The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
Napoleon’s Fall and Europe’s Reaction 1
Main Idea
After defeating Napoleon, the European allies sent him into exile
and held a meeting in Vienna to restore order and stability to
Europe.
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
Disaster and Defeat 2
Russia
• Czar Nicholas I didn’t like French troops on western border
• Sends troops to border
• Russia hurt by Continental System; country needed imports
• Napoleon did not like Russia troops movements
• wanted to teach Czar a lesson
Costly Mistake
• Napoleon turned east in 1812 for attacks on Russia
• Was not prepared for attack on Russia
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
The Russian Campaign-Beginning of the End 3
June 1812
Problems for French Army
• Napoleon w/ 600,000 troops
• New recruits with no loyalty
• Marched across Russian border
• Supplies lost or spoiled
• Disease, desertion, and hunger
French Move to Russia
Retreat from Moscow
• Russian troops/citizens pulled
east burned towns and fields
• Lacked food/supplies for brutal
winter temp.
• French victory at Borodino, but
Russian army is larger
• Attacked by citizen on march
• Found Moscow in flames,
where they had hoped to stay
winter.
• Only 94,000 men survived
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
Defeat and Exile to Elba 4
• Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Great Britain allied against
France. French Army very weak.
• Napoleon raised another army, but troops inexperienced
• In March 1814, victorious allies entered Paris.
• Terms of surrender
• Napoleon gave up throne
• Exiled on tiny island of Elba
• Given a small pension and guards
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
The Last Campaigns of Napoleon 5
The Hundred Days
• French monarchy restored with King Louis XVIII
• King was unpopular (brother of Louis XVI):feared return
of Old Order
• Napoleon returns after year in exile: Louis leaves in panic
• Napoleon declared outlaw by allies
• French citizens were split on Napoleon’s return
• Hundred Days- Brief period of renewed glory
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
The Last Campaigns 6
Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon’s Final Days
• Duke of Wellington led final
confrontation
• Tried to escape capture
during battle
• British and Prussian armies
defeat weak French troops
• Exile to Saint Helena
• Crushing defeat for
Napoleon
• End of Napoleons control
• End of the Napoleonic Wars
• Volcanic island in South
Atlantic 1200 miles from land
• Remained imprisoned for six
years
• Died at 51; cause of death
never determined
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
The Congress of Vienna 7
700 delegates attend the negotiators
•
•
•
•
Lord Castlereagh of Great Britain
Czar Alexander I of Russia
Prince Klemens von Metternich of Austria  Leader
Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand of France
Goals for Other Decision Makers
• Make sure France could not rise again to power
• Remove traces of Napoleon and revolution; Restore Order to Europe
• Put down revolution wherever it might appear
• Gave $$ to allies for war
• Redraw map of Europe
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
Redrawing the Map 8
National borders
New Countries
• Congress changed many borders
• Netherlands created
• Wanted to strengthen nations
surrounding France
• Sweden and Norway combine
• Reduce chances of French attacks
Process
• Countries that aided France lost
territory
• Countries that fought France
gained territory
• Austria and 38 German states in
German Confederation
France’s loss
• All conquered territory
• Boundaries back to 1792
• Forced to pay indemnity, or
compensation for damages
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
Metternich’s Influence 9
• His reactionary attitudes influenced politics and society.
• Wanted conditions to return to an earlier time
• He hated constitutions, voting rights, freedom of religion and press.
• Liberal ideas were suppressed in Austria, the German states, and
northern Italy.
• Secret police spied on violators
• Opponents were jailed or fined
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Section 4
The Revolution’s Legacy 10
Was the French Revolution a failure?
• After Congress of Vienna, monarchs ruled again
– Citizens’ rights restricted
– Nobles returned to their previous lifestyles
• French Revolution changed Europe
– Monarchies no longer secure
– Common people learned they could change the world
– Ideals of human dignity, personal liberty, and equality
– Enlightenment crossed the Atlantic to Latin America, eventually
inspired political movements in Asia and Africa