Download Lesson 4 - Napoleon

Unit #4 – FRENCH REVOLUTION
Lesson #4 - Napoleon
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I. Napoleon’s Early Years
A. Rise to power in military
1. rose through ranks quickly
1769 - born in Corsica to lesser Nobles
France had annexed Corsica in 1768
Educated in France
1785 - Commissioned artillery Captain (16 years old)
Became a Jacobin – supported revolution
1793 - Leader in recovering port (Toulon) from British
Appointed Brigadier General
1795 - Supported Directory in coup (Vendemiraire Coup)
Reward - won command in Italy
To attack Austrians in Lombardy
Crushed Austrian & Sardinian armies
(only Britain now remained an enemy)
1797 – returned to Paris a national hero
New strategy – cut off British trade to India
Attacked British in Egypt
Successful army attack
1798 - French navy failed – defeated by Nelson @ Abukir
Napoleon cut off
Russians alarmed
(French invasion of Ottoman Empire)
New phase of war – Second Coalition – 1799
Russia had wanted to chew away at Ottomans
SECOND COALITION – Austria, Russia, Turkey, the Vatican,
Portugal, Naples and Britain
Threatened invasion of France
Led to Brumaire Coup
Napoleon defeated enemies – forced them into peace
2. source of success on the field
a. filled vacated position (émigrés) with loyal leaders
b. brilliant commander
marched without supply train
attacked at weak areas and times
quick maneuverability
flawless plans on battlefield: studied terrain & enemy
c. battle plans still studied today
d. seemingly unlimited resources
France finally consolidated resources
Wealth from Nobles centered on Napoleon
Huge population
Loyalty of troops passionate for their cause
could put 700,000 men under arms at once
II. Napoleon’s Rule of France
A. Early Military successes
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B. Napoleon takes over the government – 1799
(called “the Brumaire Coup” (18 Brumaire = 9 November))
Emmanuel Sieyes
Napoleon declared first consul one month later
Issued Constitution of Year VIII
Plebiscite – 3 million +, 1500 against
C. Domestic Policy
Reforms and changes
Code Napoleon – reorganized French law
D. Concordat with the Pope - 1801
E. Rights for the People
III. Napoleon’s Expansion in Europe (wars for Conquest)
War of the SECOND COALITION (1798) – retaking Italy (1802)
War of the THIRD COALITION (1804)
1805 - Battle of Trafalgar
1805 - Battle of Austerlitz – great French victory
BATTLE OF THE THREE EMPERORS
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CONFEDERATION OF THE RHINE – 1806
1806 - Battle of Jena – Prussian defeat
Formed the FOURTH COALITION
BERLIN DECREES
Economic blockade
IV. Political Changes by Napoleon:
1802 – Constitution of Year X – made Napoleon First Consul for life
ratified by plebiscite
1803 – Napoleon planned to invade Britain, but didn’t
Both sides exhausted by war
Colony on Haiti rebelled – made French American indefensible
France near bankruptcy
Napoleon sold Louisiana for $15 million ($.03/acre)
1804 – New Constitution – Napoleon became Emperor
Assassination plot discovered
Napoleon made monarchy to squeeze out Bourbons
Hope was to make assassination attempts futile
Crowned himself, then wife Josephine @ Notre Dame
(he’d divorce her 8 years later for an 18 year old)
Ratified by plebiscite (overwhelmingly)
soldiers adored him
peasants retained land taken from nobles
nobles given government positions
middle class given economic stability
city workers given employment and price stability
V. The Grand Empire, and its end
A. 1807 - Continental System
B. Napoleon’s reorganization crumbled
1. Napoleon forced Code Napoleon on new subjects
2. Resentment led to increased nationalism
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C. 1808 in Spain (known as the “Peninsular War”) (“Spanish Ulcer”)
D. Failure of the Continental System
E. renewed fighting 1809 - FIFTH COALITION
F. Russian Invasion - 1812
680,000 man GRAND ARMY (450,000 non-French)
160,000 Russian man army – organized retreat
Napoleon left in hostile country with no protection
360,000 died
200,000 prisoners
100,000 deserters
120,000 survived (30,000 of them French)
G. Battle of nations (Leipzig) in 1814
Napoleon raised another 350,000 man army
Napoleon refused anything but victory
Russian pushed West
Austria and Prussia joined; British supplied $$
France won one last battle
Napoleon finally lost to coalition at Leipzig, 1814
BATTLE OF THE NATIONS
Allies marched to Paris (SIXTH COALITION)
Napoleon forced to abdicate, exiled to Elba
Napoleon’s Tomb
Napoleon’s Hundred Days
Battle of Waterloo - Napoleon vs. the SEVENTH COALITION
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