NAPOLEON AND THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte came to power in France in 1799 when he committed a coup d’etat, or overthrew, the Directory Once in power he used a plebiscite to show popular support – Plebiscite = a popular vote by the people

In 1804 Napoleon creates the First French Empire and makes himself emperor Napoleon made peace with the Catholic Church and the émigrés Napoleon’s greatest achievement was his Civil Code of 1804, otherwise known as the Napoleonic Code which created one legal system for all of France Napoleon also made a new aristocracy that was based on service to Napoleon and not on birth – These new aristocrats had no special privileges and the titles could not be passed on to kids

In the Battle of Trafalgar Napoleon’s navy attacks Great Britain’s navy and loses – The importance of this battle is that it shows Napoleon that he won’t be able to invade Great Britain Great Britain, Austria, Russia, and Prussia were in a coalition against Napoleon and France – During Napoleon’s wars, France’s greatest enemy was Great Britain – To defeat the British Napoleon instituted the Continental System, whose purpose was to destroy the British economy by not allowing the British to trade with Europe The Continental System fails to hurt the British economy

Napoleon’s Grand Empire – French Empire = enlarged France with territories added on – Dependent States = countries conquered by France Their rulers were taken out of power and replaced by Napoleon’s relatives – Allied States = countries defeated by Napoleon and battle and forced to ally with him against Great Britain

Reasons why Napoleon’s Grand Empire collapses – Can’t defeat Great Britain – Nationalism – Spanish revolt – The invasion of Russia Napoleon’s greatest mistake was his invasion of Russia The Russians defeat Napoleon’s Grand Army by retreating hundreds of miles and burning the countryside – They draw Napoleon further into Russia and let the winter destroy his army Most of Napoleon’s army is lost in Russia

The first time Napoleon is defeated he is exiled to the island of Elba – In the Hundred Days Napoleon escapes, rebuilds his army, and starts to reconquer his empire Napoleon is defeated for the final time at the Battle of Waterloo by the Duke of Wellington

Congress of Vienna After the defeat of Napoleon and France the European nations meet at the Congress of Vienna to discuss the peace terms (final peace settlement) – The leader of the Congress of Vienna is Prince Klemens von Metternich

Goals of the Congress of Vienna – Restore the balance of power – Redraw the map of Europe Rearrange territories to make balance of power possible and to contain France – Restore monarchies Principle of Legitimacy = monarchs or families who had been in power prior to Napoleon and the French Revolution were restored to power – Maintain peace and stability

– Stop all revolutions Principle of Intervention = the great powers have to the right to send armies into countries to put down revolutions and restore rulers – Return Europe to how it was prior to Napoleon and the French Revolution This was the overall goal of the Congress of Vienna Concert of Europe was created and designed to maintain peace and balance of power in Europe The Congress of Vienna was extremely conservative

New political philosophies – Conservatism = political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, favors obedience to political authority and organized religion Hates change and revolution Conservatives also did not like the philosophies of liberalism and nationalism – Liberalism = political philosophy based on Enlightenment principles, holding that people should be as free as possible from gov’t restraint and that civil liberties should be protected Wants guarantees of the protection of their rights = constitutions

– Nationalism = sense of identity and unity as a people Each nationality should have its own government – Romanticism = an intellectual movement that emerged in reaction to the ideas of the Enlightenment Stressed feelings and emotions, glorified nature and the medieval past – Socialism = system in which society, usually in the form of gov’t, owns and controls the means of production

Revolts in Latin and South America – The first revolt in Latin America took place in Haiti – The two liberators of South America were Jose de San Martin and Simon Bolivar Monroe Doctrine – issued by President James Monroe in 1823 – It states that the United States will guarantee the independence of the new Latin American nations and warns against any European intervention in the Americas