Preserver or Destroyer of the Revolution?

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FR

1. Liberal Stage(1789-1792)

Arist. rev vs. king

3rd Estate elite vs. Arist. Parisian Crowd Uprising The Great Fear

2.Radical Stage(1792-1794)

Reign of Terror (ruled by CPS) France as a Republic Execution of Louis XVI

3.Thermidorean Reaction( 1794-1799)

Ended Reign of Terror

4. Napoleon: Subverter or Preserver of FR?

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 A. Origins –impoverished Noble Corsican
Family
 At the age of 10 was admitted to a French
military school
 Admitted to the elite ROYAL MILITARY
COLLEGE in Paris
 Was he popular among fellow students?
 he completed the course of study in one
year while most other cadets require 2
years.
 He was in favor of the Revolution

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 Not well-liked-short Italian accent, had little money
 1785-liutenant- not well liked by fellow officers
 Next 7 years devoted his time to readings-philosophy
& campaigns of past great military leaders
 1792-Captain, Rose quickly through the ranks.
Performed so well as an artillery officer-received
another promotion
 promoted to Brigadier general in 1794 (25 yrs)
 1795, saved the Convention (NA) from the mobs,
1796 Commander of forces in Italy

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NAPOLEON 1804
Meteoric rise Emperor
1799, 1st Consul

1797, National Hero

1796, Commander in Italy

1794-Brig. general

1792-Captain

1785-2nd Lieutenant

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 This triumph gained him sudden fame, and
the patronage of the new regime
 Appointed as a commander of the army in

Italy: Blessing or Disaster?

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 1796-commander of French army in Italy-
reorganizing a group of ill-disciplined into
an effective & amazing force-defeated
Austria-charismatic leader
 Qualities- charm, energy, keen

intelligence, comprehend complex

decision and decide quickly, great with
words, supreme self-confidence
 1797-returned to France as a national

hero

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 Marriage: married Josephine, a widow 6
yrs older than him. Her contacts with the
leading figures of the Directory helped
Nap’s career.
 Directory administration was very weak.
The state was bankrupt, corruption
unpopular with the people.
 1799, coup d’etat organized by some of
the directory members. Directory was
overthrown-Nap. was 30 yrs old
 Drafting of a new constitution establishing
the regime Consulate- Nap. 1st consul

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 Did he preserve or destroy the legacies of
FR?
 The ideal of republican government was

definitely destroyed.
 Were other ideals maintained in other

ways?
 1801- established peace with the Catholic

Church- the strongest enemy of the FR

 Recognized Catholicism as the religion of

majority

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 Before rev. 300 different legal systems
 During the rev. efforts were made to codify

it, incomplete
 Napoleon codified it- 7 codes of law
 The most important one, Civil Code (Code of

Napoleon)
 Preserved most of FR ideals

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 Recognize equality before law
 Individual right to choose profession,

religious toleration
 Abolishment of feudalism
 Protected employers, outlawed trade unions
 Reduced women’s legal and property rights

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 Set up a police state & strict censorship to
silence his critics
 Strengthened the central bureaucracy

(efficient) systematize taxation system

 Appointing himself as an emperor (King)
 Appointing family members/cronies as

rulers of Europe

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 Napoleon Named First Consul 1799
 1804-Napoleon used fears of a Bourbon
comeback to get him self crowned Emperor.
 1809 Napoleon divorced Josephine & married
Archduchess Marie Louise
 - as a more fitting wife for an emperor than
Josephine, (supposedly she was sexually to much
for him?).

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 During the height of Napoleon’s power, France
controlled all of Continental Europe
 Napoleon’s Impact on Europe
 -a. -1806 The Holy Roman Empire dissolved.
Germany re-organized July 1806 as The
Confederation of the Rhine
 -b. A French Empire set up including land up to
the Rhine and beyond.
-c. New Kingdoms set up - Spain, Italy, Holland,
Sweden - All with Napoleons
 family or followers on the throne.
 -d. All the other states were, for the time being
allies.

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 e The Napoleonic Code was imposed
everywhere. -end of Feudalism + Local
town oligarchies
 Continental System
- Unable to defeat GB militarily, tried to
destroy GB’s Trade dominance - Instituted
in 1806 in the Berlin Decrees. aim-to make
it impossible for GB to trade with
European continent
 Napoleon claimed he was liberating
Europe from the English

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 A hero to half of Europe a traitor to the rest
 Spread of French Revolutionary Ideals

-French Soldiers were committed - liberal

and French Rev. ideals were adopted by
many.
 Examine whether he preserve or destroy

the ideals of FR ?

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 Nationalism; growth of Nationalism in other
countries but based on French ideals idea
of Fraternity in French Rev).
 reaction to French Dominance, as it became
clear Napoleon's policies benefited France.
 There were also objections to his family
becoming Kings and Queens all over Europe

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 A Changed Political Map of Europe
-Holy Roman Empire Gone - Austria now
its own entity/state.
 300 German States reduced to 39.
 France becomes less important for 30
years (after his defeat)

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 QUESTIONS: Napoleon’s Controversies
 A Great Man? Whole Question of Great man in
History ?
[Great men or social forces? Does the hero
actually change history?]
 Was Napoleon Admirable? Did he bring war
and kill millions of people to satisfy his ego?
 Betrayer or preserver of the French Rev.? Did
he spread  revolutionary ideals?
 Liberator of Europe or Tyrant?

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 A theory of “a great man”
 Did a great man changed history
 Or rather a great man was good at
manipulating “history” (historical contexts
and forces in his favor?)
 Was a great man alone enough to make
things happen?
 A Great Man: Infallible or just a super-
talented human being?

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