THERMIDORIANS Flashcards
(88 cards)
1
Q
what were the problems that the thermidorians were facing
A
- lack legitimacy and lack a mandate - not democratically elected - power by coup
- excess radical / jacobin sentiment
- france is extremely factionalised (difficult to pose as a uniting force)
- lack of clear leadership in france
- the war is still continuing - feel that there are internal and external threats
- politics is too reliant on violence
2
Q
what were the priorities of the thermidorians after rob is executed
A
- reunifying france and reduce political polarization
- restore religion
- recentre france
- removing this reliance on violence and terror as a mechanism for conformity and order
- make power less centralised and increase provincial power
- bring back french economic power and prosperity
- ensure that power is not entrenched with a minimal number of people
- break SC power
- dissolve radicalism
3
Q
describe the white terror (starts around 14th feb 1795, ends around october 1795)
A
- period of terror officials being beaten by chouan rebels (carrier, billaud, callot)
- the parisian and thermidorian government lack decisive authority and cannot control provinces
- local leaders use this as an opportunity to seize power, given the therms were weak and not legitimate
- the government was being led by people
4
Q
key figures of the white terror
A
- barras
- freron
5
Q
regional differences in the white terror
A
some regions had minimal violence:
- rheims
- seine-et-marne = no deaths
some regions had extensive violence:
- lyons
- vendee
- marseille
6
Q
how did the white terror not bring political stability
A
- no working justice system
- the inequality and wealth gap is still extremely wide
- bourgeoisie led
- there is no strong legitimate government as decentralisation allowed for expansive provincial power
- the government was being led by the people
- hoche is forced to get rid of 20000 rebels with 140,000 milita (lack of strength + economic burden)
7
Q
how did the white terror bring political stability
A
- limits and suppresses power of radicals
- parisian commune is reduced by 31st august
- jacobin club is closed on 12th november
- french association with instability is limited and no effective leadership of radicals - political bridge
- the national guard was happy to work with the convention and were not polarized
- key drivers of terror killed (callot, herbois)
- 31st july = moderates (ie tallien) are appointed to CGS + CPS - economic stability
- people were lavishly spending
- law of maximum repealed on 24th december
8
Q
germinal uprising and outcome
A
1st april 1795
- 10,000 SC invaded the convention and demanded ‘bread and a constitution’ due to bad 1795 harvest
- assignats drop to less than 5% of their original value
- bread prices increase from 6 livres in middle of april to 16 livres later
- rationing to only 60g bread a day
*protestors withdrew without resistance when the national guard ordered them to disband
consequence:
- paris = under martial law under pichegru
- montagnard deportations are sped up (billaud-varennes)
- thermidorians break power of SC (due to their lack of leadership)
- sets a precedent for government
9
Q
prairial revolt and outcome
A
20-23rd may 1795
- bread rations fell to 2 ounces per head
- there was a fear that because saint-antoine was rising, other districts would rise too
- murder feraud
- demanded release of jacobins, the 1793 constitution and control of supplies
- the national guard support the insurrectionists
- women and men united in this revolt - mobilisation
outcome:
- food commission created
- 20,000 sans culottes proceed to storm in the next day, 40,000 soliders needed to dispel violence
- sans culottes withdrow
- the government forced SC weapons to be conceded
- 42 were executed by government
- 24th may - enforce disarming suspected terrorists
- members of rev committees are arrested
- in september 1795, jacobin suspects are released into prais
10
Q
vendemiaire rising and outcome
A
5th october 1795
- royalist uprising against a plebicite for a new constitution which was rigged
- discontent over the 2/3 law, which 47/48 sections opposed
- protesters gather in dreux
- 7 sections declare themselves in insurrection
- these people heavily disliked any republican government
- 25,000 parisians march on convention
- napoleon takes control of 5000-6000 troops
- napoleon is outnumbered 6:1, but fires on the crowd killing 300
outcome:
- 10 sentenced to death
- amplifies the persona of napoleon
- national guard abolished
- get rid of sectional assembly
11
Q
24th may military commission
A
1795
- would allow for the trial of execution of people with a badge or who rebel
- over 19 people condemned to death - 6/19 were montagnards
12
Q
significance of 1795 uprisings
A
- stability could only be brought with violence - no political authority
- thermidorians rely on opposing political groups to bring stability and counteract one another
- no executive authority
13
Q
2/3 law
A
- law claiming that 2/3 of deputies that sat in the assembly before would sit in the new legislature
- 25% of departments oppose
- right wing voters are angry at this law and newspapers release articles against it
14
Q
council of 500 + role
A
- men of at least 30
- renewed each year by 1/3 (no entrenched power)
- nominated by electorate
role:
- prepare a list of members for the directory to present to council of elders
- propose and draw up new laws
15
Q
council of ancients + role
A
- composed of 250 men
- must be aged over 40
- must be married or a widower
role:
- choose the 5 members of the directly from secret ballot
- examine and approve legislation
16
Q
executive / directory composition + role
A
- men at least of 40 years of age
- could not be in the legislature
- appointed by the ancients
- one member was removed annually
role:
- protect french national security
- right to be sent before a police officer in 2 days
- issue proclamations to conform to laws
- warrants of arrest against those plotting against french security
(ie sieyes, carnot, ducos, barras)
17
Q
strengths of 1795 constitution
A
- checks and balances / separation of power
- bicameral nature = allows for discussion and power checking power
*strengths are same as weaknesses
ie:
- no entrenched power
- political gridlock fuels discussion etc
representation:
5.5 million/8 million vote for electors (but only if you are in bourgeoisie + over 21) - enfranchisement
18
Q
weaknesses of 1795 constitution
A
- lacks consistency
- constant changing of members in the legislature and directory
- doesn’t allow for continuity + laws to be seen through
- high turnover / no stability
- minimal progress
- one person can remain in power for over 5 years = encourages corruption, entrenched power etc
- 1/3 of council elected out annually (interest groups can never express opinion) - lacks representation
- age requirements
- minimal voting of women
- only 1/8 people could vote - mask unpopularity - gridlock
- political paralysis cannot be easily overcome
- only 5 directors - small group, how do you fix disagreements? - not directly elected
- vulnerable to a coup = no legitimacy
(most powerful people w most entrenched power are not directly elected)
- nobody to hold you to account
19
Q
aims / nature of 1795 constitution
A
- bicameral legislature with checks and balances
- one and indivisible republic
- sovereignty of france
- limit power of the unelected and army (more power to bourgeoisie)
- increased representation
- no fusion of power
- prevent entrenched and centralised power
- aimed to bring political stability and moderation
- freedom of speech, religion
- pure revolution (no emigres return)
- equality of citizens
- guarantee property
20
Q
describe the electoral system from 1795
A
directory:
- members appointed by leg
legislature:
- appointed by electoral assembly
- renewed annually by 2/3rds
electoral assembly:
- elected by primary assembly 1x a year
- must be 25 or above
- must have property valued at 200 days labour (bourgeoisie)
primary assembly:
- elected by french citizens
- 5.5/8 million people can vote here
citizens:
- pay direct tax
- at least 21
- 8 million people
21
Q
when did the following occur:
1. moderate appointments were made to the CPS + CGS
2. the law of 22 prarial repealed
3. the rev tribunals reduced and then abolished
A
moderate appointments:
- 31st july 1794 - remove radical revolutionary edge and ensure close enemies do not rise up
law of 22 prairial:
- 1st august
- target radical edge of terror
rev tribunals:
10th august = reduced
may 1795 = abolished
22
Q
what was the law on revolutionary government
A
- only one member of a revolutionary committee was allowed per department
- there would be 12 committees in paris
- this would break the power of the CPS who was in charge of war
- the convention would be changed by 25% a year
23
Q
when did the following occur:
1. when was the paris commune power reduced
2. when was the church and state separated
3. when was the jacobin club closed
A
paris commuune:
- reduced on 31st august 1794
church and state:
- separated on 18th sept 1794
jacobin club closed:
- closed on the 12th november
24
Q
when was:
1. the law of suspects abolished
2. the repeal of the law of maximum
A
law of suspects:
- abolished in october 1795
law of maximum repealed:
- 24th december
25
did the thermidorians support the girondins
yes
- they passed a law in dec 1794 which would readmit 73 deputies who supported girondins that were expelled
26
impact of the 3 coups in 1795
- set a precedent for the use of violence
- it normalises violence as a way of expressing discontent
- government found it difficult to pacify rebels
- the government is forced to offset radical uprisings through putting radicals against one another - because they cannot control the situation themselves
27
constitution of the year 3 introduced
august 22nd 1795
- implemented september 23rd w meeting of directory
- troops are assembled in paris to enforce order on 22nd aug
*HOWEVER, THE WHOLE POINT WAS THAT THE CONSTITUTION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A TEMPORARY FIX, AND SO LACKED LONG TERM ATTAINABILITY
28
treaty of basel
16th april 1795
- ended the war of the first coalition
- france was more stable under directory
29
babeuf plot
1796
- babeuf was appointing jacobins to specific posts in attempt to overthrow gov and impose communism and reimpose the terror
- wanted power with the working class and overthrow the oppressive governing class with a 'conspiracy of equals'
- babeuf tried to establish a committee to impose a plabian manifesto and infiltrate the convention
- tried to turn loyal revolutionaries into advocating for communism
- babeuf guillotined in may 1797
30
coup of fructidor
4th september 1797
- in 1797, elections displayed monarchist sentiment with 180/260 deputies being monarchists
- the directory lose their support - only 2 are acc republicans, because barthelemy is sympathetic and carnot is conservative
- barras launched a plot that pichegru had made contact against monarchist emigres and was conspiring against revolution
- hoche and augereau were sent into paris to arrest 177 royalist deputies and were exiled
- the directory cancels elections in 49 departments (inc paris + normandy) - no representation, exiles deputies to guiana
- the clergy are then forced to take the oath of hatred
31
oath of hatred
- response to the fructidor uprising
- forced clergy members to take an oath rejecting their support for royalty
- 10,000 refuse to accept this
32
coup of floreal
11th may 1798
- the directory pass a law to minimise royalist power after fructidor
- results show jacobin power massively increases
- 127 deputies from the council of 500 are purged under law of floreal
- the electoral result from 8 departments are ignored
- was a jacobin coup
33
law of hostages
july 1799
- took action against hostages
- passed by sieyes which allowed local authorities to take action against radicals
34
coup of prairial
18th june 1799
- it was claimed that the process of appointing treilhard to directory was illegal
- gohier replaced him on 17th june
- sieyes launches a coup claiming that douai and lepeaux needed to step down
- they refuse and sieyes calls troops to the capital
- douai and lepeaux resign
- it was a win for sieyes to reshuffle the political balance of the directory
35
change over time comments for government uprisings
- over time, gov becomes more and more reliant on violence
- the directory is undermined by their own constitution
- coups become engrained in the political fabric
- directory over time becomes internally and externally divided
- emerged lack of executive control / political vulnerability
- directory lose legitimacy over time
- over time = accumulation of political power on one side of the spectrum = directory didn't know how to deal w it
36
describe the financial problems faced by the directory
- the assignats were absolutely worthless by 1796, replaced by mandats which don't work - by july 1796 they are 5% of original value and in july 1797 they are removed
- metal coinage was in short supply but was the only legal currency
- there were consistently poor harvests in 1795
- september 1797 = bankruptcy of 2/3
- massive deflation - lower prices, lower demand, interest rakes spike
37
what did the government do to stabilise the french economic situation
led by RAMEL
- increase revenue through taxation (window, door, land tax)
- tax was collected under central control
- government writes off 2/3 debt to creditors worth 160 million a year
- octrois were reintroduced (goods entering town)
- mandats to replace assignat (initial stability, before no stability)
38
economic strength of directory
- policies remain intact until 1914
- government debt is written off
- more efficient tax system with more expertise to reduce corruption + centralised collection
- foreign policy peace reduced the price of foreign military conflict
- the budget was balanced for the first time since rev started due to indirect taxation on 12th nov
- relieved of debt which cost 160 million
39
economic weaknesses of directory
- directory was dependent on war successes for enrichment
- state bankruptcy of 2/3 (government is weak and indecisive)
- directory is reliant on support from bourgeoisie for support given the financial situation is bad
- military expeditions created long term economic weaknesses
40
bankruptcy of 2/3
30th september 1797
2/3 of national debt was wiped out
- bonds were given for creditors to buy which decreased by 60% in first year
- assets were sold
- debt is forgotten about in exchange for new land
- interest decreases from 240 million to 80 million
- 200 million francs from italy sold off
41
stats about white terror
- rebel force numbered around 22,000 in the vendee
- in the vendeeover 640 people were killed
- chouan rebels respond to conscription in the vendee
42
describe the 3 battles of the italian campaign
1. monte notte campaign - 10th-28th april 1796
2. napoleon won 6 victories
3. beat the austrians at lodi in may 1796 - forced the pope to sign treaties to protect kingdoms
4. napoleon takes mantua in feb 1797
43
impact of the italian campaign
- consolidated and cemented napoleon's reputation as a military commander
- reshaped the army = more prosperous
- emergence as a general who would act to pursue his own goals
- protected french revolutionary gains
- france becomes a strong nation through the treaty of tolentine
- napoleon was dictating the directory, not the other way around
44
treaty of campo formio + importance
18th october 1797
- signalled and end to the war between britain and france
- french keep military gains - boost
- france is given belgium and lombardy
- napoleon negotiates this treaty without directory approval
- the army is given foreign policy power
- loyalty of over 30,000 men is with the generals not directory
- napoleon is now taking the role of the directory
45
treaty of tolentine
- treaty w pope in june 1796
- seize raphael's transfiguration
- gained an indemnity of 21 million livres
46
describe the key battles in the egyptian campaign
1798
- july = napoleon invades egypt
- august = defeat at aboukir bay
- seige of jaffa in march 1799
- seige of acre in march-may 1799 - both FAIL
- june = cairo
47
impact of the egyptian campaign
- the campaign was a massive failure
- napoleon was portrayed as a hero
- is also just before brumaire - directory is completely undermined
48
where was napoleon present before italian + egyptian campaigns
- took back toulon from the british on the 13th december
- helped defeat troops at vendemiaire in october 1796
- was initially a member of the jacobin club, but not active in the terror
49
when are troops brought to paris in 1795
on the 22nd august
- this is after the 1795 constitution is approved
50
french relations with the papal states and the pope
28th december = a french general dies in the papal states during riots in rome which justifies a french invasion
15th feb 1798 = the pope is taken prisoner
- he later dies on french soil which incites religious tensions and causes the directory to gain criticism
51
key foreign policy agreements / actions in france during thermidorian period
1. treaty of campo formio - october 1797
2. 16th april 1795 = treaty of basel - peace is agreed with prussia and holland
3. march 1799 = france declares war against austria again
4. turkey declares war on france in august 1798
5. sept 1799 - dec of war by ottomans + second coalition attack italy + Switzerland to threaten french
52
conscription law in france
jourdan law introduced on **5th sept 1799**
- conscription for french army which causes outcry
- directory become the target of french criticism
53
describe some of the french territorial gains from 1795 - 1799
1796:
- french make gains in piedmont
- napoleon enters milan
1798:
- helvetic republic created - france has territorial access to italy in JAN
- MARCH = france gain left bank of rhine by the roman empire
54
napoleon in alexandria
2nd july
- initial successes for napoleon
55
battle of the nile
1st august 1798
- napoleon's army is defeated by the british
- it is the last time napoleon loses land until aspern-essling
- french blow up egyptian gun boats, but then at aboukir bay, the british (nelson) blows up 11/13 french boats
- nelson eliminates 1/3 of french boats and humiliates the french
- a rebellion starts in cairo which french quickly suppress
56
pattern on if the directory strengthened or not
politically:
- no - short term and long term it was constantly undermined
economically:
- overall strengthened
- short term success, but long term was negative
- middle classes never had the stability they needed because gains were never protected
in terms of foreign policy:
- short term gain and strength
- long term weaknesses
- directory undermined by napoleon - directory only had domestic control
- constantly angering russia, austria etc
57
key economic measure of 1795
weight and measure was standardised = allowed for markets to be more efficient and have better harvests for lower prices
- addressed political problems of directory
58
2 ways that the directory politically strengthened
1. abolished parisian sectional assemblies and national guard on 10th october
2. crush babeuf
59
russian troops enter austrian soil
december 1798
- 11,000 russians enter austria
- directly threatens france given its expansion
- russia forms a coalition w austria
60
battle of the pyramids
21st july 1798
- initial success in egypt
- napoleon uses a constant offensive strategy to push the enemy into the nile
- kills over 2000 mamelucks and 5000 egyptians / 20,000 bc mamelucks and egyptians were exausted
- only 300 french die
- many of the egyptians and mamelucks were employed in the imperial guard for loyalty and manpower
- napoleon enters cairo
61
describe the syria campaign
feb-may 1799
- 10th feb = napoleon marches into syria with 13,000 men
- 3rd march = napoleon takes jaffa, taking 2000 turks
- campaign fails because a bunch of soliders contract plague
- napoleon is forced to present himself as heroic and visit soliders to boost morale
- 17th march 1799 = march into acre
- napoleons gun supply is captured and napoleon's offensive fails
- djezzar takes napoleon's french prisoners and shoots them
- napoleon's army failed with assaults from the british, with over 2500 dead/13000
- napoleon is forced to retreat because ibrahim has support of turks to become sole ruler
62
describe the battle at aboukir
SUCCESS FOR NAPOLEON IN SYRIA
25th july 1799
- napoleon assembles a force of 7000 men to meet pasha's 20,000 men
- the turks had occupied aboukir
- 25th july = napoleon attacks them, causing the turks to flee, because the turks were forced into the sea
- smith tried to negotiate with them, and failed
63
why does napoleon return to paris after egypt
- the french don't have good success in egypt, so napoleon returns quickly to france in order to beat the press and dictate the narrative around the egyptian campaign
- napoleon also hears of the creation of a new coalition between britain, austria, russia and turkey, and uses this as an opportunity to 'protect france' and protect borders - but the coalition fails
64
stats about the battle at aboukir
- 11,000 soliders drowned
- 5000 men taken prisoner
65
seige of jaffa and acre
march-may 1799
66
capturing of malta
may 1798
- angers russians + goes against campo-formio
67
why did the syria campaign fail
1. lacked seige artillery
2. troop numbers were strained
3. fight turks who had extensive experience
4. plague?? / troop weakness
68
napoleon's character / speeches
1. speech at toulon in 1798 (about to leave)
- rhetoric of loyalty
- focuses on soliders - man of his word
- paternalistic attitude
- promising tangible goods
- is relateable to the people
- confidence - has support
2. june 21st proclamation
- tolerates religion to the people who he captured in egypt
- assertive, confidence, not trying to forcefully impose beliefs
- respectful - support of troops
- going after economic strength
3. proclamation in arabic
- don't impose religious values
- promote enlightenment + unity
general character:
- adaptability, disciplined, patriotic, intelligent, arrogant, ambitious, unpredictable, self-motivated etc
69
motivations to be in egypt
- spread enlightenment ideas
- french presence in middle east
- easy military success from mamelucks
- attack british interests
- trade + commerce (COTTON)
70
where was napoleon present pre-directory
1. seige of toulon relief in december 1792
2. suppressed vendemiaire uprising
3. italian campaign
71
what was the rhine campaign
- jourdan and moreau advance into germany in 1796
- it is an attack against the austrians, in which napoleon was in italy to hold the austrians back
72
armistice of cherasco
april 1796
- piedmont / sardinia withdraw from war of 1st coalition
- this boosts napoleon / france
- france gain savoy and nice
73
outline the events of the italian campaign
1. napoleon in battle with the austrians at lodi in may 1796 - napoleon takes milan and napoleon takes indemnities
- napoleon then signs the treaty of tolentine
2. napoleon tries to take mantua, peschiera, verona and legnago but fails to take mantua
- austrians enter + battles at arcola + rivoli + napoleon in venice
74
battle at arcola and battle at rivoli
arcola = nov 1796
rivoli = jan 1797
75
napoleon's actions after the battle of lodi in may 1796
- creates 2 client states which were later meged to form the cisalpine republic in june 1797
- napoleon creates his own version of the directory
- napoleon sets up a liguuarian republic in june 1797
- napoleon tries to enter austria
76
directory frightened of napoleon
- napoleon as a military commander
- napoleon was a diplomat
- made his own state - political leadership
- typically, napoleon's failures were overshadowed by the general failures of the directory
77
formation of the second coalition
- formed in around sept 1799
- consists of britain, russia etc
78
napoleon as a military leader
- he was regarded as a genius
- he was adaptable and used speed
- used the corps system and non-traditional methods to be more united and adaptable
- troops would 'live off the land'
- used forced marching - men would quickly move across large distances to surprise enemy (ie italian campaign) - unpredictable element
- speeches, bulletins etc = motivation
- ensured loyalty of troops by payment and ensured they were supplied etc
- rejuvinated the army and promoted patriotism + enthusiasm
- motivational army - people looked up to him.
79
prominent thermidorians
- fouche
- tallien
- barras
- freron
80
how was the political swing from left to right a weakness of the directory
- all the political uprisings: directory constantly used radical groups from different ends of the political spectrum against one another
- there was no central political point
- the directory had no mandate
81
how was weak executive authority a weakness of the directory
- there was no political majority
- no mobilisation of political support for the directory
- government coups became engrained in the political fabric + difficult to control
- there were no solutions to political problems due to the divided nature of french society
- napoleon provided an avenue for political stability and relief
- high turnover and minimal consistency of the directory
- fragility and vulnerability -- bad relationship with legislature
- no political discipline (ie eliminate 127 deputies)
- idea that all laws imposed were temporary
82
how was law and order a weakness of the directory
- white terror - 1000 shot in lyons and marsailles
- continued instability in the vendee region
- directory had to try and disassociate itself from the use of violence, which was extremely difficult
- constant robberies - lack of safety and control, 1800 murders in one month
- residue of jacobin tenure
- constant famines + social outrage (ie in auvingon)
83
how was constitutional rigidity a weakness of the directory
- would take almost 9 years to introduce laws because of the chambers of the constitution
- was too focused about entrenched power that its fundamental functions could not be fulfilled
- people relied on violence to impose change
- rigidity of the constitution undermined how practical it was
84
how was bourgeoisie fear a weakness of the directory
- people had a fear of jacobinism - which the directory couldn't control and so defected to napoleon
- constant fear of war renews fear of losing gains from revolution
- feel directory took people to war (jourdan law)
- feel a coup will bring stability
- directory was constant betraying its own government and constitution
- don't want a return to revolutionary methods
- declare la patrie en danger
85
jourdan law / directory military problems
- only had an army of 270,000
- extremely unpopular - low morale + constantly rise up - rise from terror
- introduced in june 1799 after news of military defeat
- all men conscripted between 20-25 (only added 70,000 to army, but over 230,000 were eligible)
86
failure of government in provinces
- there is a breakdown in local government and on the brink of civil war (ie ardecine)
- the national guard was too weak
- local authorities were constantly placed under too much pressure
- law of hostages - return to ideas of terror
- nobody wanted to join government (no security etc)
87
economic problems of directory
- tax on rich - 3/4 income - decrease popularity - polarisation
- forced to introduce law of hostages to combat this
- loan on aristocracy = 100 million - only 10 million was collected in total
- inefficient tax collection systems and legislation could never be implemented
- could not rely on gains form war
88
success of admin under directory
- intro of civil service
- 33% from ancient regime
- 46% from directory
= mix of ancient regime + new experience
- created efficiency of taxation etc
- neutral = not radical
- reforms to policing - dismissed 100 members for not showing up during uprisings (consistent presence)
