Napoleon Bonaparte: The French Revolutionary Leader

1. Today’s Agenda • Turn in Extra Credit • 13th President • 2nd (semester) chances • CBA in Feb/March • On deck for this week • My idea for a government? • French Revolution recap • Napole0n

2. Essential Understandings • The French Revolution left a powerful legacy for world history: secular society, nationalism, and democratic ideas. • Napoleon’s attempt to unify Europe under French domination was unsuccessful. Questions to answer • What was Napoleon’s legacy? • What was the Congress of Vienna’s legacy?

3. The Young and the Headless • What happened to France during the Revolution? • What state was the country in at the end of the documentary?

4. Napoleon Bonaparte

5. Save us Napolean! • 1795 – Defeats royalist rebels attacking the National Convention, labeled hero of the hour and savior of the French republic • Gains even more popularity with stunning wins in Italy, but looses in Egypt to the British….shhh, don’t tell anyone!!! • By 1799, the government had lost control of the political situation and the citizens’ confidence • Napolean swoops in, drives out most of the legislatures • Those left establish a group of three consuls, with one of them being, surprise surprise, Napo’

6. What a poser • Napo’ quickly takes title of First Consul and assumes power of dictator, poses as constitutionally chosen leader • This is what we call a coup d’état (French for “blow to the state”) • A plebiscite, or vote of the people, held in 1800 to choose new constitution, which gives most of the power to you know who (no, not Voldemort) • The people were desperate for a strong leader so they didn’t care too much

7. Even with the best intentions… • Restores order at home • Economic fix – sets up national banking system and efficient tax collection • Establishes lycées – gov’t run schools to train officials • Reduced corruption within the government • Signs concordat, or agreement, to make nice with the pope, restoring Catholicism to France • Creates Napoleonic Code • Arranged uniform set of laws and eliminated many injustices • Actually limited liberty • Promoted order and authority over individual rights (freedom of speech/press restricted)

8. It’s good to be the….Emperor • Napo’ decides to make himself emperor and the voters supported it • He literally takes the crown from the pope and places it on his own head • Symbolism of this move? • Had dreams of controlling Europe and having empire in America • In 1801, Napoleon attempts to retake colony of Saint Domingue(Haiti) but fails • Gives up on the Americas and concentrates on Europe • Sells the Louisiana Territory to United States for $15 million in 1803 (to my boy Thomas Jefferson)

9. The Coronation of Napoleon

10. The Feisty French • Napo’ annexed Austrian Netherlands, parts of Italy and set up puppet gov’t in Switzerland • He was a military genius and whoops Britain, Russia, Austria, and Sweden when they try to stop him, forces them to sign treaties very favorable to France • Battle of Trafalgar – sea battle that France loses, badly • Ensured Britain’s sea supremacy for 100 years • Abandons plans to invade Britain • Empire covered most of Europe but was unstable • His control over Europe only lasted 5 years Interactive

11. Napo’s gets too big for his britches • Blockade of Britain doesn’t work, Britain returns favor • Peninsular War - 1808 • Sends troops across Spain to attack Portugal • Makes his brother king of Spain, bad idea • Spanish turn guerrilla fighters, aided by British • Napoleon loses 300,000 soldiers • Invasion of Russia – June 1812 • Napoleon marches into Russia with 420,000 men • Russians use scorched-earth policy– destroying crops, livestock as they retreat • In September 1812, Russians retreat from Moscow • Napoleon finds Moscow abandoned and burning • Napoleon retreats, losing thousands of soldiers to raids, cold weather, only 10,000 soldiers left after leaving Russia

12. Dropped like a bad habit • Britain, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and Austria declare war on Napoleon • He manages to raise an army but they were untrained and ill prepared for battle • Allied forces easily defeat the French army • April 1814 – Napo’ accepts terms of surrender and gives up throne, banished to island of Elba off Italian coast • Louis XVIII, brother of Louis XVI takes throne • Quickly becomes unpopular, especially with peasants, they suspect him of undoing Revolution’s land reforms

13. Sacre bleu! C’estNapolean! • Napoleon hears of troubles and escapes Elba to regain power • Joyous crowds welcome him back and volunteers flock to join his army, he is once again Emperor of France • The Allied forces quickly regroup to stop him • Armies clash at Waterloo (in what is now Belgium) • After two days of fighting, the exhausted French troops give way and are chased from battlefield • This last bid for power by Napo called the Hundred Days • This time he is shipped to St. Helena, small island in South Atlantic, dies 6 years later of stomach problems

14. Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again • Congress of Vienna • Russia, Prussia, Austria, UK, and France met to establish long-lasting peace and stability in Europe • Balance of power set up • No one country would be a threat to others • Weak countries around France made stronger • Netherlands formed, Switzerland recognized as nation, 39 German states become German Confederation • France not severely punished so wouldn’t seek revenge • Rulers who Napo drove off were restored to power • France, Spain, states in Italy and Central Europe

15. Legacy of Napo and Congress of Vienna • Napoleon • Stabilizes France after over a decade of turmoil • Establishes code of law with aspects that can still be seen today in France • Gave Europe a desire for peace • Congress of Vienna • For first time, all nations of an entire continent cooperate to control political affairs • No country unfairly punished so seeds of future war avoided • 40 years of peace until Crimean War between UK, France, Ottoman Empire and Russia • More and more people see democracy as best way to ensure equality and justice for all