Napoleon Bonaparte (This is an ID)

Dominated by the radical Jacobins Review: There was growing instability in the French Revolutionary government in the 1790s Dominated by the radical Jacobins Much bloodshed and violence within France as the Jacobins put down all opposition Constant state of war with other countries as France tried to export revolution to other nations and attack those who were conspiring against it

Napoleon rose to the rank of general and helped crush an uprising against the French government; Eventually he took control of the entire French army 1799: Napoleon led a coup (a military takeover of the government), declared himself Emperor, and established a dictatorship Napoleon did have a new Constitution written for France that established a republic in theory, but he ran the country like a dictatorship

Why did the French people accept an emperor after fighting for democracy against King Louis XVI?

NAPOLEON PROVIDED POWER AND STABILITY AFTER 10 YEARS OF CHAOS NAPOLEON ALSO CONTINUED THE REFORMS OF THE REVOLUTION

Napoleonic Code NEW CLEAR AND CONSISTENT SET OF LAWS BASED ON THE IDEAS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT -One difference between it and the Enlightenment: It placed the State above the rights of the citizens (limited freedom of speech and press, women lost rights)

Napoleon made peace with the Catholic Church Continued wars with neighboring nations in effort to build an empire (dominated most of Europe) France’s top enemy: BRITAIN

Ways Napoleon fought Britain Naval Invasion: NAPOLEON ORDERED NAVAL ATTACK ON BRITAIN—IT FAILED

Continental System: NAPOLEON ORDERED EUROPEAN COUNTRIES NOT TO TRADE WITH BRITAIN —Also failed because of the strength of the British Navy and the willingness of some countries to violate the system

Downfall of Napoleon’s empire Rebellion: MANY NATIONS THAT HAD BEEN CONQUERED BY NAPOLEON REBELLED AGAINST HIS RULE; OTHERS JUST DIDN’T LISTEN TO HIS ORDERS

Alexander I and Russia Alexander considered Napoleon a threat to Russia and Russia had been hurt by the Continental System, so Alexander withdrew from the Continental System and resumed trade with Britain Napoleon invaded Russia

Scorched Earth Policy The Russians burned and destroyed everything as they retreated so the French could not live off the land (the French troops were too far from France to be supplied from France) The French were caught deep in Russia with no supplies when the Russian winter hit Napoleon lost most of his army and was quickly attacked by other enemies

Exile: NAPOLEON WAS DEFEATED AND FORCED INTO EXILE King Louis XVIII: BROTHER OF KING LOUIS XVI WHO WAS PLACED ON THE THRONE OF FRANCE TO REPLACE NAPOLEON

Battle of Waterloo Napoleon escaped his exile and returned to France He raised an army and marched toward Paris He was defeated at Waterloo (in Belgium) by a coalition force led by the Duke of Wellington Napoleon was returned to exile where he died of natural causes (some suggest he was poisoned)

Impact of Napoleon Did not allow true representative government Did spread the ideas of the French Revolution throughout Europe (equality before law, religious toleration, advancement by merit rather than birth) Established uniform set of laws and government, reformed taxes, promoted education, improved agriculture and industry