Emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte
You will need:
Guided Notes worksheet
Pen/Pencil
Blue and 4 other colors (markers, crayons,
or colored pencils)
Napoleon a Rising Star
 1769-Napoleon born in Corsica
 1785-At 16
– finished school and became a lieutenant
 1795-At 25
– hero of the Republic of France
 1796-At 26
– “the General” led victories over enemy
forces
 1799-At 30
– control of France’s Military
– coup d’etat (blow of state)
• Used his troops and influence to take over the
government of France
A leader at last…
Coup led to a victory over anti-French
powers
– Britain, Austria and Russia
1800- vote of the people (plebiscite)
– all real power given to Napoleon
• vote overwhelmingly in favor of Napoleon
Stability and Order
 Napoleon wanted:
1. Strong central government
2. Strong Economy
• Equality in Taxation
• Effective tax-collection
• National Bank
3. End of Corruption
• Wanted to keep some of the same
changes that were made during the
Revolution
Lycees
Napoleon dismisses all “corrupt” officials
Establishes government run public schools
(Lycees) to train new officials
– Open to all males
– Graduates were appointed to public office
based on merit not on family background
Napoleonic Code
Code of Laws
– Ended many injustices
– Promoted order
– Gave France a uniform code of laws
But…
– Women lost many rights
– Freedom of Press and Speech limited
– Restored slavery in the French colonies
Emperor
Napoleon crowns himself and wife-
December 2nd 1804
Colonies started to revolt
Revolutionary ideas start to spread around
the world
– Reached the people of St. Domingue (Haiti)
• Demanded that they be given the same freedoms as
the French people
– What other “colonial” event does this sound like?
• They were denied and civil war erupted
– Slaves under Toussaint L’Ouverture led a rebellion and
seized the colony!
Continued…
Napoleon decides to back out of the
Americas
– Sells Louisiana Territory
• $15 million to President Jefferson and the
US
– What did he gain?
• Money to conquer Europe
• Punishment for the British
Napoleon’s Mistakes
1. Blockade/Continental System
2. Invasion of Spain/Peninsular War
3. Invasion of Russia
Napoleon starts to lose power
Battle of Trafalgar
– British fleet separates the French
• French CANNOT defeat the British, now what?
Continental System
– Tries to starve out the British
 Does not have an heir
– Divorces his wife, marries into the Austrian family to
create an alliance
• Napoleon II is born
 Peninsular War
– Invaded Spain
• Placed his brother on the throne
• Threatened the Catholic Church
• Guerillas attacked the French armies
 Russia
The BIG mistake: Who?
The BIG mistake: What?
Napoleon attacks the only
rival left on the mainland of
Europe
The BIG mistake: HOW?
Over
600,000
men!
The BIG mistake: Russia retaliates!
Why is this effective?
The BIG mistake: What is
Napoleon’s next move?
Wait in Moscow for
the Russians to
surrender
Do they??
NO! Napoleon is defeated!
Running low on
supplies
Soldiers start
dying
What happens after?
Napoleon withdrawals his army
– 600,000 to start
– 28,000 at the end of the attack!!
Napoleon
– Leaves his army
– Attempts to rebuild in France
– Other European powers unite to defeat him in
1813
Exile—Return—Exile
 Exiled to the small island of
Elba (Italy)
– Why not just kill him?
 Napoleon escapes and for 100
days returns to be Emperor of
France but is defeated at
Waterloo (1815)
– Monarchy temporary restored,
people fear “the old days”
Re-exiled to St.
Helena (South
Atlantic)
Died in 1821 of
a stomach ailment
Hero
Tyrant