HERO OR VILLAIN? The Age of Napoleon

Your Task- Just Listen! When Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the Directory (revolutionary government) and seized power in France he, in a sense, brought the revolution to an end. Napoleon once said, “I am the revolution” and never stopped reminding the French that he preserved what was best about the revolution making him a Hero to many. Some, however, disagree. Many feel Napoleon's actions in France reversed what the revolution had achieved. To these people he is viewed as a Villain.

Your Task- Just Listen! You decide! I am going to present information about the rise and fall of napoleon. Pay close attention to the bolded phrases and determine if it should go in the Hero or Villain column. Keep in mind some of the ideas of the revolution:  Equality for all  Freedom of Speech  Freedom of Press  No absolute monarchy (limited government)

Early Napoleon Born 1769, in Corsica Son of a lawyer from Florentine nobility Military education Well read on the works of the philosophes Not well liked by peers

Military Successes Captain of French army in 1792 Made general by Committee of Public Safety in 1792 Commander of French army in Italy in considered conquering hero in France

Consul and Emperor Overthrew the Directory and est. new government.  The Consulate Napoleon now held absolute power Controlled entire gov’t.  Appointed bureaucracy  Controlled the army  Conducted foreign affairs  Influenced legislature Named Consul for life Crowns “himself” emperor

Peace with the Church Napoleon made peach with the church  Identified Catholicism as state religion  The church agreed not to ask for the lands seized from them during the revolution (Constitution of the Clergy)

Codification of Laws Napoleon placed French law into one singular law code- prior to rev. France had 300 separate legal systems. Napoleonic Code granted:  Equality of all citizens  Right to choose your profession  Religious toleration  Abolition of serfdom & feudalism  1 st & 2 nd estate lost all privileges Napoleonic Code restricted:  Inheritance laws  Divorce laws  Women's rights- deemed “less equal than men”

Preserver of the Revolution? Napoleon did preserve some of the ideas of the revolution…. On the other hand:  Liberty was replaced by despotism  Napoleon shut down 60 of France's 73 newspapers  All manuscripts wee screened by the gov’t.  All mail was subject to be opened

A New Bureaucracy Developed a powerful, centralized administrative machine.  Promotion was based on ability, NOT birth  Created a new aristocracy based on merit in state service  Created 3,263 nobles between 1808 and 1814 from the middle class.

Building and Empire Between built a vast empires composed of:  French Empire  Dependent states under the rule of Napoleon’s relatives-  Spain, Holland, Italy, Swiss Republic, Warsaw, areas throughout Germany  Allied States which were defeated by Napoleon  Prussia, Austria, Russia, Sweden

The Fall of Napoleon Main causes of Napoleon’s fall:  The strength of Great Britain (sea power, trading empire)  Nationalism  The French revolution stirred patriotism.  Other European countries saw what a nation at arms could do  Disaster in Russia  Russia refused to be controlled by Napoleon  He feared if they backed out so would others  French army invades in Russian winter Starving & Freezing European armies cripple Napoleon’s forces Napoleon is exiled to the island of Elba

HERO? VILLAIN?