From Citizen to From Citizen to EmperorEmperor

The Rise of Napoleon The Rise of Napoleon BonaparteBonaparte

Mr. BachAccelerated World History

Hudson High School

Why Now?Why Now?• Time of Chaos

– Internal – External

• Weak Government• Long Period of Uncertainty

and Instability• Need for a charismatic,

accomplished leader

Early LifeEarly Life• Corsican who

became an accomplished student of artillery in the most elite French military school

““The Whiff of The Whiff of Grapeshot”Grapeshot”

• Saves the republic against an attack by Royalist Counter-Revolutionaries

Italian Expedition Italian Expedition (1796-1797)(1796-1797)

• Conquered most of Northern Italy for France

• Limited religious power, ended serfdom, restricted feudalism

Egyptian Egyptian Campaign (1798)Campaign (1798)

• Navy defeated by Admiral Nelson (Eng.)

• Abandons army in Egypt, but returns to France a hero.

Egyptian Egyptian Campaign (1798)Campaign (1798)

The Coup d’etat The Coup d’etat (1799)(1799)

• Uses military power to seize control of government from Directory

• “First Consul”

Validation of Rule Validation of Rule (1800)(1800)

• Plebiscite – vote of the people to approve new constitution.

• Gives Napoleon ultimate power.

LyceesLycees

•Government-run public schools

•All males eligible

•Merit – not privilege

Concordat (1801)Concordat (1801)• Heal divisions

with the Catholic Church

• Catholicism dominant (but not only) religion of France

• Could not influence government

Napoleonic CodeNapoleonic Code• Everyone is

equal before the law

• Feudal privilege is official dead

• However, restricted civil liberties

Napoleonic CodeNapoleonic Code

The Order of the The Order of the Legion of Honor Legion of Honor

(1802)(1802)•Rewarded soldiers based on merit on the battlefield

The Americas (1801-The Americas (1801-1803)1803)

• Enslaved Africans defeat the French in Haiti

• Sells Louisiana to the Americans– Way to weaken

England

Defeating the Defeating the Second Coalition Second Coalition

(1800)(1800)•Battle of Marengo–Defeats the Austrians in Italy

Napoleon Napoleon Crossing the AlpsCrossing the Alps

Napoleonic Napoleonic WarfareWarfare

• Quick movement across vast areas• Artillery as a force to support infantry• Calvary of renewed importance• Use of spies and deception• Fast battlefield communication

(semaphore line)• Concentrating troops on a surprised

enemy (Strength vs. Weakness)• Turning the flank!• Warfare on a broader front and

focused on destruction of the enemy army

Emperor Emperor Napoleon I (1804)Napoleon I (1804)•Makes

himself emperor (equal footing with Europe?)

•Crowns himself!

The Crowning of The Crowning of Empress JosephineEmpress Josephine