Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
Dealing with internal and external threats: the Verona Declaration and the…
Full specification wording
From the Directory to Brumaire, 1795–99: Dealing with internal and external threats: the Verona Declaration and the émigrés; Parisian unrest; revolt in the provinces and reaction to conscription; the significance of war for the domestic situation, 1795–99.
Between 1795 and 1799, France faced interconnected internal and external threats.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 4
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Between 1795 and 1799, France faced interconnected internal and external threats. The Verona Declaration (1795) promised restoration of the Bourbon monarchy, encouraging émigrés and royalist plots. Parisian unrest included the Vendémiaire rising (October 1795), which Bonaparte suppressed for the Thermidorian Convention just before the Directory's establishment, and later the Directory faced the radical Conspiracy of Equals (1796). In the provinces, royalist and Catholic revolts such as the Vendée and Chouannerie persisted. Reaction to conscription (the Jourdan Law, 1798) provoked resistance, notably in Belgium and the south. The significance of war for the domestic situation was profound: military successes boosted morale but relied on conscription, fuelling resistance; defeats intensified political instability, contributing to the Directory's reliance on the army.
What earns the marks
- Explains the Verona Declaration as a royalist manifesto that raised émigré hopes and prompted counter-measures against returning émigrés.
- Analyses Parisian unrest: the Vendémiaire rising (October 1795) crushed by Bonaparte, and the Conspiracy of Equals (1796) revealing continuing radical opposition.
- Assesses revolt in the provinces: the Vendée and Chouannerie involved royalist and Catholic guerrilla warfare, requiring military repression and undermining authority.
- Evaluates reaction to conscription: the Jourdan Law (1798) extended conscription, causing draft evasion and revolts in Belgium and southern France.
- Connects the significance of war to the domestic situation: victories enhanced prestige but depended on conscription, while defeats increased political instability and reliance on the army.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating the Verona Declaration as a military alliance.
Put it right: It was a political declaration by Louis XVIII's court promising restoration and appealing to émigrés.
Confusing the Vendémiaire rising with the Conspiracy of Equals.
Put it right: Vendémiaire (1795) was a royalist rising; the Conspiracy of Equals (1796) was a radical egalitarian plot.
Assuming conscription was universally accepted.
Put it right: The Jourdan Law provoked widespread evasion and revolts, especially in recently annexed territories.
Exam tips
- Link each threat to the government's response and assess how far it weakened the regime, using specific dates and events.
- Use the concept of 'significance' to weigh the impact of war on domestic politics, considering both short-term crises and long-term militarisation.
Try the lesson
The start of the From the Directory to Brumaire, 1795–99: Dealing with internal and external threats: the Verona Declaration and the émigrés; Parisian unrest; revolt in the provinces and reaction to conscription; the significance of war for the domestic situation, 1795–99. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which document, issued by the comte de Provence in 1795, promised the restoration of the monarchy and the return of émigré property, thereby alarming republicans in France?
Listen
Between 1795 and 1799, France faced interconnected internal and external threats. The Verona Declaration (1795) promised restoration of the Bourbon monarchy, encouraging émigrés and royalist plots. Parisian unrest included the Vendémiaire rising (October 1795), which Bonaparte suppressed for the Thermidorian Convention just before the Directory's establishment, and later the Directory faced the radical Conspiracy of Equals (1796). In the provinces, royalist and Catholic revolts such as the Vendée and Chouannerie persisted. Reaction to conscription (the Jourdan Law, 1798) provoked resistance, notably in Belgium and the south. The significance of war for the domestic situation was profound: military successes boosted morale but relied on conscription, fuelling resistance; defeats intensified political instability, contributing to the Directory's reliance on the army. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains the Verona Declaration as a royalist manifesto that raised émigré hopes and prompted counter-measures against returning émigrés. Analyses Parisian unrest: the Vendémiaire rising (October 1795) crushed by Bonaparte, and the Conspiracy of Equals (1796) revealing continuing radical opposition. Assesses revolt in the provinces: the Vendée and Chouannerie involved royalist and Catholic guerrilla warfare, requiring military repression and undermining authority. Evaluates reaction to conscription: the Jourdan Law (1798) extended conscription, causing draft evasion and revolts in Belgium and southern France. A common slip: treating the Verona Declaration as a military alliance. Instead, it was a political declaration by Louis XVIII's court promising restoration and appealing to émigrés. Exam tip: Link each threat to the government's response and assess how far it weakened the regime, using specific dates and events.
See it
Put the events in order
Put these events in the order they happened, earliest first.
- 1. Verona Declaration promised restoration of the Bourbon monarchy
- 2. Jourdan Law extended conscription
- 3. Conspiracy of Equals revealed continuing radical opposition
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Verona Declaration
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Vendémiaire rising
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Conspiracy of Equals
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Jourdan Law
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Verona Declaration
- A political declaration by Louis XVIII's court promising restoration of the Bourbon monarchy and appealing to émigrés.
- Vendémiaire rising
- A royalist rising in October 1795, suppressed by Bonaparte for the Thermidorian Convention just before the Directory's establishment.
- Conspiracy of Equals
- A radical egalitarian plot of 1796 that revealed continuing radical opposition to the Directory in Paris.
- Jourdan Law
- The 1798 law that extended conscription, causing draft evasion and revolts in Belgium and southern France.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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