Download The rise of napoleon

THE RISE OF NAPOLEON
REVOLUTION BRINGS CHANGE
 Nationalism – strong sense of pride and devotion to one’s country; people in
France developed this feeling due to the revolution and war
 Revolutionaries pushed for social reform – pushed for religious toleration and did
away with slavery
NAPOLEON RISES TO POWER
 Trained for military since age 9; When revolution broke out, he was a 20 year old
Lt.; Won many impressive victories during the war; what was more impressive was
how he hid his losses from admirers in France – did this with a network of spies
and censoring the press
 Moved into political realm; in 1799 he overthrew the current French government
called the Directory; set up a 3 man governing board known as the Consulate and
claimed himself “First Consul”
 2 years later gathered enough power to call himself “Emperor of the French”
 Each step to power he let people hold a plebiscite – popular vote
NAPOLEON REFORMS FRANCE
 Controlled prices, encouraged new industry, and built roads and canals
 Made peace with Catholic Church
 Helped all classes by letting peasants keep land their won in revolution,
encouraging emigres to come back – had to pledge oath of loyalty
 His reforms were known as Napoleonic Code – equality of all citizens; religious
toleration, and abolished fuedalism
NAPOLEON BUILDS AN EMPIRE
 From 1804-1812, he added to French Empire; was said he equaled 40,000 men on
a battlefield
 He annexed ( incorporated ) into his empire – Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, parts
of Italy, Germany and Prussia
 Controlled territories by placing friends and relatives on the throne in conquered
countries
 Napoleon couldn’t get to Britain because of their superior navy so he waged
economic warfare through the Continental System – closed European ports to
British goods; Britain blocked their ports in return; attacked each other’s ships.
Britain accidently sunk a U.S. ship which started the War of 1812
NAPOLEON’S FALL
NAPOLEON’S EMPIRE FACES CHALLENGES
 Nationalism works against France; conquered territories rejected France’s culture
and influence
 Spain and Austria were first to revolt; Guerrilla warfare – hit and run raids; France
crushes them eventually
 Russia was an ally, but became unhappy with Continental System; Napoleon
responds by assembling army from 20 nations known as Grand Army; Napoleon
invades Russia; Russia would retreat and use a “scorched-earth” policy – burned
down crops and villages on their way; left French in starvation, France retreated
but the journey was long and out of 600,000 troops, they only returned with
20,000
NAPOLEON FALLS FROM POWER
 Russia, Britain, Austria, and Prussia teamed up and defeated Napoleon in the
“Battle of Nations” in Leipzig
 Napoleon abdicates (steps down from power) the next year and they exile him to
Elba island; Louis XVIII is named King; Napoleon changes mine and escapes island
and heads for Paris; Louis XVIII flees in fear
 Opposing armies again assembled and defeated Napoleon for the last time in the
“Battle at Waterloo”; Napoleon was again exiled to an island; this time he
wouldn’t return
MOVING ON
 Leaders of Europe and Russia met at the Congress of Vienna to decide what to do
next; key goal was long-lasting peace; restored Church and redrew the boundaries
of Europe; also re-established legitimacy – restoring the monarchs
 Austria, Britain, Russia, and Prussia formed the Quadruple Alliance – maintained
balance of power and suppressed and revolutionary uprisings
 Concert of Europe – powers met to discuss any problems effecting peace in
Europe