Napoleon: the Early Years
Born on the island
of Corsica off the
coast of France in
1769.
Sent to France as a
October 1795, defended
the National Convention.
Hailed throughout Paris
as the savior of the French Republic.
1796 put in command of
forces fighting Austria.
Successful and sent to
Egypt to disrupt British trade with India.
Egypt =
Disaster!
Pinned down by British forces and an
outbreak of the plague.
Napoleon cleverly kept news of his losses
Return to France
When he
returned to
France his
friends urged
him to seize
power.
Very popular
man, well liked
by the French
people and
Coup d’ Etat
Definition: sudden seizure of power,
literally “blow to the state”
Those who remained loyal to him
became part of a three council
government
Napoleon was the head of the
War, War, War!
France was still
fighting wars
Britain, Austria,
and Prussia who
joined forces to
re-establish the
French monarchy.
All three ended up
signing peace
treaties with
France.
1802
Did not want to be seen as a
king, instead he wanted to be a
leader chosen by they people.
He held a plebiscite (vote)
People were desperate for
leadership after the hardship of
the Revolution and “elected”
Napoleons France
Kept many of
the Revolution
ideas.
But…wanted
re-establish
France’s power
as a strong
Napoleon’s France
1. Fixes the economy Tax collection, National banking system
2. Brings an end to corruption
Fires corrupt officials
3. Sets up a public school system = lycees 4. Reformed the power of the Church =
Concordat
New relationship: recognized the importance of
the Church but rejected it’s influence in national affairs.
5. He sets up the Napoleonic Code
Uniform law system; brought justice but limited
Napoleons Vanity Begins
Wants to be Emperor.
People loved him
He invited the Pope to
crown him Emperor
Wore purple velvet the
color of kings
Approached the Pope,
Power, Ego, and WAR!
Now the Emperor of France, Napoleon sets out to create an Empire!
Plans to conquer Europe
He quickly learns that war costs money. Doesn’t give up his dream of a European
Empire.
Instead he sells some land.
The Louisiana Purchase
In 1803 he gave the US the option to
buy the Louisiana Territory.
President Thomas Jefferson agreed, $15
million for 500 million acres. That’s
about 3 cents an acre!
For Napoleon there were two benefits:
1. The money would finance his wars in
Europe
2. It would punish the British “The sale
assures forever the power of the United States, and I have given England a rival who, sooner or later, will humble her
pride.”
Conquering Europe
Took over Netherlands,
parts of Italy; set up a
puppet government in
Switzerland.
Scared Britain, Prussia,
Austria, and Sweden
joined together.
Crushed their armies
Eventually they gave up
The Battle of Trafalgar
Naval defeat off the coast
of Spain in 1805.
Devastated Napoleons
Navy; many ships were captured.
Two major results of the
battle:
1. It ensured British
dominance over the seas for the next 100 years
2. It forced Napoleon to
Napoleons 3 Mistakes
1.
The Continental system
In 1806, setup a blockade to prevent trade
between England and other European countries.
Problems:
1. Navy was not strong enough to enforce the blockade
2. Some of his allies, did not agree with it.
3. Britain retaliated by enforcing their own blockade = capture French ships and
Side Note
Because France and the US
were friends, Britain began
capturing American ships
bound for Europe.
Napoleons 3 Mistakes
2.
The Peninsular War
1808, invaded Spain.
Assumed he would be greeted as a hero;
French saw the Spanish as less civilized.
Removed the Spanish Monarchy and
replaced them with his brother Joseph.
For 6 years the Spanish people fought
Napoleon using guerilla style warfare.
The British aided Spain by sending in
British troops.
Napoleon lost 300,000 soldiers in the
Changing Ideas
Nationalism:
A new idea
sweeping though Europe
that promoted loyalty to
ones country and was
becoming a powerful weapon
against Napoleon.
People were beginning to
Napoleons 3 Mistakes
3.
The Invasion of Russia
1812, allied with Russia but Russia refuses
to stop selling goods to the British.
The alliance breaks and Napoleon decides
to invade.
June 1812, 500,000 soldiers head into
Russia
Russian troops retreat into Russia forcing
Napoleon to go further into Russia than he had planned
Months passed chasing the Russian army as
Mistake 3 Continued
Scorched Earth Policy: military tactic, as an
army retreats, burn everything leaving nothing for the enemies.
The Russians retreat to Moscow.
Mistake 3 Continued
Stayed in Moscow until mid October. No choice = retreat
Winter comes early; November,
temperatures drop below -22 F.
Soldiers begin to freeze, starve and die
as they march back to France.
In Paris there is talk of a Coup d’ Etat
against Napoleon.
500,000 soldiers went to Russia, only
The Downfall
Napoleons army is gone and people are
questioning his leadership
Britain, Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and
Austria all declare war on France.
October 1813, Napoleons army met the
British army in Germany, he was outnumbered.
January 1814, his enemies were marching
towards Paris.
April, Napoleon was forced to surrender. Napoleon was captured and exiled to Elba
But was that really the end of
Napoleon?
France returned to a monarchy
Louis XVIs brother took the throne,
but was weak.
March 1815, Napoleon escaped Elba
and he is welcomed by joyous
crowds in Paris, reunited with his
army.
Napoleon would reign France for
Waterloo, Belgium
June 1815, attacks the
Prussian and British armies.
Napoleon’ army was
chased from the battle field.
Exiled to St. Helena
Island in the remote south Atlantic Ocean.
Spent the rest of his
Congress of Vienna
European diplomats meet in Vienna,
Austria to figure out how to restore Europe.
Met for 10 months; 1814-1815, to fix
the problems the French Revolution and Napoleon had left behind.
3 Main goals
1. PEACE in Europe
2. Establish a balance of power
Congress of Vienna
Redrew the map of Europe
North = Belgium, Luxemburg &
Holland become the Netherlands.
East = Austria regained control of
northern Italy and Prussia was given
land along the Rhine River.
Restored the monarchy
Louis XVIII = France
Monarchies were restored in Spain,
Congress of Vienna
Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Britain
created the Quadruple Alliance.
Pledged to act together to maintain
the balance of power in Europe.
Concert of Europe = periodic
meetings of the to discuss problems
affecting the peace of Europe.
Review Questions
What were the 3 Estates?
Social class system in France; 1st- Clergy 2nd- Nobility
3rd- Group 1: Bourgeoisie Group 2: Everyone else.
What does the 3rd Estate want?
Food and Equality
What was the Reign of Terror?
Very bloody period of the Revolution that led to the
downfall of Robespierre.
What did Napoleon do to reform France
Fixed Economy, ended government corruption, set up
schools, created Napoleonic Code, Reformed Churches power.
What were Napoleon’s fatal mistakes?
