Week 4: Napoleon
Picture
Civil Code or Code Napoleon
By Richard Moore
The longest lasting effect of Napoleon Bonaparte's rule over France was his overseeing the implementation of
a series of national laws collectively known as the Civil Code, or Code Napoleon.
They included the Codes of Civil Procedure, Commercial Law (1807), Penal Code (1810) and Criminal
Procedure (1808).
Napoleon wanted to replace a series of existing laws - that varied in each French province - and replace them
with a standard code for all French people.
He had already reformed the French taxation system bringing to his imperial coffers almost 700 million francs
annually. The sources for the money came from taxes on income and a series of levies on goods - such as wine,
tobacco and salt.
In 1800 he added to his overhaul of the financial system by creating the Bank of France.
The principal tenet of the Civil Code was that every French person was equal before the law.
This was a boon for many, however, while he took the religious aspect out of divorce, many of his views did
limit Revolution-founded freedoms for women.
For example women were not allowed to independently trade in chattels or property, but had to ask their
husbands before they did so.
He tightened divorce laws and fathers were empowered as rulers of their homes. They could ban children from
inheritance and also imprison children for a month.
He showed great foresight in beginning a program of public works that included building canals, harbors and
made roads better and safer by improving their condition and cracking down on brigands.
Education was improved for many, although the majority of children did not gain benefit from his new
specialized and high schools. He encouraged the creation of private schools and sowed the seeds of community-wide
literacy.
Never one to accept criticism well, Napoleon cracked down on the press, censoring newspapers and eventually
closing down all but a few.
The Civil Code was officially enacted in 1804 and in 1807 was renamed Code Napoleon. It applied to all
French domains and territories as well as being adopted by countries within the sphere of French influence.
Today the Civil Code forms the basis of many European legal systems.
Week 4: Napoleon
Date: _____________
Day 6: Napoleon the Great
A. Napoleon Bonaparte: Background
1. 1769 – born in
2. military school in
3. joins
4. becomes the general
B. Coup d’état =
1. November 9, 1799-
 Believed the Directory to be ________________ and did not promote
2. French Consulate
3. Napoleon becomes Emperor
Week 4: Napoleon
D. Military Mastermind
1. Military genius
2. Napoleon the Conqueror-
a. Battle of Austerlitz – December 1805
b. Battle of Jena – October 1806
c. Battle of Friedland – June 1807
3. Oops.
a. Battle of Trafalgar
E. The Three Big Mistakes
1.
What?
Why?
Results?
2.
What?
Why?
Results?
3.
What?
Why?
Results?
Week 4: Napoleon
Date: _____________
Day 7: Napoleon the Terrible
B. Kick him when he’s down
1. Europe has Napoleon at his weakest and decides to
2. Grand Alliance (Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden) take him over
a. exiled to ______________
b. returns after 100 days
c. defeated by Welllington at the Battle of Waterloo
d. exiled (again) to ____________________, dies there in 1821
3. Why didn’t they just kill him?
C. What now?
1. Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)
a. Agenda:
2. Ring leader and host: Klemens von Metternich – Austrian Foreign Minister
a.
b.
c.
3. Metternich’s Goals:
4. The Big Five: