A good leader?
 What
do you think makes a
good leader?
 With a partner, draw out the 6
characteristics of the leader
that you would like to live
under.
The Short Corsican
Background
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Born to Corsican nobility (Corsica is an
island off the coast of France).
When he was a boy, Corsica was taken over
by France.
His father sent him to military school in
Paris to improve his life chances. Napoleon
resented him for this.
Napoleon did not fit in (his classmates were
the children of French nobles, they made
fun of him)
He poured his energy into military studies
Background continued
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Napoleon Bonaparte would have never had
a chance to become a general under the Old
Regime (the French were snobby toward
outsiders).
Under the Revolution, all men are created
equal. If you have talent, intelligence, and a
great work ethic, then you can be a
somebody during the Revolution.
Napoleon had these characteristics.
French Governments since
beginning of Revolution
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Old Regime – Monarchy/Estates
General
National Assembly
Legislative Assembly
National Convention
The Directory
Napoleon
The Directory
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1795 National Convention Completes
Constitution
– Two house Legislature
– Executive – 5 individuals – the Directory
– Faced financial difficulties and became
unpopular
– Bourgeoisie were leading the
government; did not connect with
common people
– Known for corruption (taking bribes,
favoritism, etc.)
Napoleon
Napoleon
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Achieved fame through wars with
England and Austria between 1795
and 1799 under the directory
Very short 5 feet two inches
Very charismatic
Excellent military strategist
Married Josephine de Beauharnais a
socialite – her influence had him
immediately promoted to
commander of the French Army
Napoleon
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Won control of northern Italy for
France
Attacked Egypt to cut of British
trade
England, Austria, Russia allied
against France – many believed
only Napoleon could protect
France
1799 – Directory forced out of
office by troops Napoleon
seized command of the
government – coup d ‘etat
Napoleon
1769-1821
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“Since one must take sides, one might as
well choose the side that is victorious, the
side which devastates, loots, and burns.
Considering the alternative, it is better to
eat than be eaten.”
With this quote from Napoleon to his
brother, what do you think this means, in
relation to the French Revolution?
Napoleon 1799- 1814
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Consulate: first five years
of Napoleon’s Rule.
Executive Branch: three
consuls w/ Napoleon as
head consul
Plebiscite: put his new
constitution to a popular
vote
Napoleon Becomes
Emperor
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Napoleon’s supporters
wanted to make his
power permanent and
hereditary
1804: Plebiscite declares
that Napoleon should be
emperor
Grabs crown from Pope
and declares himself
emperor
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Napoleon quickly rose up the ranks in
the French army, specifically after
forcing out British troops in the French
city of Toulon (12/1793)
By 1799, he was a military leader and
now a political one as well.
He helped overthrow the Directory,
and created the Consul (with him as
one of the governmental powers).
By 1802, after yet another
Constitution, he had himself named
Consul for life.
Emperor of the French?
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Napoleon asks the Pope to preside
over the ceremony, but takes the
crown from the Pope’s hand and
places it upon his own head.
What do you think this shows?
As Emperor, Napoleon continually
consolidated power.
Consistently strengthening the Central
Government, and yet the people kept
supporting him.
Why?
Napoleon’s
changes
He started
Tax collection
lycées-a new
was made more
fair and orderly so public school for
France could rely ordinary citizens.
He gave the
on a steady supply
church back
of money.
some of its
power and
Dishonest
signed a
government
concordat or
workers were
agreement with
removed.
the pope to gain
support of the
organized
church.
He wrote a new
set of laws called
the Napoleonic
Code which gave
all French
citizens the same
rights.
However, some
individual rights
were removed.
Free speech was
limited and
slavery was
restored in the
French colonies.
The Napoleonic Code, or Code
Civil, entered into force on March
21, 1804. Even though the
Napoleonic code was not the first
legal code to be established in a
European country— it is
considered the first successful
codification and strongly
influenced the law of other
countries.
The Napoleonic Code, formally
said, dealt only with civil law
issues, such as filiation and
property; It also did not deal with
how laws and regulations were to
be passed — which is reserved for
a constitution.
The Code, with its stress on
clearly written and accessible law,
was a major step in establishing
the rule of law.
Napoleon hoped to expand
his empire in Europe and
the New World.
In 1803, Bonaparte faced a major
setback when an army he sent to
re-conquer Haiti and establish a
base was destroyed by a
combination of yellow fever and
fierce resistance. Recognizing
that the French possessions on
the mainland of North America
would now be indefensible, and
facing imminent war with Britain,
he sold them to the United States
—the Louisiana Purchase—for less
than three cents per acre. The
dispute over Malta provided the
pretext for Britain to declare war
on France in 1803 to support
French royalists.
The Battle of Trafalgar in 1804 was a humiliating
defeat for France
The defeat prevented any possibility of an
invasion of England for Napoleon.
Mistake #1
In 1806
Napoleon
attempted to
blockade British
ports to hurt
their economy.
This Continental
System was to
make the
continent more
self sufficient.
The British Navy
put their own
blockade around
Europe which
weakened
Europe’s
economy.
The Collapse
of Napoleon’s
Empire
Mistake #3
In 1812 Napoleon
attempted to
conquer
Russia.The
Mistake #2
Russians
Napoleon made
retreated and
his brother King of
followed a
Spain in 1808.
scorched-earth
The Spanish
people were loyal policy leaving no
to their own king. livestock or grain
for the French
The peasant
Army. The onset
fighters called
guerrillas fought of Winter, attacks
against Napoleon and deserters left
only 10,000 of
in a war called
the original
The Peninsular
400,000 troops.
War.
Surrender at Madrid
Retreat from
Moscow
An alliance of Britain, Russia, Prussia, Sweden and Austria
attacked France and defeated Napoleon’s Army in 1813 at
Leipzig. The Battle of Leipzig or the Battle of the Nations
(16-19 October 1813) was the largest conflict in the
Napoleonic Wars and the most decisive defeat suffered by
Napoleon Bonaparte. Fought on German soil, it also
involved German troops on both sides, as a large
proportion of Napoleon 's troops actually came from the
German Confederation of the Rhine.
First exile
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After some unfortunate battles, Napoleon
gives up the throne and Louis XVIII is
named king. He was Louis XVI brother.
Napoleon is sent to the island of Elba.
Napoleon returned victoriously with soldiers
lining the street to follow his return to
prominence.
Louis flees France in fear, and Napoleon will
be Emperor again.
Ten months after his exile
Napoleon escaped, returning
to France. His destination
was the city of Paris. He
gained support along his
route to Paris.
He finally marched into Paris with
a thousand of his old soldiers and
new supporters. He took over the
city and was back in power for a
short period of time that is now
known as "The Hundred Days".
Napoleon's return led him to a
final campaign in Belgium. He
was defeated in the Battle of
Waterloo.
Waterloo 6/18/1815
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The British under Duke of Wellington,
with the help of the Prussians, crushed
the French in battle.
Napoleon’s loss prompts him to lose
power and be exiled yet again.
This time to St. Helena.
The difference: he never returns
What truly was
Napoleon?
 Was
he the Revolution on
Horseback as he claimed?
 Or was he a traitor to the
revolution?
Where this leads
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The Congress of Vienna (9/1814 to 6/1815)
This was in the pursuit of peace.
The Map of Europe was redrawn
Hereditary monarchies were restored (yep,
Louis XVIII is back)
Most powerful person during this process is
Austrian Prince Clemens von Metternich.
They never united Germany, which will
cause problems later.
End thoughts
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What are your thoughts on Napoleon?
Was he as bad as some say, or was he
truly a historic and great leader?