9-23 to 9-24 Wed Thursday section 41
Napoleon Rules France section 41
Napoleon Bonaparte: Crash Course European History #22
Napoleon Takes the wheel
In 1799, the only well-functioning
part of French government was the
French military. They had recently defeated
the invading Austrian army and were
feeling pretty confident. From this confidence rose
General Napoleon Bonaparte. Tired of the chaos in the
National Assembly, Napoleon ordered a coup d’etat: a
sudden military take-over of the government. Napoleon
basically became a military Dictator of France.
Let’s look at the good and bad of Napoleon. Good First. Napoleon began
massive construction projects including public high schools. He established a
military-like system of meritocracy: only people with proven skills achieved
high office. His last and most noteworthy achievement was the Napoleon Code:
a set of standard Civil laws! Many of Napoleon’s codes were so practical, they
are still used today in France!
The Bad? Napoleon sought to solve all international problems through war.
Seeking to weaken England’s bullish economy, Napoleon announced his
Continental System: France and all mainland Europe was to stop trading with
England. His mission to destroy England’s economy would eventually destroy
him. To cut Spain’s trade with England, Napoleon sent his army to enforce his
Continental system. They failed.
Napoleon’s Downfall
Napoleon’s most fatal mistake
was his invasion of big cold Russia. To break
Russian trade with England, Napoleon assembled
Le Grand Army, a European fighting force of 650,000 men to
invade Russia. Napoleon’s Grand Army marched off in June of 1812.
While they moved towards Moscow, Russians retreated and implemented a
scorched earth tactic. They burned and destroyed their own farms to leave
nothing for French soldiers to eat. As temperatures dropped in October, Russians
attacked French supply routes. Reaching Moscow and finding no one, Napoleon
was forced to return during the winter. With no food or supplies, Napoleon lost
nearly his entire army to the Russian cold. He was later defeated by England at
the battle of Waterloo in 1815. He was exiled to the island of St Helena where he
later died.
In 1815, The Congress of Vienna, led by Austrian Prince Von
Metternich, sought to create a balance of power among the nations in Europe.
They also brought back “legitimate” European monarchs. This extended a long
period of peace in Europe!
LIST 3 FACTS FOR EACH
Napoleon’s Code
FACT 1
FACT 2
FACT3
Napoleon’s Continental System
FACT 1
FACT 2
FACT3
Russian Scorched Earth
FACT 1
FACT 2
FACT3
Napoleon’s Grand Army
FACT 1
FACT 2
FACT3
Napoleon(1804-1814)
NAPOLEON WAS A LOW-LEVEL MILITARY OFFICER WITH DREAMS OF GLORY
HE ROSE IN THE RANKS AFTER WINNING VICTORIES AGAINST THE BRITISH AND THE AUSTRIANS
SELECTED BY THE DIRECTORY AFTER THE FRENCH REVOLUTION TO SECURE THE COUNTRY AND END THE RIOTS.
NAPOLEON HELPED OVERTHROW THE WEAK DIRECTORY IN A COUP D ETAT OR REVOLT BY MILITARY LEADERS TO OVERTHROW A GOVERNMENT.
HE ORGANIZED A NEW GOVERNMENT AND PUT HIMSELF IN CHARGE
THREE YEARS LATER HE TOOK THE NAME EMPEROR OF FRENCH
HE CREATED THE NAPOLEONIC CODE
THIS WAS A CODE THAT INCLUDED MANY ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS SUCH AS THE LEGAL EQUALITY OF CITIZEN RELIGIOUS TOLERATION.
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