Napoleon’s Empire
Today’s Objective
- To understand the creation of the Napoleonic Empire in Europe
3
Napoleon: Summit of Greatness (3)
• 1801: A slave rebellion in the French colony of St. Dominque (Haiti) forces,
Napoleon to send an army to the Caribbean
→ Alarmed that Napoleon might be attempting to renew France’s
empire in North America
…Britain declares war on France
- War of the Third Coalition
(Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden)
• 1805: Despite conquering both Austria and Prussia, and destroying the
Holy Roman Empire in the process
…Napoleon is forced to abandon his plans to invade Britain
- Battle of Trafalgar – Horatio Nelson again destroys Napoleon’s
fleet
→ Still by the end of 1807, Napoleon has conquered or allied himself
with all but six of Europe’s nation states
...he will began the modernization of Europe using his
enlightened ideals on the conquered: the Code Napoleon
Napoleon: Grand Army (11)
• 1805: Unable to defeat Britain by force after Trafalgar, Napoleon chooses
instead to engage Britain in economic warfare
→ Looking to create domestic unrest and revolution, Napoleon
establishes a naval blockade of the British Isles
→ Continental System: Designed to cut all trade between Britain &
the European continent
- French navy is too weak to enforce the blockade and
it was circumvented by smugglers
- British naval dominance allows it to maintain trade
with America and Africa
- British counter-blockade is successful in damaging the
French economy
- CS is not supported by all European nation-states
Napoleon: Master of Western Europe (7)
Napoleon: Peace with Russia (8)
Guided Reading Question
Analysis how Napoleon changed his policy against
the British?
Target Questions
• Why did England declare war with France in 1801?
• What is the connection between the Enlightenment
and the Code Napoleon?
• Describe the Continental System