1. NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
Little Man, Big Goals

2. Origins Born in Corsica, France…but was actually Italian
Had 9 brothers and sisters
Classmates made fun of his accent in school
Graduated from military school in 1784 as an artillery officer…he was 16 years old

3. Early Military Success
Gained rank as Lieutenant in for the French army in Italy
Brilliant strategies lead to him becoming a General in 1793…he was only 24
Sent back to Paris after victory in Italy

4. Saving the Directory
October 3, Citizens excluded from the Directory rebel in Paris
Thousands of angry protesters storm Paris City Hall to kill the Directors and other throw the government
Napoleon takes command of ragtag defense force and fires grapeshot into the crowd
Kills 1400 people, saves the Directory

5. Successful Campaigns
Napoleon leads France to victory in Italy
Capture the city-state Venice, end the city’s independence after 1,100 years.
Napoleon leads an expedition in North Africa against Ottoman Turks
Ravage the local populations and steal riches from the Egyptian pyramids
Returns to France a hero

7. Emperor The Directory is weak when Napoleon returns to Paris
Uses the military to perform a coup
Establishes the Consulate (3 ruler government) in 1799
After a series of social reforms and military victories led by Napoleon, he declares himself Emperor of France in 1804
France becomes a military dictatorship

9. Napoleon’s Reforms
The Napoleonic Code- Makes the laws equal for all, makes men the head of the house, allows divorce.
Creates the metric system (cm, mm, meters)
Outlaws Jewish ghettos and ends Jewish persecution
Makes peace with the Catholic Church

10. Wars of Conquest
Britain, Russia, and Austria declare war on France in 1805
Major victories against the British, Russians, Austrians, Prussians, and Spanish between
Allied himself with Ottoman Turks and Persians (Iran)

11. Invasion of Russia
In an attempt to bring all of Europe under his control, Napoleon invades Russia in June, 1812
Invaded with 450,000 French soldiers
Russians avoided a major battle and kept retreating further into Russia
Russians used “Scorched Earth” strategy
Finally stood and fought at Battle of Borodino outside of Moscow in September, 1812
44,000 Russians and 35,000 French casualties, bloodiest single day in warfare up till that point

12. Invasion of Russia Russians retreat and abandon Moscow
Napoleon plans to enter the city, citizens of Moscow burn it to the ground
French forced to retreat from Russia, they are out of supplies
Winter sets in and kills thousands of French soldiers
Only 40,000 of the 450,000 French survive
Russians lose 150,000 troops and 300,000 civilians

14. Exile and Big Time Comeback
United force of Great Britain, Prussia, Spain, Austria, Portugal, Italy, and Sweden invade France soon after Napoleon gets back from Russia
Napoleon defeated and Paris captured
Gives up title of Emperor and exiled to the island of Elba off the coast of Italy in 1814
But wait..
February, Napoleon returns to France and the army supports him
Marches to Paris and takes back title of Emperor with 200,000 troops

15. The Last 100 Days
Napoleon rules in Paris for 100 days as Emperor again
Great Britain, Russia, Austria and Prussia promise to each put 150,000 men into the field to end his rule
June 18, Napoleon meets and is defeated by the Allied European armies at Battle of Waterloo
48,000 French casualties and 25,000 Allies killed
Napoleon is exiled to St. Helen Island, 2000 miles off the coast of Africa
Dies of stomach cancer in 1821…51 years old