Fall of the Directory + Napoleon Flashcards
In which coups did the Directory ruin electorate results?
Fructidor (royalist) and Floreal (Jacobin)
Why was Napoleon reinstated as an officer?
Due to his actions at Vendemiaire where his use of grapeshot saved the Thermidorian government
How did the Directory achieve a balanced budget?
It wrote off 2/3s of debt by writing off mandats and also made tax collection more efficient
Who was executed for the Conspiracy of Equals
Babeuf
When was the Second Coalition formed?
1798
What happened in Napoleon’s Egypt campaign?
He was defeated by the British and forced to return to France
Why was the structure of the Directory an issue?
It was designed to prevent tyranny so no clear leader emerged and it had no clear direction. There was also no dispute resolution mechanism so little was achieved through it
Why was the Directory unpopular from the start?
Due to the 2/3s law which, to ensure continuity, kept 2/3s of deputies from the Thermidorian government
When was the Campo Formio Treaty signed and with who?
17th October 1797 with Austria
When was the Coup of Brumaire?
19th Brumaire (10 November 1799)
Who originally planned the Coup of Brumaire?
Abbe Sieyes
When was the coup of Floreal?
11th May 1798
When was the coup of Fructidor?
4th September 1797
How was the food situation in 1796?
It had improved due to good weather and the introduction of standardised weights and measures in 1795 which bought down grain prices
How long were mandats in circulation and by how much did their value drop on the first day?
4 months
18%
What was the problem with metal coinage?
Not enough was issued which created deflation, hindering French trading
What was an effect of writing off 2/3s of debt?
It turned the Bourgeoise against the Directory as creditors were destroyed
Who was most important in the coup of Brumaire?
Lucien Bonaparte
What’s a testament to the success of the Italian Campaign?
Napoleon won 6 victories in 15 days
What was the Law of Hostages and what was it’s effect?
It allowed authorities to arrest ex nobles to force them into paying a forced loan and although It was rarely enforced it completely turned the wealthy against the government
What were the economic effects of the Second Coalition?
As they pushed France back to the Rhine it meant that France couldn’t seize foreign assets and that it could no longer pay for itself
