Transcript 12.4- The Age of Napoleon

12.4- The Age of
Napolean
Rise to Power
• When the French Revolution began, Napoleon
Bonaparte was a young Lieutenant in the
militia
• He experienced several military successes in
various foreign campaigns during the
Revolution, and became a political leader
• Helped overthrow the weak Directory and
establish a 3-man Consulate that he led
• Within 6 years, Napoleon had accumulated
enough power and support to name himself
the Emperor of France
 At each stage in his rise to power
Napoleon held a popular vote, and each
time the French strongly supported
him...why?
Popularity
• Not only did Napoleon hold popular elections to
maintain public support but his slogan of “Order,
Security and Efficiency” was widely supported.
• Order- after years of reform and chaos, the
people were ready for stability.
• Security- After the Reign of Terror the French
people wanted safety and to live without fear.
• Efficiency- The French people wanted a
competent leader who could make decisions
quickly and to the benefit of the people.
How is this different from
the French Revolution
slogan of “Liberty,
Equality, Fraternity”?
The Napoleonic Code
• Napoleon instituted a law code called the
Napoleonic Code that focused on Enlightenment
principles:
• Equality of all citizens
• Religious toleration
• Fair taxes
• Public school system
• But Napoleon valued order and authority over
individual rights
• Women lost their newly-gained rights to
citizenship
• Male heads of household regained complete
authority over their wives/children
Expansion
• Napoleon used French Nationalism to
lead his armies to victory throughout
Europe
• He was able to join most of Western
Europe to his empire through conquest
or alliance
• However, Nationalism also worked
against the French. The people of the
conquered nations (especially Spain) saw
the French as an oppressing foreign
force.
Extent of French Empire in 1811
Navy = French Empire
Royal = French satellite states
Green = Allied states
Russia
• Napoleon decides to invade Russia after
the tsar withdraws his support
• However, the Russians avoided direct
battle with the French army and utilized
a strategy called “scorched earth”
• As the Russians retreated to the East,
they burned crops, buildings, supplies
and resources to prevent the French
from using them.
• Napoleon’s army invaded Moscow in
September. By October, they were turned
homeward. Why?
Downfall
• After failing to take Russia, Napoleon
was forced to abdicate, and exiled to
the island of Elba
• Napoleon escaped and returned to
France, where many soldiers and
French citizens support his return
• However, at the Battle of Waterloo,
just 100 days after his return,
Napoleon was again defeated. He was
sent to the island of St. Helena where
he stayed until his death
Abdicategive up power
The Congress of Vienna
• After Waterloo, European leaders sat down at the Congress of Vienna to
restore order and stability to Europe after 25 years of war
• The goal of the Congress of Vienna was to create lasting peace by
establishing a balance of power and protecting monarchies. They did this
by:
1. Redrawing the map of Europe- surrounded France with strong
nations to keep them contained
2. Legitimacy- the congress replaced
hereditary monarchs who had been
unseated—Louis XVIII regains the
throne in France
3. The Concert of Europe- a peacekeeping organization that included
the major European powers. Their
goal was to balance power and quell
any uprisings inspired by the French
Revolution.
Success?
• The Congress of Vienna created peace in Europe for 100 years. However,
they ignored the groups of people they united in the redrawn boundary
lines.
• Additionally, ideas from
the French Revolution
continued to spread
outside of Europe,
further inspiring revolts
in the Americas
Review
Nationalism is most likely to develop in an area that has
1. Land suited to agriculture
2. Adequate industry to supply consumer demands
3. A moderate climate with rivers for irrigation
4. Common customs, language and history
Review
The French people supported Napoleon Bonaparte
because they hoped he would
1. adopt the ideas of the Protestant Reformation
2. restore Louis XVI to power
3. provide stability for the nation
4. end British control of France
Review
What was the main purpose of the Congress of Vienna?
1. To regain the strength lost by the Catholic Church
in Europe
2. To create a balance of power on the European
continent
3. To create a new military plan for European
domination in the Americas
4. To design a military plan to defeat Napoleon
Review
A study of revolutions would most likely lead to the
conclusion that pre-Revolutionary governments.
1. are more concerned about human rights than
the governments that replace them
2. refuse to modernize their armed forces with
advanced technology
3. attempt to bring about the separation of
government from religion
4. fail to meet the political and economic needs of
their people