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Stages of the Revolution
Moderates Return
Beginning in 1795, a five-man “Directory” supported by a
legislature held power in France. However, this
government was weak and inefficient, which led to the
rise of the ambitious military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Napoleon in Power
His Rise to Power
When the revolution started
Napoleon was a low level military
officer with dreams of glory. He
gained popularity for his victories
against the British and Austrians.
In 1799 Napoleon used his
popularity to orchestrate a coup d’
etat, or revolt by military leaders to
overthrow a government. Three
years later he took the title of
“Emperor of the French” and gained
absolute power. Hoping for stability,
the French supported Napoleon.
Napoleon in Power
Napoleon’s Achievements
Napoleon was a very effective ruler
in many aspects such as:
1. Economy – Napoleon controlled
prices, supported new industry, and
built roads and canals.
2. Education – Napoleon
established a government supervised public school system.
3. Napoleonic Code – Napoleon
established a legal code that
included many Enlightenment
ideas, such as the legal equality
of citizens and religious toleration.
Napoleon in Power
Napoleon’s Empire
From 1804 to 1814 Napoleon
conquered much of Europe and
ruled an empire. He often
replaced the monarchs of
defeated nations with his friends
and relatives.
Of the European powers, only
Britain and Russia remained out
of Napoleon’s reach. Britain was
shielded from French troops by a
powerful navy and the English
Channel.
Napoleon in Power
Napoleon in Power
Napoleon’s Fall
Napoleon’s empire began to crumble
for several reasons:
1. Nationalism - most people in
conquered states looked upon
Napoleon’s armies as foreign
oppressors. Inspired by nationalism,
people across Europe revolted against
French rule.
Napoleon in Power
Napoleon’s Fall
Napoleon’s empire began to crumble
for several reasons:
2. Failed Russian Invasion (1812) – As
Napoleon’s armies invaded from the
west, Russian armies retreated
eastward and burned crops and
villages to leave nothing behind for
the ensuing French, which is called a
“scorched earth” policy. French troops
became hungry and cold, and most of
Napoleon’s army was lost during the
winter.
Napoleon in Power
Napoleon’s Fall
A year after Napoleon’s loss in Russia,
an alliance between Russia, Britain,
Austria, and Prussia defeated
Napoleon, forcing him to step down in
1814.
Napoleon would return to power in
1815, but the British and Prussians
decisively defeated him at the battle of
Waterloo, which ended his reign, and
he lived the rest of his life in exile.
Effects of the French Revolution
The French Revolution and the reign of Napoleon
transformed both France and Europe in many ways:
1. Democratic Ideals – Napoleon’s conquests spread the
ideals of democracy across Europe. Groups strived to
achieve the goals of the French republic: “Liberty, Equality,
Fraternity.” People wanted liberty from monarchs, social
equality, and fraternity, or brotherhood by working
together for a common cause.
Effects of the French Revolution
The French Revolution and the reign of Napoleon
transformed both France and Europe in many ways:
2. Nationalism – Napoleon’s conquests inspired feelings of
national pride among the French, as well as nationalistic
feelings in those nations that were oppressed by
Napoleon. His conquests had a part in the eventual
unification of both Italy and Germany, and his weakening
of Spain led to the Latin American independence
movements.
Summary
Enlightenment ideas about natural rights and rejection
of absolutist authority inspired major revolutions in the
late 1700s and early 1800s. Colonists in America
declared independence from Britain in 1776 and
created a government based on the ideas of Locke and
Montesquieu. Influenced by the American Revolution,
revolutionaries in France overturned the monarchy and
created a new social order. Napoleon helped spread
revolutionary ideals across Europe. Both the American
and French Revolutions contributed to revolutions in
Latin America in the early 1800s.