The Rise and Fall ofNapoleon

How did Napoleon gain power in France and how did

he eventually lose his empire?

Napoleon

Napoleon Takes Power

• After execution of Robespierre, Committee of Public Safety abolished

• Royalists try to take over the French Assembly

• 1795: Napoleon Bonaparte leads troops against Royalists

• Easy win – seen as hero so he is appointed General of the Army

• 1796: leads troops to win over Austria but loses to British in Egypt

• By 1799, people were losing confidence in the Assembly• Nov: Napoleon seizes power in a coup d’état

• Jan: Plebiscite (vote of the people) approves a new constitution

• New constitution gives power to Napoleon

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Napoleon Changes France

• Napoleon begins public schools (Lycée)

• He removes corrupt Government Officials

• Napoleon forms new laws called the Napoleonic Code

• Code gives France “uniform” laws and eliminated injustices, the code also limited freedoms gained in the revolution & restored slavery

• 1802: All wars in Europe end

• 1803: Napoleon loses slave revolt in Haiti & sells Louisiana Territory to US• Napoleon happy to gain $ from sale and make US a power (slap at Britain)

• 1804: Napoleon is crowned Emperor of France – people approve

Napoleonic Wars

• Having given up on his Empire in the Americas, Napoleon plans to establish an Empire in Europe – starts taking small Italian States

• He annexes the Austrian Netherlands and puts a puppet govt. in Switzerland

Win @Austerlitz

• He invades Spain and puts his brother Joseph on the throne• Spanish resist using “guerilla warfare”

Guerilla Warfare

• Napoleon attacks other countries in Europe, incl. major win @ Austerlitz

• After victories against Austria, Prussia, and Russia he forces those countries to sign peace treaties with France

•Napoleon attempts to Blockade Britain

•By 1812, Napoleon’s empire was starting to collapse

Other key mistakes:•Invasion of Russia (upset with Czar)

•Czar Alexander uses “scorched-earth policy”

•The cold Russian winter then sets in and then the Russians begin attacking Napoleon’s tired and hungry army (422K to start – 28K retreat)

•Loses Battle of Traflagar (1805)

•Loss/failed blockade proves British navy best in world

•Unsuccessful – triggers War of 1812

Napoleon’s Final Chapter

• Napoleon loses war and is exiled to Elba

• Louis XVIII (the brother of Louis XVI) takes the throne in France

• People do not like the new King and think he will try to return Absolutism

• Napoleon escapes from Elba and returns to France. French people are happy to see his return – this starts the “100 days”

• He quickly recruits an army and once again he takes over France

• Rest of Europe quickly get their armies together to put a stop to Napoleon once and for all

• Napoleon’s forces fight the British army at Waterloo, Belgium

• Britain holds Napoleon’s army until the arrival of Prussia’s army (1815)

• Napoleon is defeated and the British ship him to a remote island (St. Helena) in the South Atlantic Ocean

• On the island, Napoleon lives alone and dies of a stomach ailment (probably cancer) in 1821

Voices from the Past:Napoleon’s Mysterious End

1. What was the original diagnosis about Napoleon's death?

2. What is the new theory of Napoleon’s death? How do we know this information?

3. Who are the suspects in Napoleon’s death? (four answers)

4. Which theory do you believe and why?