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Coup of 18 Brumaire
This coup d'etat brought Napoleon to power as first Consul of France, and ended the French Revolution. It overthrew the Directory and replaced it with the French Consulate. -
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Napoleon's Impact
Napoleon was a military genius and administrator. He had huge victories, but many of them were the result of millions of lives lost. So many historians and ethicists measure Napoleon's successes against the life count of his conquests. However, he continued to effect society much after he died. -
Concordat
An agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, signed in Paris. It signified the Catholic Church as the majority church of France. Napoleon selected high church officials, so he still retained his powers. -
Loss of American Territories
Enslaved Africans revolted and seized control of the colony and sugar plant. Napoleon wanted to bring back the sugar plant and sent troops there. His troops were devastated by disease and the rebels were good fighters. He sold the land to the United States for $15,000,000 and used the money to fund military campaigns and invest in the U.S. and help it develop. -
Napoleonic Code
The French civil code established under Napoleon. It stressed accessible and written law, which patched up the feudal law system that was previously used. It helped modernize countries with legal reforms. -
Napoleon Crowned as Emperor
Napoleon crowned himself emperor of France, some say that during the coronation, he took the crown from the Pope Pius VII, thus establishing his control. -
Conquering Europe
Napoleon turned his attention to Europe. He already captured some of the Austrian Netherlands and parts of Italy. He helped set up a new government in Switzerland. The British formed a coalition of nations to meet France, and Napoleon crushed them in a series of battles. He was a brilliant general, and after the battle of Austerlitz, he issued a statement to his troops. Napoleon's success forced the nations opposing himtosignpeacetreaties,andhelped himbuildthebiggestEuropeanempiresinceRome. -
Continental System
Napoleon set up a blockade between England and other European countries. It was made to make continental Europe more self sufficient, and at the same time weaken the island England by destroying its commercial economy. Smugglers managed to make it past Napoleon's blockade because it wasn't strong enough. -
Invasion of Russia
Even though the czar of Russia became Napoleon's ally, he refused to stop selling grains to England. The French and Russians also had plans on Poland, so Napoleon decided to invade Russia. The Russian troops burned fields and killed livestocks to leave nothing for the French to eat. The Russian and French armies fought, and then the Russians retreated past Moscow, and burned it. Napoleon stayed till October then left Russia. His army of 420,000 soldiers was diminishedto10,000readytofight. -
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The Hundred Days
This started when Louis the VIII came to power and people were afraid he was going to undo everything that the Revolution did. Napoleon escaped his island and came back and people welcomed him as emperor. He gathered an army of volunteers and marched to Waterloo, where he was defeated. -
Waterloo
Napoleon's army attacked the British army near the village of Waterloo. The British were then joined by the Prussian army and attacked Napoleon. This defeat ended the last 100 days of Napoleon's power.
