T4: How far did the Directory manage to achieve moderation?

Question 1

when did the new constitution come into effect?

Answer 1

22 Aug 1795

Question 2

what were the aims of the new constitution?

Answer 2

1. avoid political extremism
2. avoid dictatorship

Question 3

what was the executive under the 1795 constitution?

Answer 3

the Directory

Question 4

what was the legislature under the 1795 constitution?

Answer 4

Council of Five Hundred and Council of Ancients

Question 5

why were there 2 chambers of the legislature?

Answer 5

to create a balanced form of government

Question 6

details of the Directory?

Answer 6

• 5 men
• hold office for 5 years but annual elections in which one Director had to be replaced
• in charge of law enforcement, foreign and military affairs
• no part in creation of legislation, no right of veto, no control of finances, could not declare war or peace

Question 7

what were the roles of each of the chambers of the legislature?

Answer 7

Council of Five Hundred - made legislation’
Council of Ancients - refused or approved bills, could not make or amend legislation

Question 8

how often were elections for the legislature?

Answer 8

annually - 1/3 of Council members had to be replaced each year

Question 9

what was the ‘decree of two-thirds’?

Answer 9

decree by the Thermidorean Convention that 2/3 of those elected to the first councils must be from the Convention

Question 10

reason for the decree of 2/3?

Answer 10

Thermidorean Convention fearful of royalist resurgence in 1795 elections

Question 11

what was the reaction to the decree of 2/3?

Answer 11

disliked by both the left and right

Question 12

what were the weaknesses of the constitution?

Answer 12

• system of checks and balances created lack of leadership and direction
• problem of responsibility between Councils - CofA could reject legislation but could not amend or negotiate
• no stability or clear policies or leadership as 1/3 of Council members retired every year
• decree of 2/3 disliked by left and right

Question 13

in what ways did the new system of gov lack leadership or direction?

Answer 13

• Directors to enforce laws they had no role in creating?
• Directors to deal with foreign affairs but could not declare war or peace
• Had to organise military, but no control over finances needed to do so

Question 14

when was the assignat abolished?

Answer 14

Feb 1796

Question 15

what replaced the assignat?

Answer 15

new paper currency called the mandate

Question 16

problem with the mandate?

Answer 16

valued against assignat, value quickly plummeted

Question 17

when was all paper currency scrapped?

Answer 17

Feb 1797

Question 18

what happened after all paper currency was scrapped?

Answer 18

not enough metal currency in circulation so there was a partial return to a natural economy

Question 19

example of return to natural economy?

Answer 19

Council members were paid in grain

Question 20

when did the Directory declare itself bankrupt?

Answer 20

Sep 1797

Question 21

what happened when the Directory declared itself bankrupt?

Answer 21

said could only pay off debts by issuing state bonds which could be used to by biens nationaux

Question 22

what was the result of the issuing of state bonds instead of paying creditors?

Answer 22

2/3 of state debt wiped out, govs annual expenditure reduced by 160 mill livres BUT controversy due to depreciation in value of bonds

Question 23

what happened to value of state bonds?

Answer 23

bonds quickly depreciated in value, angered creditors and made future borrowing more difficult - Council of Ancients also condemned the actions of the Directory for this as essentially robbing creditors

Question 24

how did the Directory change the taxation system?

Answer 24

eintroduction of a number of taxes that had been abolished during the revolution, including a tax on luxuries, a poll tax and a tex on windows and doors

Question 25

what were the problems with the new tax system?

Answer 25

- collection inconsistent - did not entirely solve problem of state revenue (although did increase it) - deeply unpopular - accusations that were trying to reintroduce customs of ancien regime

Question 26

what did the state become increasingly dependent on for revenue?

Answer 26

the wealth acquired by its armies

Question 27

what law was passed June 1795?

Answer 27

law that allowed army to use military courts to try rebels and opponents to the gov.

Question 28

were military courts temporary or permanent?

Answer 28

initially temporary, but became permanent in 1797

Question 29

what did the making permanent of military courts essentially mean?

Answer 29

essentially the introduction of martial law

Question 30

why did the government increasingly send regular soldiers rather than the NG to deal with domestic unrest?

Answer 30

regular soldiers seen to be more loyal

Question 31

stat for increasing military power?

Answer 31

By 1799, over 200 communes had seen policing and judicial powers handed over from civil authorities to military ones

Question 32

by what year had over 200 communes had seen policing and judicial powers handed over from civil authorities to military ones

Answer 32

1799

Question 33

how many communes had had seen policing and judicial powers handed over from civil authorities to military ones by 1799?

Answer 33

over 200

Question 34

what rising represented the threat from the right?

Answer 34

Vendemiaire rising

Question 35

when was the Vendemiaire rising?

Answer 35

5th Oct 1795

Question 36

details of Vendemiaire rising?

Answer 36

Crowd of 25,000 gathered in Paris to seize power. Crushed by the army, including Napoleon’s grapeshot (dependence on army).

Question 37

was the Vendemiaire rising royalist?

Answer 37

somewhat a royalist uprising, due to hatred of the decree of ⅔, but also ordinary people who were driven by economic distress.

Question 38

what event represented the threat from the left?

Answer 38

the Babeuf Plot

Question 39

when was the Babeuf Plot?

Answer 39

1796

Question 40

who was Babeuf and how much of a threat was he?

Answer 40

Babeuf = radical journalist who advocated for redistribution of land in order to provide for all, opposed the Directory as saw as preserving gains of the bourgeoisie Babeuf had been accused of planning a communist-style rev, but in reality was not much of a threat and only had a small following- 500 subscribers to his newspaper (The People’s Tribune)

Question 41

when was Babeuf arrested?

Answer 41

10th May 1796 - Babeuf and a number of followers arrested

Question 42

what became of Babeuf?

Answer 42

guillotined

Question 43

why did royalists make gains in the elections?

Answer 43

economic discontent and discontent about dependence on army

Question 44

when did the royalists make gains in the elections?

Answer 44

some gains in 1796, significant gains 1797

Question 45

stat for royalist gains in 1797

Answer 45

Of the 260 Council seats being contested, 180 were won by royalists

Question 46

how did the republicans in the Directory react to the royalist gains?

Answer 46

worried that its support base was being undermined. decided to take action against royalists in the coup of Fructidor

Question 47

which Director was believed to be becoming more conservative?

Answer 47

Carnot

Question 48

which Director was replaced in 1797 and by who?

Answer 48

Letourneur replaced by Francois-Marie, a royalists supporter

Question 49

when was the Coup of Fructidor?

Answer 49

4th Sep 1797

Question 50

what happened in the Coup of Fructidor?

Answer 50

soldiers surrounded the Councils and arrested 2 directors and 53 deputies of the Councils

Question 51

which 2 Directors were arrested in the Coup of Fructidor?

Answer 51

Carnot and Barthelemy

Question 52

how many deputies of the Councils were arrested in the Coup of Fructidor?

Answer 52

53

Question 53

how did the republican Directors defend the Coup of Fructidor?

Answer 53

said that those arrested were planning a royalist coup

Question 54

how did the remaining deputies of the Councils react to the Coup of F?

Answer 54

were intimidated

Question 55

what decrees did the Councils pass after the CofF?

Answer 55

- decree deporting the arrested to Guyana - decree cancelling election results in numerous departments

Question 56

how many deputies were removed from the Councils after a decree cancelling election results?

Answer 56

177

Question 57

what was the significance of the Coup of Fructidor?

Answer 57

made a mockery of democracy and undermined the legitimacy of the Directory. Directory also shown to be reliant on military

Question 58

how was royalism further repressed after the CofF?

Answer 58

- emigres given 2 weeks to leave - clergy had to swear oath of loyalty or be deported - churches shut

Question 59

how many clergy were sentenced to deportation vs how many were actually sent?

Answer 59

10,000 vs 230

Question 60

stat for the closure of churches?

Answer 60

in Nord, 400 churches were sold

Question 61

how did actions to supress royalism after the CofF affect popularity of Directory?

Answer 61

decreased popularity

Question 62

what was the significance of the closure of churches?

Answer 62

undermined the Directory's claim of religious neutrality