Napoleon Bonaparte
Hero or Villain?
Social 20-1
Name: ____________________________________________
Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT
The Rise of Napoleon
As you MAY OR MAY NOT already know, Napoleon seized power in November 1799.
But, who was he? And what had he done?
Napoleon Bonaparte was born on the island of Corsica in 1769 on August 15. His father
was a lawyer and he belonged to a noble family. Napoleon studied at a military school
in Paris. He was not really a good student except for math and history. At an early age
he displayed confidence in his own ability. In 1784 Napoleon won a scholarship to the
élite military training college in Paris. In 1785, at the age of 16, Napoleon became second
lieutenant in the artillery. Napoleon became sympathetic to the Revolution in 1789. He
helped the revolutionary forces in France and when Robespierre was overthrown he
was briefly imprisoned.
In the Battle of Toulon in 1793, Napoleon led a victorious attack on a Royalist fort and
was then promoted to Brigadier General. Napoleon gained more attention in 1795 when
he put down a pro-royalist coup in Paris. He was promoted to Major General. In 1796,
Napoleon married Josephine Beauharnais. He was put in charge of the French army
fighting the Austrians in Italy. Between 1796 and 1797, Napoleon re-organised the
French army and inspired the dispirited soldiers. They went on to win several great
victories over the Austrians and Italians. The Austrians were forced to sign a ceasefire at
Leoben in 1797.
Between 1798 and 1799 Napoleon’s plans to attack the British went badly wrong. His
army was ravaged by plague and sickness, and Nelson’s British Navy destroyed many
of Napoleon’s own ships. Still, Napoleon seized Malta and had several victories in
Egypt during the expedition. Although the Reign of Terror ended in 1794, the
revolutionaries split into factions — small groups within a larger group. For the next
several years, French governments were unstable as these factions struggled for power.
Members of the Directory feared Napoleon’s growing power so he was sent to invade
Egypt. Napoleon returned to Paris in August 1799 as he had heard of trouble back home
and after hearing of the military crisis facing France, on November 11th 1799, Napoleon
seized control of France in the ‘coup d’état’ (or Coup de Brumaire). and abolished the
Directory.
He set up a governmentt of three members called the Consulate. He became the First
Consul. Napoléon Bonaparte emerged as a leader who united the French and brought
order to the country. Then, on December 2nd, 1804, in the presence of the Pope,
Napoleon crowned himself Emperor.
Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT
Napoléon did this — and conquered most of Europe — by launching a series of wars. In
the end, though, he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by the British and their allies.
He died in exile in 1821. It is rumoured that he was poisoned with arsenic.
Many people remember Napoléon as an inspirational leader. His wartime victories
helped strengthen French national pride. He modernized the government and laid the
foundations for public education. The rule of law - the Code Napoleon - that he
established is the basis of the legal system in France today — and it also influenced the
system of civil law now used in Québec.
But others remember him as a dictator whose wars cost the lives of a million French
people. About three million Russian, German, British, Italian and Spanish soldiers also
died in these wars.
NATIONALISM AND REMEMBERING
Napoleon Bonaparte. Even after 200 years following his death, he remains a very
important French national hero but other countries and nations that were invaded by
Napoleon view him as an evil dictator that caused great suffering. How would these
differing views shape a person’s sense of nation?
How does this affect the French national myth today? There are many challenges
associated with the glory of the French revolution of the past coupled with the
inequality that exists for French immigrants in that society today.
He gave France the Napoleonic Code which today still remains the basis of French law.
He also instituted the Bank of France. He established the Concordat of 1801 which
settled differences between the government and the church. A Legion of Honour was
established which honoured soldiers and civilians. The French education system was
organized and developed by Napoleon to become the leading system in Europe and in
the world for years to come. He reorganized France’s transportation system to make it
way more efficient for all French citizens to travel and get around - both within the
country side and in the cities of France themselves. Paris was the most efficiently
structured and organized city in the world. However, France was almost continually at
war through the reign of Napoleon with almost all the other nations of Europe. Many
viewed him as a tyrant - with one thing on his mind - power and domination.
Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT
Napoleon comes to Power - Timeline of Events
Dates and titles below help explain the events that gave Napoleon more power in France.
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November 9, 1799
Coup d’etat
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February 1800
The Consulate
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Dec 24, 1800,
Assassination
Attempt
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Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT
1802 Consul
for Life
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May 1804
Constitution Year
XII
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December 2, 1804
Emperor
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Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT
Napoleon’s Domestic Policies
Topic
Bank of
France
Tax
Reform
The
Concordat
Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT
Napoleon’s Policy
What problems
did it solve?
Topic
Napoleonic
Code
Education
Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT
Napoleon’s Policy
What problems
did it solve?
Napoleon’s Conquests
Napoleon engaged in a series of battles between 1803 and 1815. He wanted to defeat
Britain and make France the most powerful state in Europe.
Battle
Enemy(ies)
Trafalgar
1805
Austerlitz
1805
Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT
Results
Battle
Enemy(ies)
Russia
18111812
Leipzig
1813
Waterloo
1815
Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT
Results
1803!!
Sold Louisiana to United States government for $15 million
1804!!
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Crowned himself Emperor
Reorganized education, founded the Imperial University
1805 !
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Battle of Austerlitz - Napoleon controlled most of Europe minus Russia,
Sweden, and Great Britain.
Battle of Trafalgar - Napoleon defeated at sea by the British.
1807!!
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Treaty of Tilsit - Russia closed its port to Britain.
Occupied Portugal - so Britain could not form an attack.
1808 !
Joseph - King of Spain, Peninsular War followed
1810!!
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Remarried - Marie Louise from Austria
Campaign of 1812 against Russia - 600,000 men in the
Grande Armee - 40,000 only returned to France. Russians used a “scorched
earth policy”. During the Winter months the Russians defeated Napoleon.
1813!!
Battle of Leipzig - Battle of the Nations, Napoleon lost
1814!!
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April 11 - abdicated - exiled to island of Elba
Congress of Vienna met to discuss new Europe
1815!!
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February - escaped from Elba - marched to Paris in the “Hundred Days” soldiers rushed to fight under Napoleon
Battle of Waterloo - Wellington defeated Napoleon
Exiled to St. Helena - very remote location with little chance of escape, died
in 1821 supposedly of cancer but now it is believed that his wine was
poisoned with arsenic.
Later events:
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Napoleon II, his son, died at the age of 21 of TB
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Napoleon III, (1808-1873), son of Louis, his brother
Darcy Owen
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 1:54:21 PM MT