Section 4 The Age of Napoleon Begins

Napoleon’s Rise to Power Napoleon Bonaparte-born in Corsica (French-ruled island in the Mediterranean) He favored the Jacobins and republican rule Thought French Revolution confusing

Early Success December 1793, drove British forces out of French port of Toulon Captured most of northern Italy Led expedition to Egypt in 1798 hoping to disrupt British trade with India It was proved to be a disaster 1799, he moved from victorious general to political leader Napoleon soon took the title First Consul 1802, had himself named consul for life

Self mad Emperor Two years later, acquired enough power to assume title Emperor of France Each step of rise to power, he held a plebiscite plebiscite-ballot in which voters say yes or no

France Under Napoleon Napoleon consolidated his power by strengthening government Order, security, and efficiency replaced liberty, equality, and fraternity as the slogans of the new regime Restore economic prosperity Controlled prices, encouraged new industry, and built roads and canals Set up public schools Made peace with Catholic Church in the Concordat of 1801

Cont Peasants relieved when he recognized their rights to lands they bought from the Church and nobles during Revolution Middle class approved Napoleon’s economic reforms Made jobs “open to all talent”

Napoleonic Code New law code called the Napoleonic Code. It embodied Enlightenment principles equality religion toleration advancement based on merit Napoleon valued order and authority over individual rights

Building an Empire From 1804-1814, Napoleon faced down the combined European forces By 1810, his Grand Empire reached its greatest extent He annexed some areas to France, such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of Italy and Germany annex- add outright

Cont. Napoleon controlled much of Europe through forceful diplomacy One tactic was to put friends and relatives on the thrones of Europe After unseating the king of Spain, he placed his brother Joseph Bonaparte, on the throne Britain alone remained outside Napoleon’s European Empire 1805, Napoleon prepared to invade Britain But at the Battle of Trafalgar, British Admiral Horatio Nelson smashed a French fleet.

Cont. Napoleon struck at Britains lifeblood, its commerce. He waged economic warfare Britain responded with blockade of European ports blockade-Shutting off a port to stop supplies from entering or leaving Both seized neutral ships suspected of trading with the other sider British attacks on American Ships sparked anger in the U.S. and eventually triggered the War of 1812 In the end, Napoleon failed to bring Britain to its knees

Section 5 The End of an Era

Challenges to Napoleon’s Empire Under Napoleon, French armies spread the ideas of the revoultion across Europe The Napoleonic Code was also carried across Europe Napoleon’s success, however, had seeds of defeat Many Europeans who had welcomed the ideas of the revolution saw Napoleon and his armies as foreign opressors From Rome to Madrid to the Netherlands, nationalism unleashed revolts against France

Cont. 1808, king of Spain replaced by brother, Joseph Bonaparte Spanish patriots made campaign of guerrilla warfare against French guerilla warfare-hit and run raids

Cont. Spanish resistance encouraged Austria hostilities against French 1805, Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon victorious against Austro-Russian army 1809, Napoleon won again at Wagram Next year, divorced wife Josephine Married Austrian princess Marie Louise He and his heirs could claim kinship with the royalty of Europe

Cont. Alliance with other family disturbed Czar Alexander I of Russia 1812, 400,000 French and other soldiers invaded Russia About 10,000 soldiers survived

Downfall of Napoleon Disaster in Russia brought new alliances (Russia, Britain, and Austria) against weakened France 1813, they defeated Napoleon at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig Next year, Napoleon abdicated abdicated-stepped down Exiled him to Elba Louis XVIII king of France Economic depression and fear of old regime helped rekindle loyalty to Napoleon

Cont. Escaped island and returned to France Citizens cheered Napoleon’s advance, Louis XVIII fled March 1815, entered Paris in triumph Triumph lasted only 100 days June 18,1815, British forces under Duke of Wellington and Prussian army crushed French in a long-day battle He was exiled to St. Helena Didn’t return Died in 1821

Legacy of Napoleon Conquest spread ideas of the revolution Failed to make Europe into a French Empire Abolition of the Holy Roman Empire helped create a new Germany 1803, decision to sell France’s vast Louisiana Territory to American government doubled the size of U.S. and made an age of expansion

The Congress of Vienna Diplomats and heads of state sat down at Congress of Vienna Faced task of restoring stability and order in Europe Congress met for 10 months Main goal to create a lasting peace by making balance of power and protecting system of monarchy Peacemaker redrew map of Europe

Cont. To turn clock back to 1792, architects of peace made principle of legitimacy principle of legitimacy- restoring hereditary monarchies that French Revolution or Napoleon unseated Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Great Britain pledged to act together to maintain balance and power The Congress created a framework for peace Europe would not see a war on a Napoleonic scale until 1914