Transcript Chapter 7.3 Napoleon

Chapter 7.3
Napoleon
Pg 229
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeNY
Dwbm9qw
Napoleon
O Short (5,3)
O Rose in 4 years from officer to master of
France
O Born in 1769 on Corsica
O Went to military school and joined the army
when the revolution broke out in France
Rise of a Hero
O 1795 Royalist rebels marched on the
National Convention.
O Napoleon was ordered to defend the
delegates and was successful and hailed as
a hero
O 1796 The Directory appointed Napoleon to
lead the French Army against Austria and
Sardinia and he won! The revolution’s hero
Mistakes
O Napoleon then took his army to Egypt
O To protect trade interests
O Damage British interests
O Was very unsuccessful and beaten by British
O This was kept from the French people and he
remained a hero
Coup d’Etat
O 1799 The Directory lost control of the political
situation and the confidence of the French
people.
O Napoleon was urged to take control
O The Directory was dissolved and a group of 3
Consuls was established.
O Napoleon was quickly est as the 1st Consul.
O He had powers like a dictator and finished the war
with Europe.
O Peace treaties were signed and Europe was at
peace
Restoring France
O Napoleon’s goal was to rebuild France
O 1800 a Plebiscite (vote of the people) was
held to approve a new constitution. Very
popular
O The French people were desperate for strong
leadership. They gave it all to Napoleon.
Changes in France
O Napoleon kept many of the changes from
the Revolution in the new France and
prioritized certain things
O Strong central govt
O Strong economy
O Tax collection
O National banking system
O Dismissed corrupt officials and provided
training
O Opened Lycees (schools) to all men
Restoration of the Church
O Napoleon did bring back the church by
signing a Concordat (agreement) with Pope
Pius VII.
O This recognized the church’s authority but
rejected it in national affairs
O This gained the support of the church and
many of the French people
Napoleonic Code
O One of Napoleon’s biggest legacies is the
Napoleonic code
O A uniform set of laws which eliminated many
injustices
O However, it limited liberties and prioritized
order and authority over individual rights
O Restricted freedom of press and speech
O Restored slavery in the French Colonies
Emperor
O 1804 Napoleon crowns himself Emperor.
O In the ceremony, he takes the crown from the
Pope and crowns himself.
O Significant move-shows the world he thinks
he has more power than the Pope
Creating an Empire
O Napoleon wasn’t content with France and
wanted to control Europe and the Americas
O France had lost the colony Saint Domingue
during the revolution
O Napoleon failed in his attempt to take it back
and sold out of the region (Louisiana
Purchase)
O This gave France money AND strengthened
America against Britain
Turning to Europe
O Napoleon gives up on the New World.
O He had already annexed part of Austria,
Italy, and Switzerland.
O Britain, fearful of Napoleon, joined with
Russia, Austria, and Sweden to defeat
Napoleon
O Napoleon started strong and crushed the
opposition in a series of battles
Success!
O Naopleon’s success forced many European
countries to sign treaties and left Britain and
their navy as France’s only enemy.
Battle of Trafalgar
O The only major battle Napoleon ever lost.
O Naval defeat was crushing
O Took place off the coast of Spain
O Horatio Nelson (Britain) led a important battle
which established the supremacy of Britains
Navy and forced Napoleon to give up on
invading Britain.
French Empire
O At the height of the empire, Napoleon
controlled most of Europe.
O Many were puppet governments that
Napoleon led. Or countries that were loosely
connected to Napoleon.
O The empire was huge, but unstable.
O At its greatest extent, it held together from
1807-1812.