Napoleon
“The General”
Napoleon Grasps Power 1796 the Directory appoints him to lead the army against Austria and was able to defeat them in Italy Napoleon loses in Egypt but keeps reports out of the press 1799 Napoleon put in charge of military 1799 Napoleon stages a coup d’etat and takes power from the Directory 1802 Europe at peace 1804 Napoleon crowned himself Emperor
Napoleon Restores Order stable economy- more equal taxation national bank reduced government corruption Concordant (agreement) with Pope Pius XVI new relationship between church and state Napoleonic Code- comprehensive and uniform legal system (although it gave France uniform laws it was actually a step backwards)
Napoleon Creates an Empire 1807-1812 New World territories Uprising in Haiti Sold Louisiana to President Jefferson Napoleon wanted to expand in Europe after getting Austrian Netherlands and parts of Italy Battle of Trafalgar- naval defeat in 1805 off the shore of the Spanish coast assured supremacy of the British navy and forced Napoleon to give up plans to invade Britain By 1812 the only countries not under Napoleon’s rule were Britain, Ottoman Empire, Portugal, Sweden
Napoleon’s Mistakes French Empire large but unstable because conquered people not loyal to France Continental System- effort to destroy Britain’s commercial and industrial economy. Shut off ports between Britain and other European states - Weakened trade but didn’t destroy it Britain launched counter attack that was more damaging War of 1812- Britain vs. U.S. (ends in a draw) Peninsular War 1808- Portugal was ignoring the blockade so Napoleon sent army through Spain.
Invasion of Russia= Epic Fail Breakdown in Alliance between Russia and France (partly due to Russia’s trade with Britain) Scorched-earth policy- Alexander burned down earth to starve the French troops and then burns Moscow Napoleon goes into Russia with 422,000 troops and leaves with only 28,000
Napoleon’s Downfall 4th coalition- Britain, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, Austria Oct. 1813 Battle of Leipzig defeated April 1814 defeated empire and exiled to Elba off the Italian coast
Failed comeback Louis XVIII came to rule France but unpopular, so Napoleon came back and was crowned emperor again in March 1815 Waterloo in Belgium- 6/15/1815- loses against the British and Prussians, so British shipped him to an island in the South Atlantic where he lived for 6 years and died of a stomach ailment
Free Response Napoleon’s rise to power signaled the end of the French Revolution. In your opinion, were the goals of the Revolution accomplished with Napoleon? Why or why not? Also, remark on the statement that Napoleon is a villain and not a hero. Agree or disagree. Why or why not?