Download Napoleon`s Three Costly Mistakes - Ms. Griffin

Who was Napoleon and
What Were His Three Costly
Mistakes?
Who was Napoleon?
Who was Napoleon?
• Born in 1769 on the island
of Corsica
• At, 16 he finished school
and joined the military.
Who was Napoleon?
• He became a hero during
the French Revolution and
gained control of the
French government and
declared himself emperor.
Who was Napoleon?
• Napoleon was actually a
pretty good ruler for
France.
• Not as good to the rest of
Europe and the world.
How was he good for
France?
•He achieved many of the
goals of the French
revolution for the people.
•A stable economy
•A less corrupt
government
How was he good for
France?
•Public schools for
everyone
•Allowed the French to
worship as the wished.
How was he bad for the
rest of the World?
• Restored slavery to the
French Islands in the
Caribbean.
• Tried to take over Europe
and gain control of the
New World (failed
miserably in New World)
How did he take over
Europe?
• He took over countries in
Europe kicking out their
government and putting in
his own people.
•Switzerland
•Netherlands
•Italy
How did he take over
Europe?
• By 1812 he was in control
of almost all of Europe
except Britain, Portugal,
Sweden and the Ottoman
Empire.
• What is it called when one
country extends their
power over other lands by
military, political, or
economic means?
How did he take over
Europe?
• This control of Europe only
lasted 5 years and then
fell apart due to the
conquered countries
fighting back for control of
their countries
•What have we talked
about that might
explain why the
conquered countries
started fighting back?
Three Costly Mistakes
• Napoleon really wanted to
extend the power of
France and crush Britain.
His efforts to do this
caused his to make three
huge mistakes.
Three Costly Mistakes
• These mistakes were:
•The Continental System
•The Peninsular War
•The Invasion of Russia
The Continental
System
• 1806 Napoleon ordered a
blockade of Britain to
destroy Britain’s
commercial and industrial
economy.
The Continental
System
• Blockade was not very
effective.
•Smugglers got through.
•Some of Napoleon’s allies
did not pay attention to the
blockade (cont.)
The Continental
System
•including his brother whom
he had made king of
Holland.
•The British also forced
ships to sail to British ports
and pay taxes
The Continental
System
• In the end the blockade
hurt France much more
than it hurt Britain.
Why do you think that this
is true?
The Peninsular War
• In 1808 because Portugal
was ignoring the
Continental System he
sent an army through
Spain to invade.
The Peninsular War
• When the Spanish people
got upset he deposed the
King and made his brother
Joseph the new King.
• This made the Spanish
people upset.
Joseph Bonaparte
The Peninsular War
• What vocabulary word
have we talked about that
explains why the Spanish
felt this way?
The Peninsular War
• For 5 years the Spanish
peasant fighters attacked
French armies in Spain.
•They were guerrilla
fighters who attacked and
fled.
•France lost 300,000 men.
The Peninsular War
• These losses weakened
France and gave other
conquered people ideas to
turn against France.
• Nationalism became a
weapon against France.
The Invasion of
Russia
• In June 1812 Napoleon
made his most costly
mistake he invaded
Russia.
• As the French marched
towards Moscow the
Russians (cont.)
The Invasion of
Russia
• burned fields and
slaughtered animals making
sure the French would have
nothing to eat.
• Sept 1812 the two armies
met and Napoleon barely
won and gained control of
Moscow.
The Invasion of
Russia
• As the Russian’s left
Moscow they set fire to it.
• Napoleon stayed in the
ruined city for 5 weeks
waiting for the Czar to
make an offer of peace.
The Invasion of
Russia
• Napoleon finally ordered
his starving army to
retreat.
• The Russians attacked the
French mercilessly as they
retreated.
The Invasion of
Russia
• Many died of exhaustion
hunger and cold. It was
30 degrees below zero.
The Invasion of
Russia
• One French soldier wrote.
“Many of the Survivors
were walking barefoot,
using pieces of wood as
canes, but their feet were
frozen so hard that the
sound they made on the
road was like that of
The Invasion of
Russia
• In December when the
last survivors left Russia
Napoleon only had 10,000
left who were fit to fight.
Retreat from Russia
Napoleon’s Downfall
• Enemies took advantage
of his weakness and all of
the main powers of
Europe attacked.
• Empire crumbled quickly.
Napoleon’s Downfall
• 1814 gave up throne he was
only 45.
•Banished to Elba Island
•Escaped in 1815 and
ruled for 100 days before
defeated again and sent
to St. Helena island
where he died in 1821.
St. Helena Island