1. THE RISE OF NAPOLEON AND IMPERIAL FRANCE

2. THE DIRECTORY
1795 – a new plan of government was drafted by the National Convention
Called for a two-house legislature
The executive body was made up of five men, known as the Directory
Established a period of order, but corruption was a part of this government
Named Napoleon Bonaparte general and gave him command of France’s army

3. NAPOLEON Born in Corsica in 1769
Sent to military school in France at the age of 9
Finished school at age of 16 and became a lieutenant in the artillery
Joined revolutionary army when the revolution broke out

4. NAPOLEON TAKES CONTROL
November 9, 1799 Napoleon was placed in charge of the military in France
November 10, 1799 Napoleon took over the government in a coup d’etat
The legislature dissolved the Directory and established a group of 3 consuls
Napoleon assumed dictatorial powers as first consul of the French Republic

5. NAPOLEON’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Economic
Fairer tax codes
Established a national bank
Stabilized currency and gave state loans to businesses
Political/Social
Appointed officials by merit
Fired corrupt officials
Created the Napoleonic Code (law code)
Created lycees

6. Accomplishments cont. Religion
Recognized Catholicism as the “faith of Frenchmen”
Signed concordat with the pope
Retained seized church lands

7. Napoleon as Emperor Decided to make himself emperor in 1804
Took the crown from the pope and placed it on his own head, signaling that he was more powerful than the church
Expanded his empire to include most of Europe by either taking over territories or forcing them to ally themselves with France

8. NAPOLEON’S THREE COSTLY MISTAKES
The Continental System – a blockade of Great Britain intended to destroy Britain’s commercial and industrial economy
The Peninsular War – attempt to invade Portugal through Spain enflaming the nationalistic feelings of the Spanish and Portuguese
Invasion of Russia – disastrous campaign against Russia in 1812 in which Napoleon lost nearly 400,000 troops

9. NAPOLEON’S DOWNFALL
A coalition of European nations waged war against France (Britain, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and Austria)
In April 1814, Napoleon gave up his throne and was exiled to the island of Elba
Louis XVIII (brother of Louis XVI) was named king of France, but was unpopular among the masses
Napoleon escaped on March 1, 1815 and within days was again emperor of France

10. NAPOLEON’S FINAL DEFEAT
Napoleon’s forces were defeated at Waterloo, Belgium on June 17, 1815 by British forces led by the Duke of Wellington
Napoleon was shipped to St. Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic
He lived there in exile for six years. He died in 1821 of a stomach ailment (probably cancer)

11. REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS AND NAPOLEON
REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS ACCOMPLISHED:
Restored peace with the Church
Codified laws
Centralized the government
Created a new aristocracy based on service to the government
New economic policy and the Bank of France
REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS DESTROYED:
Liberty was replaced by despotism
Limited freedom of the press by shutting down newspapers