Section 4

1

• Section 4 The Age of Napoleon Begins

Napoleon Bonaparte I (1769-1821) Emperor of France
2

• Setting the Scene
• Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica, a
  French-ruled island in the Mediterranean. He came
  from a family of minor nobles, but they had
  little money. At age nine, he was sent to France
  to be trained for a military career. When the
  revolution broke out, he was an ambitious
  20-year-old lieutenant, eager to make a name for
  himself.

3
I. Napoleons Rise to Power

• Napoleon rose quickly in rank during the
  revolution after winning major battles

4
I. Napoleons Rise to Power
1799 - he helped overthrow the Directory and set
up a three-man government the Consulate
A portrait of the three Consuls (between 1799 and
1804) with Napoleon in the center
5
I. Napoleons Rise to Power
A new constitution was written and Napoleon
became First Consul. In 1802 he was named consul
for life
6
I. Napoleons Rise to Power
1804 - Napoleon acquired enough power to assume
the title Emperor of France
Napoleon on His Imperial Throne (1806)
7
I. Napoleons Rise to Power
During his rise to power, Napoleon held
plebiscites in which the French people strongly
supported him
December 2, 1804 - Napoleon took up the crown
from the altar and placed it upon his head. He
then took Josephine's crown and crowned the
empress kneeling before him.
8
II. France Under Napoleon
He strengthened the central government and
restored order, security, and efficiency
"A Grateful France Proclaims Napoleon the First
Emperor of the French"
9
II. France Under Napoleon
Napoleon controlled prices, encouraged new
industry, and built roads and canals to restore
the economy
10
II. France Under Napoleon
Government-controlled schools ensured officials
and military officers were well-trained
Leading the Way Napoleon at school as a young man
11
II. France Under Napoleon
The Concordat of 1801 gave religious freedom to
Catholics and made peace with the Church
"Signature of the Concordat between the French
Government and His Holiness Pius VII for the
re-establishment of the Catholic religion in
France"
12
II. France Under Napoleon
Napoleon gained the support of all social classes
with his reforms
13
II. France Under Napoleon
His most lasting reform was a new law code, the
Napoleonic Code
14
II. France Under Napoleon
The Code undid some of the reforms of the French
Revolution women lost most of their new rights
Napoleon and the Woman Question The Other Sex in
French Education, Medicine, and Medical Law,
1799-1815
15
III. Building an Empire
1804 to 1814 - Napoleon won many battles against
other European powers and created an empire
16
III. Building an Empire
He annexed areas, abolished the Holy Roman
Empire, and created the Confederation of the Rhine
The Confederation of the Rhine was formed in 1806
when 16 German minor states decided to throw
their nations' futures in with Napoleon Bonaparte
and ally themselves with France. A further 19
joined later.
17
III. Building an Empire
1805 - Napoleon tried to invade England but his
fleet was destroyed at the Battle of Trafalgar
18
III. Building an Empire
Battle of Trafalgar
Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson
Trafalgar animation
19
III. Building an Empire
The Continental System - economic warfare which
closed European ports to British goods
20
III. Building an Empire
Britain blockaded European ports and seized
neutral trading ships, triggering the War of 1812
Running the British blockade
21
III. Building an Empire
The Continental System failed - the British navy
kept trade routes open prices rose in Europe,
creating resentment against France