Download Napoleon Forges an Empire

Napoleon Forges an Empire
Chapter 23 Section 3
I Napoleon Grasps the Power
A. hero of the Hour
• Napoleon was a lieutenant and joined the
army of the new gov’t when the Rev.
broke out
• Napoleon successfully defended
delegates of the National
Conventionhailed as the savior of the
French republic
• Appointed to lead French army against
Austria
• Victories in Italian Alps  “the general”=
Napoleon
B. Coup d'état
• Napoleon created plot to take over
control
• He was appointed head of army then
drove out members of one chamber
of the national legislature
• Legislature voted to dissolve the
Directory and established a group
of 3 consuls
• Napoleon seized doctoral powers as
the 1st consul of French rep.
• Coup d'état (“blow of state”)=
sudden seizure of power AKA a
coup
• At the time of Napoleon’s coup, France was still at war
• 2nd Coalition of anti French powers formed
• All 3 actions sign peace treaties w/ France
• Napoleon now free to focus on restoring order to France
II Napoleon Rules France
A. Restoring Order at Home
• Plebiscite was held to approve a new constitution (4th in 8 yrs.)
• Plebiscite= vote of the people
• Napoleon had order and stability in his rule
• Kept many changes from the revolution
• His 1st focus was the economy
• Set up efficient tax collecting & national bankbetter control of econ
• 2nd was to reduce gov’t corruption & improve gov’t services
• Fired corrupt officials & set up lycees= gov’t run public schools
• All children edu. Togetherappointed to pub.
Office based on merit rather than fam.
Connections
• Peasants and clergy still wanted to return power
of church in France
• Napoleon signs concordat (agreement)= gov’t
recognize influence of church but rejected church
control in Nat'l affairsearned him support of church
& majority of French ppl
• His greatest goal= Napoleonic Codeuniform set
of laws gave country uniformity but limited liberty
& promoted order &authority of individual rights
• Took away rights of women won during rev.
• Freedom of press gained in rev was restricted
• Slavery reinstituted on French colonies in the
Caribbean
B. Napoleon Crowned as Emperor
• Napoleon names
himself emperor &
the voter support
him
• Takes crown from
popes head and
places it on
himselfsignals
that he is more
powerful than the
III Napoleon Creates an Empire
A. New World Territories
• Napoleon wanted to control all of
Europe and the New World
• He knew they key was sugar cane in French
colony of Saint Domingue on island of
Hispaniola
• Planters in Hispaniola hear of revolution
and demand the same privileges be
given to them by National
Assemblyslaves demanding their
freedom
• Civil war eruptsNapeleon sends in troops
but they loose
• When expedition in Hispaniola fails
the US offers to buy New Orleans
• Napoleon realizes opp. To make $
and cut his loses in the Americas
• Napoleon offers to sell entire
Louisiana terr. & Pres. Jefferson
agrees
• Napoleon “killed two birds with
one stone”
• Gained $ to finance operations in
Europe
• Assured power of the US to rival GB
(France’s competition in Europe)
B. Conquering Europe
• Annexed Austrian Netherlands, pats of Italy, and set up puppet gov’t
in Switzerland and continued to add terr3rd Coalition against France
• Napoleon wins series of battles including Austria, Prussia, & Russia
signing peace treaties w/ France
• Only ally standing in his way was GB and their powerful navy
C. Battle of Trafalgar
• In war against 3rd Coalition napoleon lost only one major battle: Battle
of Trafalgar
• This defeat more important than all his victories on land because
1.
2.
Assured supremacy of British navy for next hundred years
Forced Napoleon to give up plans of invading Britain
• Napoleon’s effort to Crush Britain would lead to his demise
D. The French Empire
• His victories gave him control over most of Europe
• Controlled numerous independent lands & some formally under French
Empire
• Some were puppet gov’ts & others were loosely attached by threats of mil.
Actionlarge empire but it was unstable
• His threatsconquered ppl becoming aware of their loyalty to their
own nations