1. An Epic Roller-coaster Ride
The Fall of Napoleon
An Epic Roller-coaster Ride

2. What Led to Napoleon’s Downfall?
Napoleon over-extended his army—he invaded too many places at the same time.
Napoleon forces his Napoleonic Codes on the foreign lands he conquered, which made his new “subjects” very angry!
Napoleon tried to control all European trade via the “Continental System”, also making his “subjects” very angry!

3. Nationalism Backfires!
Because Napoleon was so interested in forcing French culture and rules on the nations he took over, it caused several nations to reinstall their own nationalism and rise up against France and Napoleon.
Ex: Germany and France, Spain and France
Germany and Spain used guerrilla warfare against France. Guerrilla means “little war” in French.

4. France vs. Russia 1st major defeat for Napoleon
Showed that Napoleon could be defeated
Czar Alexander I turned on Napoleon causing Nap. To invade Russia
Napoleon was too great to fight, so Russians fled east, burning everything (crops, homes, supplies etc…) between French troops and Russian troops.
This is called the “scorched earth policy”
French troops went hungry and shelterless, so they were forced to retreat.

5. A New Alliance Sinks Napoleon
After the Russian success in Russia, Russia, Britain, Austria and Prussia rose up against a weakened French Army.
France is defeated in 1813
1814: Napoleon steps down from power (abdicated) and was exiled to the island of Elba. King Louis XVI’s brother Louis XVIII took the throne of France.

6. The victorious nations met in Vienna to discuss France’s future.
Napoleon used this opportunity to escape from Elba and return to power.
Napoleon’s rise to power was epic. He defied all the odds and reclaimed his position as Emperor of France.
He only returned to power for 100 days before he was defeated again by the Duke of Wellington.
Napoleon returned to exile, this time to the island of St. Helena—never to return again.

7. Napoleon’s Legacy Died 1821
Remembered as “the son of the revolution” as well as “revolution on horseback”.
Napoleonic code was a model for written laws.
His militaristic abilities are his biggest contributions to modern history
**He was the French leader who sold the Lousisana Territory to the American Gov’t, which doubled the size of the United States.

8. The Congress of Vienna
Leaders from 10 countries led the meeting that focused on restructuring the power structure of Europe and protecting Monarchies.
The European map is redrawn
France is surrounded by powerful countries and new countries are created (Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland)
European monarchs are all “Legitimized”