The establishment of the consulate

Question 1

Coup of Brumaire (when, who and why)

Answer 1

• October 1799
• Sieyes felt there needed to be a strong government and that the constitution needed to be reformed
• The directory was very unpopular and had little authority
• Directors were regarded as corrupt

Question 2

Events of the coup of Brumaire

Answer 2

• October : Sieyes bribed council members for Napoleons brother to be leader of the council of 500 and troops were deployed around Paris
• Members of the council of ancients who were sympathetic to the coup warned colleagues of an alleged Jacobin conspiracy
• Both houses were persuaded to move to Saint Cloud
• 6000 troops were moved to Saint Cloud and 3/5 directors stepped down which destroyed the Directory
• By 10th Nov (19th Brumaire), deputies realised it was a coup by the army rather than the Jacobins
• Napoleon lost patience and stormed in to the council of Ancients and then the council of 500
• Lucian persuaded some members of the council ancients to appoint three consuls

Question 3

The new constitution

Answer 3

• Adopted 24th Dec 1799
• Know as the constitution of Year VIII
• Those in the first consul were appointed for ten years
• Those in Senate were appointed for life

Question 4

Aims of Sieyes and Napoleon

Answer 4

Both - Establishment of a senate to protect the constitution
Sieyes - Single grand elector as supreme executive (failure) and a system of two consuls
Bonepart - First consul as head of state (successful)

Question 5

Strengths of the constitution

Answer 5

• gave lots to adult males

- strong top down control

Question 6

Weaknesses of the constitution

Answer 6

• Not accompanied by a declaration of rights
• excessive control to the first consul
• Less democratic than previous constitutions