1. Napoleon Bonaparte

2. Early years Born in 1769 on the island of Corsica
French island in Mediterranean, but heavy Italian population
Brilliant student, became a officer at age of 16
Joined the army of the new government after the revolution

3. “Hero of the hour”
Royalist rebels march on the National Assembly in 1795
Napoleon ordered to defend the delegates (people meeting inside)
Napoleon’s troops attack the rebels with cannons, scatters them
Republic leaders fall head over heels for Napoleon

4. Army leader
French government (the Directory) orders attack on Austria via territories in Italy
Napoleon invades Italy, wins many successes
Napoleon then sets sights on Egypt to try and control British trade with India
Attacks British in Egypt, defeated by Admiral Nelson, but manages to “hide” defeat from the French
Still remains a hero

5. Coup d’Etat Directory starts to lose control of government in 1799
Napoleon’s friends urge him to take over the government
He seizes control, government puts him in power with two other men
He then takes title of First Consul and the leadership role

6. War still going on with Europe
1799 – British, Austrians and Russians join forces to try and topple Napoleon
Napoleon managed to defeat them all OR sign treaties with them
By 1802, there was peace in Europe after 10 years of war
Napoleon could now focus on “fixing” France

7. Napoleon’s rule
Holds a plebiscite (vote of the people) to approve a new constitution
Constitution of the Year VIII and secured his own election as First Consul
Developed a centralized administration
Cleaned up corruption, set up tax collection and banking systems
Prefects-supervise local government
Established lycees, or public schools (first time)

8. Domestic Policy: Catholic Church
Napoleon signs a concordat with the Pope in 1801
Pope gives support to Napoleon in exchange for no French government control over church
Church land confiscated during revolution is not returned and Catholicism is not reestablished as the state religion
Catholic and Protestant clergy paid by the State

9. Domestic Policy: Code of Law
Most important: Civil Code
Preserved revolutionary principles of equality, religious tolerance, abolition of feudalism, protection of property
But also limited freedom of press and speech that were gained during the revolution
Step backward in gender equality
Napoleon is getting a little power hungry

11. Napoleon as Emperor
December 2, 1804 he crowns himself Emperor in Notre Dame cathedral
Pope was there, holding the crown for him
Napoleon took the crown and put it on his own head
Q: What was Napoleon trying to say here?
France now on the road to becoming an empire

12. Starting an Empire France held territories in North America
Louisiana
Haiti (island of Hispaniola in Caribbean)
In a crunch for cash, Napoleon sells all of Louisiana Territory to US for $15 million
US had approached Napoleon just to sell New Orleans, but now had the chance to buy it all
Also ensured US would survive as a strong nation

13. Conquering Europe
Napoleon annexes the Austrian Netherlands (what later becomes Belgium)
Annexed parts of Italy, controlled Switzerland
Pushes across German states, headed for Austria (Austria and Prussia then switch sides to ally with Napoleon)
By 1812, Napoleon controls all of Europe (directly or indirectly) except Britain, Sweden and the Ottoman Empire
The Empire is huge, but unstable—1812 things begin to fall apart.

14. Some benefits of Napoleon’s rule of Europe
Allowed German states to start unifying into one nation
Remember Germany still does not exist as a nation yet
Same thing for Italy
Small independent states, “Italy” still does not exist
Government for Poland
Poland had been carved up by Prussia and Russia in the past, now had a chance to have its own government again

16. Napoleonic mistakes First mistake: The Continental System
Napoleon sets up a blockade to prevent all trade between Europe and Great Britain
Britain then stops all ships coming to countries controlled by Napoleon
India, African colonies, United States, Canada
Ends up hurting Napoleon more than Britain

17. Journal

22. Napoleonic mistakes Second mistake: Peninsular War
Invades Portugal and Spain
Napoleon makes his own brother King of Spain
Spanish resist, start guerrilla warfare
Peasant fighters, hid in the hills, not an organized army – but VERY effective
Ended up costing Napoleon 300,000 men
Starts to inspire others across Europe to rebel

23. Biggest mistake of all
Russia was Napoleon’s ally, but they continued trade with Britain
Napoleon decides to invade in June 1812
Sends 600,000 troops into Russia
Czar Alexander of Russia retreats, burning everything he can
Scorched earth policy – why did they do this?
Battle of Borodino – two armies finally fight a battle, Napoleon wins
March to Moscow – down to 100,000 soldiers

24. Russia Napoleon marches into Moscow, only to find it totally ablaze
Alexander destroyed it rather than let the French “win” it
In October Napoleon decides to take his troops back to France
They get caught in the winter, most freeze to death or die from enemy attacks
Only 40,000 make it back alive

27. Napoleon’s downfall Wars of Liberation
Now Britain has Russia, Prussia and Sweden allied against him
Austria now declares war on France
Napoleon raises a new army
October 1813 defeated at Leipzig (Germany)
January 1814 – allies invade France
March 1814 – King Frederick William of Prussia and Czar Alexander lead troops in a parade through Paris

28. Exile
Napoleon surrenders in April 1814, goes into exile on island of Elba off coast of Italy
Louis XVI’s brother Louis XVIII becomes king, monarchy restored
Started to undo most of the reforms of the revolution
Becomes very unpopular

29. The Hundred Days Napoleon returns from exile
Marches from Elba through Italy and over the Alps into France
Crowds cheer him, Louis’s army deserts him and join Napoleon
Napoleon is emperor once again
Europeans quickly get their armies back together

30. Waterloo
British led by the Duke of Wellington masses troops near Waterloo (in Belgium)
Napoleon attacks, but British defend their ground
Prussian troops arrive to help British
Two days later, French troops start to collapse
Napoleon surrenders
British send him to St. Helena, an island in the South Atlantic in the middle of nowhere
He dies there in 1821

31. Result of Waterloo “He was as great a man can be without virtue”
Opened the door for the victorious European powers to establish a new order in Europe
More specific results to come…