Download Napoleon`s Report Card

Napoleon’s Report Card
1. Codifying New Laws/ Codificar Leyes Nuevas
Napoleonic Code/Código Napoleónico
Napoleon’s most famous domestic achievement was to codify the laws. During the revolution, efforts were
made to prepare a single law code for the country. However, the work was never completed until Napoleon took
power. The people of France credited Napoleon for his completion of the law codes, which is why they became
known as the “Napoleonic Code”. His codes preserved many of the revolutionary principles in which they had
fought for: equality, the right for all to choose their profession, religious tolerance, and the termination of slavery.
While men gained many rights under the “Napoleonic Code,” women did not. Women were considered “less
equal than men.” Women could not own land, testify in court or even the right to decide to get a divorce from
their husbands.
2. Building a New Bureaucracy (Government)
Construir una Nueva Burocracia (Gobierno)
Napoleon created a strong, centralized government and administration. In the past the King always
selected his family and friends to hold high positions in the government. Now that Napoleon took power, the
people’s family or wealth did not matter. Napoleon selected men who deserved specific jobs based on their
knowledge and abilities. This new system was not only fairer to all people but it also opened up many job
opportunities to the poor. Therefore, the middle class grew in France under Napoleon’s power.
3. Preserving the Revolution
Preservar la Revolución
Napoleon preserved only some of the ideas from the French Revolution. For example, he maintained
one of the most important natural rights for all human beings: equality for all men. However, he also destroyed
some of the revolutionary ideas that the people wanted and fought to gain. Napoleon rejected the revolutionary
idea of Freedom of Speech. He closed almost all of the newspapers in France, gave the government the power to
open and read everyone’s mail, and even the power to approve of all books before being printed or sold.
4. Building an Empire
Construir un Imperio
At the end of the French Revolution, Radical Republicans led by Robespierre declared war on many
European countries that had Kings and Queens. Although Napoleon attempted to end these wars they continued
to fight. From 1807 to 1812, Napoleon was the master of Europe. After the French Revolution and the
recreation of the French army they felt strong, powerful and united. Napoleon built a grand empire throughout
Europe with 3 main parts: the French Empire, dependent states, and allied states. Dependent states were
controlled by Napoleon’s friends and family, while allied states were forced to join and support Napoleon out of
fear.
5. Defeating the British
Derrotar los Ingleses
Of all the countries Napoleon was able to take control over; he was never able to defeat
Great Britain. Great Britain not only had the protection of the sea separating their island from
the rest of Europe, but also Britain’s big navy. The British navy had many ships that continuously
fought off any attack by Napoleon and his army. Therefore, while he was successful and powerful
fighting on land, he was not so successful on the sea.
6. Spreading Nationalism
Esparcir Nacionalismo
One area that Napoleon definitely succeeded in was in the spread and growth of
nationalism. Nationalism is a sense of pride in one’s country and culture. The French positively
developed nationalism after winning their Revolution. The people of France felt strong, powerful
and successful. However, their nationalism grew even stronger when Napoleon took power and
turned the small country of France into a large empire taking power over many other countries
throughout Europe. The French gave the rest of the world hope and showed that even a sad and
suffering group of people could unite and become powerful.
7. Defeating Russia
Derrotar Russia
Napoleon’s downfall began in 1812 when he decided to attack Russia. Russia had refused
to follow Napoleon and listen to his demands. Therefore, Napoleon had no choice but to attack
Russia in hopes to conquer the country and increase the size of his empire. He knew that
invading Russia was a risk because it was such a large country but they had challenged his power
and he wanted to punish them. Napoleon therefore took more than 600,000 of his soldiers into
Russia. Instead of fighting the Russians simply continued to retreat further and further back into
their own country. Moreover, the Russians burnt their own homes, stores and supplies. They
did this so that as Napoleon followed them in further inward his army was unable to find food or
replenish any of their own supplies. Therefore, even though Napoleon was moving over a lot of
land they were getting weaker. Thousands of his soldiers died from starvation or froze to death in
the cold Russian weather. Once realizing he was not going to be able to gain control he marched
his men back. Unfortunately, less than 40,000 of the original 600,000 made it back alive.
Napoleon was disappointed, embarrassed, and was never forgiven by the people of France. In
fact they forced him out of the country and was never allowed to return again!