France in 1795

France in 1795 (an overview)

 

Questions:

1) Write your own overview of France’s political problems between 1795 and 1799. You should write about a page including details of:

• The problems faced by the Directory

• What was decided to solve the problems

2) What do you think Robespierre meant when he warned; “Put yourself on guard against your generals…”?

3) Explain the key terms ‘Directory’ and ‘Coup d’état’.

1.      Between 1795 and 1799 there were many changes in France.  The JACOBINS and the SANS-CULLOTTES were forced out of power and French Politicians started to look for a moderate form of government that French people would support. They decided to have five directors that would make sure that laws were followed. The new form of government was called the directory and it had a period of crisis because the government ran out of money since the foreign wars they were fighting were costly. There were food shortages and France´s army was defeated. What is more, there were plots against royalists and high revolutionaries.

2.      “Put yourself on guard against your generals, or a strong citizen might gain power and one day become your master.”

With that quote Robespierre meant that generals were very likely to try to seize power so people should be attentive and not trust them.

3.      A ‘coup d’état’ is when a military government takes over a country illegally.

A directory is a group of five people to govern a country.