The Napoleonic Empire Chapter 11, Section 3. Napoleon’s Background 1769-1821 Born in Corsica, the son of a lawyer Moved to France and received a military.

The Napoleonic Empire

Chapter 11, Section 3

Napoleon’s Background

• 1769-1821• Born in Corsica, the son of a

lawyer• Moved to France and

received a military scholarship in 1779– Originally had naval

ambitions, considered joining the British Royal Navy

• Graduated from the Ecole Militaire, a prestigious military university in France

French Army• Rose quickly in French military

– 1785 – Lieutenant– 1792 – Captain– 1794 – Brigadier General– 1796 – Commander of French

Armies in Italy

• In 1797, Napoleon was given control of a French army training to invade Britain– Instead proposed to invade Egypt

and India, striking British colonies

• In 1799, deserted his troops in Egypt after realizing defeat– Returned to France as part of the

_____________ that took control of the country

The Coup D’etat• _____________ was losing

popularity– Country was bankrupt, losing

wars

• Bonaparte is already a hero in France

• Approached by one member of The Directory about a coup

• Established a consulate, or a government run by a council

• At the age of 30, Napoleon had supreme power in France

Domestic Policies• Wanted to preserve the gains of the

Revolution• The Church

– Tried to make peace– Napoleon was not religious, but saw

its importance– Agreed to make Catholicism the

primary religion if the Church did not try to regain lands won in French Revolution

• Code of Law– Created a single, unified code of law

for the country– _____________, or Napoleonic Code,

recognized all citizens as equal before the law

• Centralized Government– Positions in government focused on

ability, not birth

Building an Empire• France is already at war with

Great Britain, Russia, and Austria– Napoleon pushed for peace, had

a treaty in 1802

• War with Britain begins again in 1803– Gradually Russia, Austria,

Sweden, and Prussia get involved

• By 1812, Napoleon owns Europe• Creates the Grand Empire,

composed of three parts:– _____________– Core of the

empire– _____________(Satellite States) –

Ruled by Napoleon’s family members

– _____________– Defeated by Napoleon, forced to join him

Spreading the Revolution

• Napoleon hopes to spread the ideas of the Revolution to some of the new nations in the Empire through conquest– Destroys social orders– Improves laws to include

all people– Opens offices by merit,

not birth– Religious toleration

Exit Slip

• What was the consulate?

• What are dependent states? Allied states?

• How does Napoleon hope to spread the ideas of the French Revolution to the rest of Europe?

European Response• Napoleon’s empire would not

last forever• Two main reasons for collapse

of empire:– _____________’s survival

• Separated by sea from European mainland

• Napoleon hoped to invade, but _____________ naval defeats prevented this

– _____________• Unique cultural identity of a people

based on common language, religion, and national symbols

• French were hated as oppressors by the people of defeated nations

Russian Regression• France’s downfall begins with Russia• 1812 Napoleon has virtually

conquered Europe– Decides to invade Russia

• 600,000 French soldiers enter Russia in June 1812– Russian troops begin to retreat,

burning crops and villages as they move

• French began a siege of Moscow in September 1812

• Begin retreat in October 1812– Return to France in January 1813 with

40,000 men

• By March 1814, Paris is captured• Napoleon exiled to _____________

in April 1814– Louis XVIII now king of France

He’s Back….

• Louis XVIII was not popular

• Napoleon escaped exile in February 1815

• French soldiers were sent to intercept Napoleon, instead embrace him

• Great Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia each deploy 150,000 men to destroy Napoleon

A Final Defeat

• Napoleon immediately advanced troops to Belgium

• June of 1815, at _____________, Napoleon is defeated– Exiled again, this time to

_____________

• Napoleon would not return to France, dies May 1821

Exit Slip

• How did Napoleon’s domestic policies differ from those of The Directory?

• Explain the setup of Napoleon’s Grand Empire.

• Describe the process of Napoleon’s first fall from power.