 25,000 armed royalists marched on Convention
• Thought plebiscite was rigged
• Napoleon fired 40 cannons killing 300 Royalists

Question 6

Constitution of Directory 1795

Answer 6

• Bicameral structure - Council of 500 and Council of Ancients
• Directory of 5 chosen by Ancients
• All male taxpayers over 21 had voting rights

Question 7

Economic and financial problems faced by directory

Answer 7

• Problems of food supply hindered by poor harvest in 1795
• Inherited budget deficit and problems of tax collection due to changes in authority since 1793

Question 8

How did the Directory successfully deal with the economic and financial problems

Answer 8

• 1795 weights and measures standardised bringing grain price down: long term success
• 1798 taxation system reorganised making collection efficient - new property tax

Question 9

Coup of Fructidor

Answer 9

• September 1797
• Fear of royalist majority
• Directors claimed Pichegru contacted monarchist emigres
• 177 royalist deputies arrested

Question 10

Pichegru

Answer 10

President of Council of 500

Question 11

Coup of Floreal

Answer 11

• May 1798
• Jacobins soared ahead in elections
• Results altered by Law of 22 Floreal
• 127 deputies purged from Council of 500

Question 12

Coup of Prairial

Answer 12

• June 1799
• Councils opposed conduct of war
• Director Sieyes demanded resignation of two directors
• Both resigned
• Councils had forced purge of Directors

Question 13

Thermidorean reaction

Answer 13

• August 1794
• Law of 22 Prairial repealed
• RT re-organised - Exile used as an alternative to guillotine