NAPOLEON FORGES AN EMPIRE

Section 3

Ch.23

Napoleon Seizes Power A five-man group called the Directory became

the new government after Robespierre’s execution.

Napoleon Bonaparte became known as the savior of the French republic when in 1795 he defended the National Convention against royalist rebels.

Napoleon Seizes Power By 1799, the Directory had lost control of the

political situation and the confidence of the French people.

Napoleon seized power in a coup d'état in Nov. 1799 by surrounding the legislative building with troops.

They set up a group of three consuls of which Napoleon was first consul.

Napoleon Rules France

Napoleon held a plebiscite to approve a new constitution.

France made peace with its enemies in 1802. He set up an efficient method of tax collection

and established a national banking system. He set up lycees (government-run public

schools) to provide government with trained officials.

Restoring Order to France Napoleon signed a concordat, or agreement,

with Pope Pius VII recognizing the influence of the Church, but rejecting Church control in national affairs.

He also established a comprehensive set of laws known as the Napoleonic Code, which gave the country a set of uniform laws.

Napoleon Crowned as Emperor

In 1804, Napoleon decided to make himself emperor.

The pope was in Paris to crown him, but Napoleon took the crown from him and crowned himself.

Loss of American Territories

Napoleon wanted to create an empire in Europe and the Americas.

A successful slave revolt in Haiti led Napoleon to sell French territory in North America to the United States and focus on Europe.

President Jefferson paid $15 million to purchase the Louisiana territory.

Conquering Europe

Napoleon had taken over the Austrian Netherlands, parts of Italy and set up a puppet government in Switzerland.

England, Russia, Austria, and Sweden joined together to try and stop him.

He was able to beat all the military powers except Britain, who defeated him at the naval Battle of Trafalgar, destroying the French fleet.

The French Empire

By 1812 the only areas in Europe free from Napoleon’s control were Britain, Portugal, Sweden, and the Ottoman Empire.

The French Empire was huge but unstable.

Napoleon had the greatest control over the lands from 1807 to 1812.