Download Napoleon: Hero or a Villain?

A French Government Part III
3
Features: 1) More Conservative
2) Placed power in upper middle class
3) Created an strong executive: the Directory
4) Stability
5) New General…Napoleon
The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon. The 411:
•Fought against royalty early in
Revolution
•Successful military campaigns
against Austria and through Italy
•Was trusted by French people
•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt
vNQBz_bjI&feature=related
(Napoleon Part 1 8:10min)
Napoleon’s Background
• From Corsica
• Sent to school in France at age 9
• Became a General in the French
military under Robespierre
• When the country was in grave
danger they made him consulate.
• As he succeeded he was given
more and more power until he
had ABSOLUTE control as
Emperor
Napoleon’s Coup D’Etat
With the
Directory losing
the French
people’s
confidence,
Napoleon was
urged to seize
power upon his
return from Egypt.
He did.
Step 1: Napoleon is put in charge of military
Step 2: Napoleon’s troops drive out
some National Assembly members
Step 3: Legislature votes to
dissolve the Directory
Step 4: Napoleon
assumes dictatorial
powers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U0A3LLraOk&feature=
related (Napoleon Part 2 7:05min)
Emperor
In 1804,
Napoleon
crowns himself
emperor and is
received by the
Pope
NAPOLEON
From General…
…to Emperor
Napoleon crowned Emperor
Napoleon: Hero or a Villain?
The General Runs the Country and Brings Order
In 1800: people vote to approve
Napoleon’s power
What did he do once in
power?
•Set up a fair tax collection
system
•Established national bank
•Fired corrupt officials
•Set up public schools
•Forged agreement with
Catholic Church – but did not
give it much power
Hero?
• Ended Revolution
• Provided stability to restore nation
• Expanded France through military
takeovers
• Personally led army
• Got Britain & Austria to sign treaty->
Peace in Europe
• Built parks, bridges, canals, roads
• Made Paris beautiful & France great
• Created banks & revived economy
• Revitalized schools
• Equality for men
• Created legion of honor medal for
successful men
Villain?
• Forces everyone to say oath to
new government
• Military coup to overthrow
government
• Made himself first consul or
emperor for life- dictatorial
powers
• Rewrote constitution taking
away rights
• Strong central government
• Did not like liberty/rights for all
• No free elections
• Police state
• Spies everywhere
• No free press/eliminated
newspapers
• to sell propertyWomen had no
right
• Slavery returns to the Caribbean
nations controlled by France (Haiti)
Napoleon’s Downfall…strike 1
• Continental System –
blockade trade
going to Great
Britain (he really
hates them) but this
backfires and puts
financial strain on
France…people are
not happy
More Downfall…strike 2
What is guerilla warfare?
You decide…
• http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=5xa0Ajlu0O4&f
eature=related (start at
6:15 and watch until
7:45)
• Napoleon wanted control of
the Iberian Peninsula (mainly
Portugal and Spain)
• He wanted to limit the power of
the Catholic Church in Spain
too
• Spain said NO!
• Napoleon attacks and the
Spanish fight back using
guerrilla warfare (hit and run
raids on trains, troops, and
country)
• Now Austria attacks France
too – Napoleon wins though
Final Downfall…you’re out!
•http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=RqKRUSOJwbk&feature=re
lated (Napoleon Part 3 8:40min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=458GwXw0u0&feature=related
(Napoleon and Russia 6min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SyWT2SCAUeE (1:48 Spoof)
• Napoleon turns to Russia
for help but Russian
leader doesn’t support
him
• Napoleon gets angry
and invades Russia
• Russia used scorched
earth (burn everything
so France has nothing)
leaving French cold and
hungry
• Lots of French die and
they have to
retreat…Napoleon is an
idiot and has angered his
own people
Bye-Bye Napoleon
http://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=5Go5nlOCqi4&feature=r
elated (Waterloo and end
5min)
• Napoleon steps down from
power
• Exiled to Elba island
• New leader Louis XVIII – not
too great
• Loyal people to Napoleon rise
to power
• Napoleon escapes island and
returns to Paris with cheers of
support – Louis leaves
• 100days in power and others
attack in Belgium (Waterloo)
and Napoleon crushed
• He goes back into hiding to St.
Helena and never returns
What do you think?
• Activity:
Pick a side…was Napoleon a hero or villain?
– Create a political cartoon to support your side
– On the back of the cartoon, write a paragraph
explaining your position
• This must include: an opening sentence, 3 reasons
of support fully explained, and a closing sentence
So, what do you think…
Was Napoleon a hero or a villain?
• Pick a side, ONE SIDE, and prove your point in
a 4-paragraph essay.
You need:
An opening paragraph– state your claim and
introduce your supports
2 paragraphs – one for each reason of support
fully explained
A closing paragraph – restate your side and
hammer it home! Don’t forget to recap each
support.