PRESENTATION OUTLINE
NAPOLEAN BONAPARTE, THE HERO
Napoleon Bonaparte is a hero. He is one of the most well-known figures in France for many reasons. He has done many great things for France, including writing the Napoleonic Code, helping to overthrow the French Directory, defeating Austria, centralizing the government, instituted reforms for education and banking,
supporting science and arts, and became ruler for France.
Napoleon Bonaparte wrote the Napoleonic code. The Napoleonic Coded was a civil law code created to revise the outdated law code from before. It was a new legal framework for France. It gave Post-Revolutionary France the first set of laws concerning property, colonial affairs, individual rights, etc.
Napoleon also helped overthrow the French Directory. The French Directory was a bicameral legislature, divided into two parts, the Council of 500 and the Council of the Ancients.
It was a very weak system, with no funds to support it or enforce it. It was overthrown by Napolean Bonaparte and Maximalian Robespierre.
Napolean Defeated Austria. When France was in war with Austria after the King and Queen were beheaded, Bonaparte lead a force of 30,000-40,000 troops against a combined might of Britain and Austria, numbering 120,000. Rather then surrender, Napoleon went on to win the battle with superior tactics and using his enemies' own numbers against them.
Napolean centralized the French Government. He turned their previous state government into a Federal government, which offered more economic stability and control. Before this, the French government was weak, and had very little power, over its people, and over its economy as a whole.
Napoleon built many new lycees, schools for boys age 10 to 16. He recognized the importance of education in producing citizens capable of filling positions in his bureaucracy and military. He didn't, however, create a system of widespread schooling, but for the middle-class, schooling was more avaible. Girls still were not able to go to school because they were not active citizens. Napoleon also changed the tax system. Before his reign as emperor, the taxes were heavily weighted on the lower class. After his rule, taxes were equal to everyone.
Napoleon supported science. Science advanced warfare, and would give Napoleon an advantage if he supported it. Science was used in the art of aiming, of creating weapons, and most of all, artillery. Artillery was a major part of war, but was hard to make and aim. Napoleon had hoped to gain more artillery and increased aim to conquer his enemies.
Napolean helped rule. He was named first consul for life by a constitutional amendment. 2 years later, he crowned himself emperor of France. He made many changes and fixed Frances' economy, ruling system, education, and many other things during his reign.
Napolean was a hero for France. He expanded their borders, centralized their government, and overall, increased their society. He was a dictator, but he was not a tyrant more than he was a hero.
