Transcript The Age of Napoleon

The Age of Napoleon
Ms. Garratt - Honors World History
Napoleon & the Directory
• Directory was the gov that
followed the National Convention
(Reign of Terror)
• When royalist rebels threatened
the regime Napoleon was called in
to stop it.
• He became the hero of the hour
• Directory rewarded him with
military missions
▫ Was victorious against the
Austrians in Italy & the British at
Toulon
▫ Egyptian campaign was disaster.
However, the discovery of Rosetta
Stone is legendary.
▫ It was during this time that
France looted some of the most
valuable Egyptian artifacts. See
the Louvre.
Coup d’etat 1799, Consulate &
Emperor
• The Directory had helped Napoleon become
famous
• But it was corrupt and unpopular
• He was urged to overthrow it which he did.
• Surrounded the legislature with his troops and
led a coup’etat (takeover)
• Napoleon would create a new 3-man
government known as the Consulate (1799)
• He took the title of First Consul and later
named himself the consul for life (1802)
Plebiscite & Coronation
• Two years later he took
the title of emperor
• Invited the Pope to his
coronation .
• Took the crown from the
pope’s hand to place on
his head (same as
Charlemagne)
• Was a way of showing he
was stronger than the
pope.
• Napoleon wanted to keep
the support of the people
so he held plebiscite each
step of the way.
Throne of Napoleon
Napoleon Restores Order in France
• In 1802 this was the 1st time in over 10 years that
France was at peace.
• Napoleon’s 1st goal was to strengthen the central
government & consolidate some of the goals of
the Rev.
• His focussed on the:
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Economy
Education
Church
Law
Napoleon, the Economy & Lycees
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Modernized finance
Regulated the economy with price controls
Efficient method of tax collection
Established banking system
Encouraged new industry
Improved infrastructure
Established state-run public schools (lycees) in
order to train government officials .
• Established meritocracy in which jobs were
provided to the qualified & not based on
nepotism or class.
Concordat of 1801
• Napoleon undid some of the
changes in religion
• He wanted to consolidate his
political base and recognized
that the Church and peasants
resented the 1790 Civil
Constitution of the Clergy
• Concordat of 1801 established
a new relationship.
▫ Kept the Church under state
control
▫ Restored some of the church’s
earlier influence but just not
in national affairs.
• EFFECT: Napoleon gained the
support of the majority of the
French & the Church
Napoleonic Code
• Considered by many to be his greatest
legacy
▫ Created a comprehensive &
uniform system of law.
▫ Spread it throughout Europe
▫ It embodied some enlightenment
principles such as:
 Equality under the law
 Religious toleration
 Meritocracy
▫ However it also took away rights
previously acquired during the
Revolution.
 It reestablished slavery in the
French colonies
 It deprived women of rights
gained.
 Freedom of the press & speech
were restricted
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Napoleon Unites France
• Won middle class support due to:
 Economic reforms & restoration of stability
 Equality under the law
 Availability of jobs previously closed to middle class
• Won peasant and some working class support
due to:
 Rapprochement with the Church
 Allowing the peasants to keep the land bought from
the nobles and Church
 Price controls on
• Won the support of some former nobility
 Emigres returned
Napoleon & Haiti
Napoleon & the United States
• Why did Napoleon
sell the Louisiana
territory?
▫ Haiti Defeat
▫ Needed the $ to
fight Britain
▫ Feared Britain
would attack from
Canada and just
take it.
▫ Felt US possession
of the territory
would become a
strategic nightmare
for Britain
Conquering Europe
• Annexed some countries
• Puppet governments set up in others
• British convinced Russia, Austria & Sweden to join
them against France
• Battle of Austerlitz was stunning success for
Napoleon
• Forced Russia, Prussia & Austria to sign peace
treaties
• Battle of Trafalgar was naval defeat however and
ensured British naval superiority for the next 100+
years.
• Battle of Trafalgar ended Napoleon’s ambitions to
conquer England
• Now he focuses on Europe
The following is a map at the
height of Napoleon’s empire in
1810.
Identify which areas are not under
French control.
Napoleon’s Costly Mistakes
Continental System
• Blockade known as Continental System
• Designed for 2 reasons:
▫ To destroy Britain’s commercial and
industrial economy
▫ To make continental Europe more selfsufficient
• Was not successful - Blockade proved to be
minor inconvenience for Britain
• Britain responded with its own blockade
which was easier to enforce due to naval
superiority
• Continental System failed for the following
reasons
▫ 1. Substantial smuggling took place (with
British aid)
▫ 2. Napoleon’s allies & families disregarded
the blockade
▫ 3. The blockade hurt Europe more than
Britain by depriving them of markets
▫ 4. When Russia refused to participate in
the blockade Napoleon will make a costly
mistake and declare war on Russia
• *US History Review
• *To enforce the embargo
Britain and France both
interfered with the US leading
the US to adopt the following
policies
▫ US Embargo Act
▫ Non-Intercourse Act
*Seizure of US vessels
*Impressment
*War of 1812
Peninsular War 1808
• Napoleon’s second costly mistake was to depose
the Spanish King and place his brother on the
throne.
• This outraged the Spanish who were loyal to
their king and the Catholic Church.
• Leads to guerilla warfare
• British aided the Spanish
• Unleashed Spanish nationalism.
• French were no longer seen as liberators but as
occupiers.
• This war will dramatically impact Latin America
Goya’s Third of May
Invasion of Russia 1812
• Breakdown in the alliance due to
failure of the Czar to enforce
Continental System & Poland.
• Napoleon and army of 420,000
– 600,000 march into Russia
which practices scorch-earth
policy as they retreat.
• Rather than hand over Moscow
to Napoleon the Czar orders it
burned to the ground.
• Napoleon turns back and the
harsh winter climate takes its’
toll.
• By the time the Grand Army
returns only 10,000 soldiers .
• Your text says 100,000.
• Recognizing Napoleon’s
weakness Russia & Prussia take
him out.
Rise of Nationalism
• Nationalism became a powerful weapon against
Napoleon
• Once he was seen as a liberal liberator who
eliminated ghettos, abolished feudalism,
promoted religious tolerance and equality under
the law.
• Later he was seen as an oppressive conqueror.
• Nationalism sparks wars of liberation (guerrilla
wars) throughout Europe
Downfall & Exile of Napoleon
• The Russian campaign
revealed his weakness
• Could not raise a welltrained army
• Faced allied armies of
Europe
• Defeated at the Battle
of the Nations at
Leipzig.
• Exiled to Elba (island
in the Mediterranean.
The Hundred Days
• Attempt by Napoleon to regain
power ended once again in
defeat at the Battle of
Waterloo in Belgium in 1815.
• This last attempt is known as
the 100 days because it lasted
from Mar to June.
• This time Napoleon was exiled
to a remote island in the South
Atlantic.
• He died 6 years later at the age
of 52
St Helena – Where he died.
Returned to France in 1850 - Buried
in tomb in 1861
Legacy of Napoleon
• Napoleonic Code
• Nationalism which would later lead to the
unification of Italy & Germany
• Independence Movements in Latin American
• Louisiana Purchase
• Congress of Vienna
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Restoration of legitimate monarch
Balance of power
New borders
Concert of Europe