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Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica (France) in 1769. He and his family were of a high social class and when he reached a certain age, he was sent to a military academy in France.
Napoleon graduated in 1785, at the age of 16, and joined the artillery as a second lieutenant.
During the French Revolution he served the Revolutionary Army.
By age 27, Napoleon was a general. -
Because a crisis, the King Louis XVI ordered that nobles and clergy had to pay taxes and these people rejected this orders. Son Louis was forced to summon the Estates General.
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Because an unfair voting in the Estates General, the third estate abandoned the meeting, they created the National Assembly and took the Tennis Court Oath, promising to create a constitution.
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-Great Fear the peasants attacked the nobles in the countryside.
The National Constituent Assembly introduced several measures that eliminate the Old Regime:
-Abolition of the tithe and feudal rights (taxes that the Third Estate had to paid to privileged)
-Publication of the DMRC (ilustrated ideas) -
The revolutionary people attacked the Bastille because a consideration of a symbol of the Revolution.
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The constitution was accepted by the king and was based on the dividion of powers, a constitutional monarchy and a Censitarian suffrage (males, + 25 years old and with a minimum wealth). The votation of a new government, the Legislative Assembly, which was a moderate government.It only lasted one year due to the intense opposition of nobles, clergy and the radical revolutionaries. As a result, Austria and Prussia began a war against France because the expansion of revolution.
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Because of the war and the revolution, the political situation became more radical and the royal family was taken prisoner.
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Universal male suffrage was guaranted (every men could vote), new elections to choose a new government and as a result, the National Convention was elected (more radical). So this new government abolished the monarchy and France became a Republic.
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The Kings were judged because treason and were executed, because this Britain and Dutch Republic joined to the war against France in the First Coalition.
At the same time, revolutionaries were divided into Girondins (moderate republicans, bourgeoisie) and Jacobins (radical revolutionaries, sans-culottes). -
People began to think that the revolution was in danger, so the Jacobins took the control and the power and Robespierre became the dictator of France.
During ten months, the Committee of Public Safety executed more than 50.000 people by guillotine. Every suspect of being an enemy of the Republic was killed. -
Robespierre lost support and was executed. So a new moderate government was created as a result of the fall of the Jacobins, The Directory.
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The Directory created a new constitution with censitarian suffrage. A five-member Directory held the executive power and two chambers held the legislative. The society was still divided into:
-Radicals tried to impose an egalitarian society.
-Royalists wanted to reintroduce monarchy. -
After many victorious compaigns against Austria and Britain Napoleon became very popular and was received in Paris as a hero.
At the same time, people were dissatisfied with the Directory and with the held of troops loyal to him, he and more overthrew the government (November, 1799).
As a result, he proclaimed himself First Consul. -
In the early 1800, France fought all the major European powers (Russia, Austria, Naples, Prussia and Great Britain).
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Napoleon made himself sole ´´Consul for Life``.
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Napoleon was crowned as Emperor of France and he gained almost absolute power. He continued with some reforms of the Revolution because people didn't want to return to the Ancien Régime:
-All citizens pay taxes, which were deposited in the new National Bank of France.
-Lyceé system of education.
-Code Napoleon (1804). This is a new law based on the principle ideas od the Revolution and equal for everyone.
-Freedom of religion. -
In 1806 he defeated Austria and Russia at battle of Austerlitz.
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From 1807 to 1812: Napoleon was at the height of his power that that was expanding until the borders with Russia.
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In 1808 he invaded Spain and placed his brother, Joseph, as king.
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Napoleon sent an army of 500,000 men to Russia in 1812. After the winter, less than 100,000 French returned from Russia
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From 1808-1814: Opposition to Napoleon grew among the conquered and allied peoples of Europe, who were developing a sense of nationalism, or pride and devotion to one's own country. This happened in Spain with this war.
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Great Britain and Prussia defeated Napoleon and was sent to exile into the island of Saint Helena.
Louis XVIII was named king: He issued a constitution that provided for equality under the law for all citizens, an elected legislature, and religious freedom. He also kept the Napoleonic Code.
