The Directory Facts & Worksheets

The Directory ruled France from 1795 to 1799, concluding the Revolution. Established after the Reign of Terror, the Directory aimed to restore stability but struggled for broad support. Military figures like Napoleon Bonaparte played a growing role, and he eventually led the coup d’état that ended the Directory and the French Revolution in November 1799.

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Key Facts & Information

RISE OF THE DIRECTORY

• On July 28, 1794, Maximilien Robespierre and 21 allies were guillotined, marking the end of the Jacobin-led Reign of Terror in Paris and the subsequent 15-month period, known as the Thermidorian Reaction, witnessed a shift away from radical Jacobinism towards more conservative policies aligned with the bourgeoisie (the well-to-do middle class).
• The Thermidorians aimed to restore revolutionary ideals from 1789 and dismantled Jacobin laws, initiating the First White Terror that targeted Jacobins, leading to the closure of the Jacobin Club in November 1794. 
• Promising justice over terror, the Thermidorians halted the persecution of the Catholic Church and aristocracy prevalent under Jacobin rule. 
• However, their policies failed to alleviate widespread hunger and death during the harsh winter of 1794-95, exacerbated by inflation from increased assignat (a paper bill issued as currency) issuance.
• Efforts to address economic challenges saw a resurgence of royalism as émigrés returned, and royalist propaganda gained traction, criticizing the Republic and idealizing the old monarchy. 
• Despite claiming to save France from Robespierre, the Thermidorians’ rule revealed a troubled Republic, facing economic struggles and social unrest, leading to insurrections in 1795 from both the Jacobin left (Prairial Uprising) and royalist right (revolt of 13 Vendémiaire). 
• To remedy the situation, the Thermidorians, dissatisfied with the Jacobin constitution of 1793, formed an 11-man committee to draft a new constitution, finalized in August 1795. 
• The resulting government, known as the French Directory, was inaugurated on November 2, 1795, governing France for four tumultuous years.

STRUCTURE OF THE DIRECTORY

• The Constitution of Year III (1795), also known as the Thermidorian constitution, exhibited similarities to its immediate predecessors, incorporating the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen in a modified form. 
• However, it adopted a less democratic stance compared to the Jacobin constitution, restricting voting rights to male taxpayers above 21 years old. 
• Eligible voters in populous towns had additional property ownership or rental requirements, resulting in a reduction from 6 million to about 1 million qualified voters. 
• The constitution aimed at stability by introducing a challenging amendment process, slated to take no less than nine years, and replaced the 48 districts of Paris with 12 arrondissements to curb insurrection.
• The government featured a dual-chambered legislature, the Corps Législatif, comprising the Council of Ancients as the upper house and the Council of 500 as the lower house. 
• Deputies over 30 in the Council of 500 proposed legislation, while the Council of Ancients, consisting of deputies over 40, held the power to accept or veto it. 
• Five Directors, all of whom were at least forty years old, were given executive control. The Council of Ancients chose them from a list supplied by the Council of 500.  Directors underwent an annual lottery to determine retirement, maintaining a system that ensured separation of powers.

ECONOMIC TROUBLES

• One of the foremost challenges confronting the fledgling Directory was rampant inflation, with the assigned currency plummeting to 1% of its face value by December 1795. 
• Escalating prices, exacerbated by a British blockade and poor harvests, compelled strict rationing of essential commodities in the face of soaring costs. 
• The Directory introduced the mandats territoriaux, paper banknotes backed by confiscated national lands. Still, this new currency proved even more brief, becoming worthless within a year and being demonetized by February 1797. 
• The subsequent return to metal currency and the reluctant establishment of a central bank by 1800 marked the aftermath of the mandate’s failure.
• In addition to grappling with inflation, the Directory confronted an immense national debt reminiscent of the issues that catalyzed the Revolution.
• The Directory declared bankruptcy on two-thirds of the debt but committed to repaying the remaining third, which brought about some stabilization. 
• Substantial contributions from victorious French armies supplemented attempts to replenish the treasury through new taxes on luxury items. 
• Conquered cities were compelled to remit significant sums to Paris. French generals enriched the treasury by plundering conquered territories for valuable artworks, which found a home in the recently converted Louvre museum. 
• Napoleon’s Italian Campaign of 1796-97 emerged as a particularly lucrative venture during this period.

SOCIAL UNREST – 1796-1797

• Amid France’s persistent food scarcity and economic woes during the harsh winter of 1795-96, citizens, disillusioned by the dire conditions, began to nostalgically yearn for the days of the terror, recalling affordable bread and the hopeful Constitution of 1793. 
• The Pantheon Club, replacing the Jacobin Club, became a hub for like-minded radicals led by Gracchus Babeuf, who advocated for the abolition of private property in favor of communal ownership, echoing communist ideals. 
• Disturbed by this resurgence, the Directory ordered its closure in February 1796. 
• Although the closure failed to quell radical sentiments, Babeuf’s Conspiracy of Equals was swiftly thwarted by the Directory in May 1797, resulting in his execution and the deportation of others. 
• The social unrest then shifted to the political right, where royalists, longing for a restored monarchy, united to contest the Directory’s elections in the spring of 1797. 
• With a propaganda campaign highlighting the Republic’s instability and the Directory’s corruption, the royalists achieved significant electoral success, gaining 182 seats, while only 11 Thermidorian-era deputies were re-elected. 
• General Jean-Charles Pichegru, a former Jacobin turned monarchist, assumed the presidency of the Council of 500.

COUP OF FRUCTIDOR

• The rise of royalist sentiments in France led to political unrest, prompting Britain and Austria to initiate peace negotiations in the hopes of favorable terms from a divided France. 
• Simultaneously, the royalists sought peace conditions that included the restoration of the monarchy.
• Generals like Lazare Hoche and Napoleon Bonaparte opposed this idea. 
• Bonaparte, providing evidence to the Directors, revealed Pichegru’s alleged plot to restore the monarchy through a military coup d’état with Louis XVIII’s agents.
• Directors Barras, Rewbell, and La Révellière devised a plan to regain control through a coup. 
• In September 1797, soldiers under General Hoche and General Augereau surrounded Paris, seizing strongholds and legislative chambers. 
• The coup, known as the 18 Fructidor, resulted in the arrest of 53 deputies, including Pichegru, who was deported, and the removal of Directors Carnot and Barthélemy.
• Anti-royalist measures were implemented, with émigrés given an ultimatum to leave or face death. The coup set a precedent for military intervention in politics.
• Anti-aristocratic and anti-Catholic policies fueled a Jacobin resurgence. The 1798 elections, marked by strong Jacobin participation, barred royalists and witnessed Jacobins claiming a majority in the Corps Législatif. The government’s actions included executing aristocrats, compelling clergy to denounce royalism, and repurposing churches as Theophilanthropic temples, reflecting a shift toward deism.

MILITARY SUCCESSES

• The Directory era, marked by French military triumphs, set the stage for the Napoleonic Wars. In 1795, Prussia and Spain exited the War of the First Coalition, and the Dutch Republic transformed into the Batavian Republic, a French client state. 
• General Lazare Hoche concluded the prolonged War in the Vendée in 1796 but faced failure in the French Expedition to Ireland the same year. 
• French victories were notable, particularly in Italy, where Napoleon Bonaparte displayed military brilliance. The 1797 Fructidor Coup led Austria to sign the Treaty of Campo Formio, concluding the War of the First Coalition, with Britain as the sole remaining adversary.
• During the Congress of Rastatt in 1798, aggressive French diplomacy coerced German states to cede the left bank of the Rhine. 
• France’s annexation of Belgium and the overthrow of the Swiss Confederation with the establishment of the Helvetic Republic further alarmed European powers. 
• In 1798, France instigated a coup in Switzerland and invaded the Papal States after a riot in Rome, creating sister republics. 
• Napoleon’s Egyptian Campaign, starting in July 1798, triggered widespread opposition. This aggression led to the formation of the War of the Second Coalition (1798-1802), plunging Europe into renewed conflict shortly after a brief respite.

END OF THE DIRECTORY

• In October 1799, General Napoleon Bonaparte returned from Egypt, welcomed as a popular figure. Neo-Jacobins dominated the 1799 elections, with Napoleon’s brother Lucien elected president of the Council of 500 at 24. 
• Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, a Director disapproving of the Constitution of Year III, saw an opportunity for a coup and gained support from influential figures, including Talleyrand. After the death of his first choice, General Joubert, Sieyès turned to Napoleon as the face of the coup. 
• The successful Coup of 18 Brumaire on November 9 ended the Directory, establishing the French Consulate with Sieyès, Roger Ducos, and Napoleon as consuls. 
• However, Napoleon quickly maneuvered to become the dominant force, paving the way for his rise to become the emperor of the French. The Directory concluded, and the French Revolution came to a close.

The Directory Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about The Directory across 31 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about The Directory. Military figures like Napoleon Bonaparte played a growing role, and he eventually led the coup d’état that ended the Directory and the French Revolution in November 1799.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. The Directory Facts
2. Teats Your Learning 
3. True or False?
4. The Directory’s Policies and Reforms
5. Time Track
6. Key Figures
7. Art Appreciation
8. Watch and Summarize
9. Redrawing Life
10. Mannequin Challenge
11. Directory Dash

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the directory in France?

The Directory was established in France after the French Revolution as a form of government from 1795 to 1799. Its purpose was to provide a more stable political structure following the chaos of the Reign of Terror during the Revolutionary period.

How was the Directory structured?

The Directory consisted of a bicameral legislature: the Council of Five Hundred and the Council of Ancients. It also included an executive body known as the Directory, consisting of five directors. These directors were meant to balance power and prevent any individual or group from gaining too much control.

What were some challenges faced by the Directory?

The Directory faced numerous challenges during its brief existence, including political instability, economic struggles, and military conflicts. It grappled with corruption, financial mismanagement, and opposition from both royalists and radicals.

What were some notable events during the Directory era?

The Directory era saw significant events such as the Coup of 18 Fructidor, when the Directory purged its opponents from the government, and the Coup of 18 Brumaire, which led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. Military campaigns, such as the Italian Campaigns, also took place during this time.

How did the Directory come to an end?

The Directory was ultimately brought to an end by Napoleon Bonaparte’s coup d’état on 18 Brumaire (November 9, 1799). This event marked the beginning of the Consulate period in France, with Napoleon as First Consul, effectively ending the experiment of the Directory.

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