The Establishment of the Consulate Flashcards
When did the Coup of Brumaire take place? - Establishing the Consulate
The Coup of Brumaire took place on the 9th/10th November 1799.
How did Sieyès’ prepare for the Coup? What did he aim to achieve? - Establishing the Consulate
Sieyès prepared for the Coup by bribing Council members and having Napoleon’s brother, Lucien, elected as President of the Council of Five Hundred. Troops were deployed around Paris. Sieyès aimed to force the Directors to resign and persuade the Councils appoint a commission to draw up a new constitution which would provide strong government.
Where were the Council members evacuated to at the start of the Coup of Brumaire? Why? - Establishing the Consulate
The Council members were evacuated to the Palace at Saint-Cloud away from Paris after Council members sympathetic to the coup warned their colleagues of a supposed Jacobin conspiracy.
How many Parisian troops were positioned around the Palace of Saint-Cloud by Napoleon to capture and pressurise the Councils? - Establishing the Consulate
6000 Parisian troops were stationed around the Palace of Saint-Cloud to entrap the Councils and force an overthrow of the government.
What happened to the Directors (who?) during the Coup of Brumaire? - Establishing the Consulate
The Coup of Brumaire saw the Directors Sieyès, Ducos, Talleyrand and Barras resign, destroying the Directory government.
How did Napoleon depart from Sieyès’ original plan of the Coup of Brumaire? - Establishing the Consulate
Napoleon departed from the original plan for the Coup of Brumaire by storming firstly into the Council of Ancients, then into the Council of Five Hundred, both times with armed support in order to accelerate the situation. However, Sieyès did not wish to see the purging of the councils, whereas Napoleon did.
How did Lucien Bonaparte manage to secure the appointment of the Consulate? - Establishing the Consulate
The Consulate was agreed to when Lucien managed to find a handful of deputies to approve the appointment of three Consuls until a new constitution could be ratified.
When was the constitution of the Consulate ratified? - Establishing the Consulate
The Consulate was ratified on the 24th December 1799.
What was the First Consul’s role? Who were they supported by? - Establishing the Consulate
The First Consul was the Consulate’s Executive, granted the powers to appoint and dismiss ministers, propose legislation and direct foreign policy. They were supported by 2 further consuls which held advisory roles.
What was the Council of State’s role? Who was it appointed by? (and what were the impacts of this?) - Establishing the Consulate
The Council of State acted as an advisory body which prepared draft legislation. This was appointed by the First Consul, which effectively allowed the Executive to control this body.
What was the Senate’s role? Who appointed this body? (And what were the impacts of this?) - Establishing the Consulate
The Senate was intended to advise the First Consul on draft legislation and selected deputies for the 2 legislative branches. They were appointed by the First Consul FOR LIFE meaning that the First Consul could effectively surround themselves with loyal advice.
What was the role of the Legislative Body? Who appointed them directly/indirectly? (What were the impacts of this?) - Establishing the Consulate
The Legislative Body would vote on legislation but not debate it. This body was selected DIRECTLY by the Senate, although INDIRECTLY appointed by the First Consul meaning that the First Consul could effectively control the legislature.
What was the Tribunate and what was its role? Who appointed this directly/indirectly? (What were the impacts of this?) - Establishing the Consulate
The Tribunate was the lower branch of the legislature which could debate legislation but not vote on it. This was selected DIRECTLY by the Senate, although INDIRECTLY selected by the First Consul, meaning that the First Consul could partially control the Legislature.
What was the size of the electorate in the Consulate? What issues diluted the electorate’s significance? - Establishing the Consulate
The electorate for the Consulate was all Frenchmen over 21, meaning 6 million men had the right to vote. The electorate’s significance was diluted by the various electoral rounds through which the electorate was whittled down to only 1/1000 of its original size to the Notables that could sit in the legislature.
What was absent from the Consulate’s constitution which had been present in all previous constitutions? - Establishing the Consulate
The Consulate’s constitution had no provision for a Declaration of Rights, meaning that citizens were not guaranteed any rights against a fairly autocratic government.
