Rise & Fall of Napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte-Early Life

•  Born in Corsica, 1769

•  Attended elite military

school
•  Majored in Artillery

•  Very devoted to goals and

his ambitions.

•  Became 2nd Lieutenant in

the French Army prior to
the Revolution.
 Meanwhile in France
  Directory ruling France
  Weak & corrupt

  Still at war with Austria &

Britain

  Severe economic problems

  People tired of turmoil &

lack of leadership. Want
a strong leader to restore
order.
 Early Military Success
•  Rose quickly through
military ranks

•  Made a general by the

Committee of Public
Safety
•  1797 given command of
army to invade Britain

•  Becomes a national hero

for his many military
victories
Overthrow of the Directory
•  1799 led coup d'état to
overthrow the directory
•  Coup d'état = sudden
overthrow of a
government

•  Napoleon becomes
Absolute Ruler of France

•  1804 crowned himself

Emperor Napoleon
 Napoleonic Code
Pros Cons

•  Equality for all MALE   Women/children have no

citizens before the law rights

  Suppressed freedom of
•  Individuals can choose own
profession the press.

  Individual rights can be

•  Religious tolerance taken away when needed.

•  Abolish feudal obligation

•  Trial by Jury
 Napoleon’s Empire
  1803-1815

  France at various points at

war with pretty much
every country in Europe.

  Britain is main opponent

throughout.

  At it’s height, Napoleon’s

empire covers most of
Europe.
 Napoleon’s Downfall
•  Nationalism
•  Nationalism = a unique sense of a countries identity
•  Language, religion, culture

•  Napoleon spread nationalism to other countries giving

them ideas of independence and uniqueness.

•  People across Europe begin to demand governments

that are responsible to the people.
Napoleon’s Downfall
•  Disaster in Russia
•  Russia began to resist Napoleon’s power
•  Napoleon invaded Russia
•  600,000 troops

•  Russians drew Napoleons Army deep into

Russia by constantly retreating
•  Russians burnt their own crops and
villages as they went
•  Napoleon’s army could not use Russia to
re-supply themselves

•  Cold Winter hit an unprepared

Napoleon’s Army
•  Napoleon forced to retreat
•  10,000 of original 600,000 make it back
to France.
Napoleon’s Downfall Cont.
  With all of Napoleon’s
accomplishments he still had his flaws.
He accomplished a uniformed set of
laws, he stabilized the economy, and
created a chance to advance in life based
on merit, but he did not accomplish an
expansion of the freedom of speech.
 Discussion Question
  Given all that we have learned, do you feel that
Napoleon was a force for good or evil in the course of
history? Give a reason to support your answer.
 Napoleon’s Exile
•  Exiled to Elba
•  Island off of Italy

•  Napoleon returned to France looking to regain power

•  Battle of Waterloo = Napoleons final battle
•  Napoleon was defeated badly

•  Exiled again to St. Helena

•  Died six years later in 1821