Thermidor and Directory French Revolution Day 4

Thermidorian Reaction, 1794 Opposition to Robespierre grows in July 1794 After death of Danton, many feared they would be next Working class radicals no longer supported him July 1794, Robespierre was denounced in the Convention, arrested, and executed the next day along with close associates Afraid that they would be next on Robespierre’s list, moderates in the Convention began to plot against Robespierre and his allies Leaders of the Reaction influenced by Voltaire Robespierre attempted suicide, but was unsuccessful- shattered his jaw with a shot Executed without trial, just like the Terror victims

Thermidorian Reaction Ended the reign of terror Dismantled the Paris Commune Abolished the Committee of Public Safety By November 1794, Jacobin Clubs banned Significant swing to the right More conservative Bourgeois middle class who led the liberal revolution in 1789 reassert their authority Thermidor- taken from calendar- month in which Robespierre fell

The Directory In 1795 the Thermidorians created a constitution that created a bicameral legislative assembly and a collective executive of 5 directors - Directory 1795-1799

The Directory New constitution written in 1795 Set up republican form of government Bicameral legislature 5- member executive of “directors” People with property benefited Office holding favored the wealthiest citizens to serve in the assembly Wealthy middle class controlled the government – will be major weakness of the Directory Two assemblies included the council of Ancients (250 members) – discussed and voted on legislation proposed by the second assembly Council of 500 2/3 of the members of the new councils were elected from existing members of the Convention The two councils elected the 5 directors 1/3 of the members of each council and 1 director were to replaced each year Middle class wanted peace in order to gain more wealth and to establish a society where money and property determined prestige and power All economic controls were removed which ended influence of sans-culottes More paper money printed higher prices Money was flaunted- “gilded youth” – trying to distance from anything of previous revolution mentality

Troubles for the Directory Directory ended the Terror, but did not bring stability or peace Made itself dependent on military protection from the beginning Multiple uprisings – royalists tried to seize power Napoleon, a general, was called in to squash royalist uprising Elections in 1797- victory for royalist right, but the Directory annulled the results Getting rid of the economic policies of the Convention, bread prices were not regulated- harsh winter of 1795- lots of starvation- people even eating carcasses of dead army horses “Conspiracy of Equals” uprising led by Babeuf- plan to overthrow the Directory, abolish private property and enforce equality He was arrested and guillotined – crack down on any remaining Jacobins Different plots to overthrow the Directory Growing inflation and mass public dissatisfaction increased, but ignored by the directory For all of its failures the Directory did provide France with a second experiment in representative government

Coup d'état Brumaire Abbe Sieyes became a director in the spring of 1799 Believed France needed a government with a stronger executive authority He decided to overthrown the Directory He turned to General Napoleon Bonaparte Would he be he heir of the French Revolution or its destroyer? When Sieyes was asked what he had done during the Revolution he responded- “I Survived.” Since the army had grown tremendously in France, he concluded that it would emerge as the arbiter of France’s political future – decision maker Napoleon announced to the hastily convened councils that another Jacobin conspiracy had been uncovered and that a new constitution had to be framed to provide France with a stronger executive authority – the deputies were dubious- some demanded his arrest Napoleon’s brother Lucien, was president of the lower assembly, rejected the vote to outlaw Napoleon- ordered his troops to evict members who opposed him Those who remained delegated complete control to Sieyes and Napoleon