Thermidorian reaction / Directory Flashcards
Who were the thermadorians
Those who helped overthrow Robespierre- mixed - CPS/CGS terrorists - plain etc
What was the conventions goal at the end of the terror
Abolish Rev tribunal
Release suspects in prison
Closed the Jacobin club and repeal the law of prarial (10 June)
Abandoning centralising
25% of member of 2 comi tees had to be changed each month
16 new committees of convention set up
When/ what was the separation of the church from the state
21ST FEB 1795 freedom of worship- the government was religiously neutral
What did thermadorians want to do with price controls and what happened
Get rid of price controls because Wanted a free market Abolish maximum aug 1794 Price controls dec 1794 Printed more assignats Price of bread high and bad harvests and assignat value at 4%
What/ when was Germinal
1st April 1795
Popular demonstration
10.000 unarmed demanded bread and constitution of 1793
Stopped by nat guard w out resistance
What / when was prarial
20th may 1795 Serious armed rebellion demanding bread Army stopped the uprising but could have been very serious with out Failed for sc because Workers were divided No institution eg commune to stop Politically inexperienced Lost support from Radical bourgeoisie Army used first time since 1789
What did the thermadorians want?
End of terror
Price controls abolished - free market favoured
Abandon CPS centralisation
Dismantle machinery of terror eg Rev tribunal local power
Cut all ties with religion eg freedom or worship Feb 21st 1795
What did the thermadorians want?
Self preservation
CGSmembers who resented loss of power to CSP
Terrorists who feared for their lives eg fouche
Just to stay alive eg surviving dantonists eg legendre
CPS members who felt threatened eg barere
Members of the plain
What did the thermadorians want?
Revenge
White terror
Violence in France - NWSE and guerilla in vedee
CHOUAN- cotterau leader- Brittany - in control from 1794-6 with English help - royalist activity - Quiberon bay June 1795 3000 emigrees land and thousands of chouans help. Hoche defeated them. 6000 arrests including 1000 emigrees.
Jeunesse doree- reactionary movement - gangs of youth
What did the thermadorians want?
Primacy of the bougeiosie
New constitution guarantee principles of 1789
All males 21+ can vote if pay taxes vote for electors - electors choose deputies- electors 30.000 of them, had to pay taxes for 150 days of labour so had to be rich to be one
Separated executive and legaslative power
Ensure no return to Monarch, dictator or sc rule
What was the legaslative power
2 chambers
Council of 500- 500 men over the age of 30 initiate legislation and pass to ancients
Council of ancients - 250 men- 40 years and above approve or object bills
Annual elections - 1/3rd of men retire
What was executive power
Directory of 5
Chosen by ancients from a list drawn up by the 500
5 directs hold office for 5 years
Could not initiate or veto laws
In charge of military. Diplomacy . Law enforcement
What were the weakness in the constitution
Annual elections = instability
No way to resolve conflict between the 2 councils
Councils could paralyse the directory
What was the 2/3rd decree
A decree by the gment stating that 2/3rds of the new councils must be chosen from the convention deputies to prevent royalist majority
When was the new constitution agreed to and what did it show
22nd August 1795
4 million didn’t vote - showed public apathy