The Age of Napoleon 1769-1821

1
The Age of Napoleon 1769-1821
2
Early Life

• Born in Corsica
• Age 9 Military School
• Age 16 Lieutenant
• Joins the French Army when the Revolution breaks
  out

3
Man of the Hour

• 1795-Napoleon defends the National Convention
  from Royalist rebels
• 1796-Directory appoints Napoleon to lead French
  Army against Austria Sardinia

4
1799-Coup dEtat (blow to the state)

• Napoleon seizes power from the Directory
  becomes First Consul and assumes power of a
  dictator

5
Napoleon takes power as First Consul
1800 - The plebiscite (Vote of the people) gives
Napoleon the power to rule as a
dictator/enlightened despot 
6
Napoleons Changes

• Taxes Collection fair orderly
• Reliable steady supply of
• Dishonest government workers removed
• Lycees Public school for citizenry
• Concordat with Pope returns some power to the
  church

7
Code Civil

• Napoleonic Code new set of laws gave all French
  citizens the same rights
• Free speech press limited
• Restored slavery in French colonies

8
Emperor

• 1804 Takes crown from Pope and places on own
  head!

9
1803 Set Backs to Empire

• Haiti Yellow fever fierce resistance destroys
  army and leaves French possession in N.America
  indefensible

10
Louisiana Purchase

• 1803 the Louisiana Territory is sold to the
  U.S. (Pres. Thomas Jeffersons Admin.) for 15
  million (3 cents an acre)

11
1804 The Battle of Trafalgar

• The French Fleet is defeated off the S.W. Coast
  of Spain by The British navy commanded by Admiral
  Horatio Nelson

12
Humiliating Defeat for France

• Prevents Napoleon from invading England

13
1806 The Continental System

• Napoleon blockades British ports to make the
  continent more self sufficient
• British respond with their own blockade around
  Europe weakening the economy

14
1808 The Peninsular War

• Napoleon made his brother Joseph King of Spain.
  Spanish loyal to own King
• Guerrilla warfare peasant fighters wage war
  against Napoleon

15
1812 Doomed March to Russia

• Scorched-earth Policy Russians retreat leaving
  no lovestock or grain for the French Army
• Russian Winter only 10,000 of the original
  400,000 troops survive

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1813 The Battle of Leipzig (Battle of Nations)

• Britain, Russia, Prussia,Sweden Austria defeat
  Napoleon
• Largest conflict of Napoleonic Wars
• Fought on Germany soil

17
Exiled to Elba
18
The Hundred Days

• After 10 months in exile, Napoleon escapes
  Returns to France, gains support on his way to
  Paris
• Returns to Power

19
Waterloo, Belgium 1815

• British Army led by the Duke of Wellington with
  help from the Prussian Army hand Napoleon his
  final defeat

20
St. Helena

• Napoleons final exile

21
The Congress of Vienna

• Europeans meet to restore order to Europe
• Five Great Powers Russia, Prussia, Austria,
  Great Britain, France
• Prince Klemens von Metternich takes the lead

22
3 Goals

• France would not attack another country again
• Balance of Power between nations no one country
  would be a threat to another
• Legitimacy restore former monarchs to their
  rightful thrones

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The HOLY ALLIANCE

• Czar Alexander of Russia, Emperor Francis I of
  Austria, King Frederick William III of Prussia

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Before After