Napoleon Bonaparte

“Ambition is never content even on the summit of greatness.”

Born in Corsica as an Italian-

Became a French citizen at the age of 1

Corsica

Home in which Napoleon was born

Became dictator (all power held by a single person) of France for 10 years in 1799 when he launched a coup d’ etat (stroke of state) against the Directory

Became Emperor for life after winning a plebiscite (yes or no vote)

Napoleon was immediately at war with the Second Coalition (countries united against France)

Coalitions were formed because other European Monarchs did not want their people to see the French get away with killing their king and starting Republics.

Loved by all of the French

NAPOLEON AS LEADER OF FRANCE

General Reforms

Freedom of worship

Stabilized food prices

Class Equality

Rebuilt Paris

Got rid of 10 day week (& calendar)

Legal Reform:The Napoleonic Code – single set of laws for all

of France

Equality of law

Basic liberties

Restored slavery

Limits on women’s rights

Limits on political rights and freedom of speech and press

NO LAWS APPLIED TO NAPOLEON

Class Reforms

1. Clergy

Improved Catholic’s status

Gave back land

Dropped state controls

2. Nobility

Allowed nobility to return from exile

Gave back land and political status

3. Bourgeoisie

Stabilized markets and trade

Lowered taxes

Peasants

Jobs

Lowered food prices

Napoleon as a Military LeaderWave of victories

Awesome General – People liked/loved him

THREE BLUNDERS

1. Spain – kicked out old king and put his brother, Joseph, in charge of Spain. Spanish fought back with help from the British. Guerrilla Warfare destroyed the French. Napoleon has to pull out (300,000 French killed)

2. Continental System Napoleon tried to isolate trade with Britain (to hurt their economy), but it backfired.

Battle of Trafalgar - Napoleon lost to the British navy. This was Napoleon’s first major defeat

BATTLE OF TRAFALGARBritish French

Lord Nelson – Admiral Villeneuve-

Crosses the T” The British More ships, slower ships have better communication Shoot chainshot into faster fire of cannons rigging and shoot the hull of the ship

Battle of Trafalgar

3.3. Russia Russia (1812) Napoleon goes in with 400,000 + (1812) Napoleon goes in with 400,000 + troops, comes back with 10,000troops, comes back with 10,000

While Napoleon was “down,” the other countries ganged up to defeat him at the Battle of Leipzig (Battle of Nations) - 1813

Napoleon gives up the throne and was exiled to Elba.

100 Days - Napoleon’s return to power

People didn’t like Louis XVIII (brother of the guillotined king)

Napoleon escaped Elba (Louis fled)

Napoleon regained full power

Napoleon: best defense is a good offense. He attacked the British General Wellington at Waterloo (Belgium)

Napoleon was defeated for the final time

This time he’s sent to St. Helena, between Africa and South America

He died in 1821 of a stomach ailment.

LEGACYRise of Nationalism Division of people by country not social classPeople willing to go to war based on love of countryWars to combine city-states, divide empires

LEGACY (CONTINUED)Need for:  Coalitions and alliancesDiplomacy as an option to war

LEGACY (CONTINUED)

Spread of ideas:       Political philosophy       Revolution as an option     Equality, speech, voting, property Rise of a professional military