Transcript Coup d`Etat

The French Revolution
Chapter 18
Section 3
The Age of Napoleon
•1795 Moderate leaders in the National Convention
drafted a new plan of government called The Directory.
*Bi-cameral house of Legislature. 5
men in charge. Napoleon Bonaparte
named General of the Army.
•1796-Napoleon led troops across the Alps, and
defeated the Austrian Army in Italy, ending the threat
posed by the Austrians.
•1799-The Directory had lost all political control of the
Government. Napoleon took this opportunity and
staged a Coup d’Etat or “blow of state”.
•Plebiscite-vote of the people, put Napoleon into
power. 4th change in Constitution in eight years.
•Napoleon made several changes that were built on
the ideas of the Revolution.
•Set up efficient tax collecting system and a
National Bank.
•Removed dishonest government workers.
•Started new public schools for ordinary citizens
called Lycees.
•Gave Catholic Church back some of it’s power.
•Napoleonic Code-new laws that gave all French
citizens the same rights.
•Napoleon’s vision was to control all of Central Europe and
reassert French power in the New World.
•Sugar producing Island of Hispaniola-Saint Dominguez.
•Sold Louisiana and land West of Mississippi River to U.S.
(Louisiana Purchase) for 15 million. Used money to further his
attention on Europe.
•1804-Napoleon made himself Emperor of France.
•1805- signed peace treaties with Austria, Prussia, and Russia.
Largest Empire since Roman Empire.
•Battle of Trafalgar-Only loss was a naval defeat against Britain
off the Southern coast of Spain. This prevented from Napoleon
from invading Britain.
•Napoleon’s Mistakes that cost him his empire
•In an attempt to blockade goods into
Britain. Britain responded with their own
blockade, ultimately weakening France’s
economy. This blockade angered U.S.
officials and U.S. Declared war on Britain.
War of 1812 was short lived and was only a
minor inconvenience to Britain in its efforts
with France.
•1808 Napoleon brought his brother into
become King of Spain. Spain was loyal to
their own King and with help from Britain
killed 300,000 French troops.
•Third mistake-1812 invasion of Russia. Proved to
be most disastrous of all.
• 422,000 troops begin assault only 10,000
return back to France.
• Alexander I of Russia utilizes the scorched
earth policy-burn everything in sight. French
troops abandon looking for food.
•Coalition of France-Britain, Russia, Prussia, and
Sweden defeats Napoleon
•Napoleon given a small pension and exiled to the
Island of Elba, a tiny Island off Italian coast.
•French citizens not pleased with new Monarch.
•Napoleon flees Elba, and returns to France. Citizens
rally and give support to Napoleon.
•June 15, 1815 Napoleon sends troops out to battle in
small Belgium village of Waterloo. French defeated.
•Napoleon sent to remote Island in South Atlantic. Died
in 1821 of stomach ailment, possibly cancer.
Napoleon’s Legacy
Napoleon dominated French and European
history from 1799 – 1815. During his reign,
he built and lost an empire and also spread
ideas about Nationalism in Europe.
The last slide talked about Nationalism. Write
out three things you think the word
“Nationalism” means.
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