Who was Napoleon and What Were His Three Costly Mistakes?

Who was Napoleon and Who was Napoleon and What Were His Three What Were His Three

Costly Mistakes?Costly Mistakes?

Who was Who was Napoleon?Napoleon?


•Born in 1769 on the Born in 1769 on the island of Corsicaisland of Corsica

•At, 16 he finished At, 16 he finished school and joined the school and joined the military.military.


•He became a hero during He became a hero during the French Revolution and the French Revolution and gained control of the gained control of the French government and French government and declared himself emperor.declared himself emperor.


•Napoleon was actually a Napoleon was actually a pretty good ruler for pretty good ruler for France.France.

•Not as good to the rest Not as good to the rest of Europe and the world.of Europe and the world.

How was he good How was he good for France?for France?

•He achieved many of He achieved many of the goals of the French the goals of the French revolution for the revolution for the people.people.•A stable economyA stable economy•A less corrupt A less corrupt governmentgovernment

•Public schools for Public schools for everyoneeveryone

•Allowed the French Allowed the French to worship as the to worship as the wished.wished.

How was he good How was he good for France?for France?

How was he bad for How was he bad for the rest of the World?the rest of the World?•Restored slavery to the Restored slavery to the French Islands in the French Islands in the Caribbean.Caribbean.

•Tried to take over Tried to take over Europe and gain control Europe and gain control of the New World (failed of the New World (failed miserably in New World)miserably in New World)

How did he take How did he take over Europe?over Europe?

•He took over countries in He took over countries in Europe kicking out their Europe kicking out their government and putting in government and putting in his own people. his own people. •SwitzerlandSwitzerland•NetherlandsNetherlands•Italy Italy


•By 1812 he was in By 1812 he was in control of almost all of control of almost all of Europe except Britain, Europe except Britain, Portugal, Sweden and Portugal, Sweden and the Ottoman Empire.the Ottoman Empire.

•What is it called when What is it called when one country extends one country extends their power over other their power over other lands by military, lands by military, political, or economic political, or economic means?means?


•This control of Europe This control of Europe only lasted 5 years and only lasted 5 years and then fell apart due to then fell apart due to the conquered countries the conquered countries fighting back for control fighting back for control of their countriesof their countries

•What have we talked What have we talked about that might about that might explain why the explain why the conquered countries conquered countries started fighting back?started fighting back?

Three Costly Three Costly MistakesMistakes

•Napoleon really wanted Napoleon really wanted to extend the power of to extend the power of France and crush France and crush Britain. His efforts to do Britain. His efforts to do this caused his to make this caused his to make three huge mistakes.three huge mistakes.

Three Costly Three Costly MistakesMistakes

•These mistakes were:These mistakes were:•The Continental SystemThe Continental System•The Peninsular WarThe Peninsular War•The Invasion of RussiaThe Invasion of Russia

The Continental The Continental SystemSystem

•1806 Napoleon ordered 1806 Napoleon ordered a blockade of Britain to a blockade of Britain to destroy Britain’s destroy Britain’s commercial and commercial and industrial economy. industrial economy.


•Blockade was not very Blockade was not very effective.effective.•Smugglers got through.Smugglers got through.•Some of Napoleon’s allies Some of Napoleon’s allies did not pay attention to did not pay attention to the blockade (cont.)the blockade (cont.)


•including his brother including his brother whom he had made whom he had made king of Holland.king of Holland.

•The British also forced The British also forced ships to sail to British ships to sail to British ports and pay taxesports and pay taxes


•In the end the blockade In the end the blockade hurt France much more hurt France much more than it hurt Britain.than it hurt Britain.

Why do you think that Why do you think that this is true?this is true?

The Peninsular WarThe Peninsular War

•In 1808 because In 1808 because Portugal was ignoring Portugal was ignoring the Continental System the Continental System he sent an army he sent an army through Spain to invade.through Spain to invade.

The Peninsular WarThe Peninsular War•When the Spanish people When the Spanish people got upset he deposed the got upset he deposed the King and made his brother King and made his brother Joseph the new King.Joseph the new King.

•This made the Spanish This made the Spanish people upset.people upset.

Joseph BonaparteJoseph Bonaparte


•What vocabulary word What vocabulary word have we talked about have we talked about that explains why the that explains why the Spanish felt this way?Spanish felt this way?

The Peninsular WarThe Peninsular War•For 5 years the Spanish For 5 years the Spanish peasant fighters attacked peasant fighters attacked French armies in Spain.French armies in Spain.•They were guerrilla They were guerrilla fighters who attacked and fighters who attacked and fled.fled.

•France lost 300,000 men.France lost 300,000 men.


•These losses weakened These losses weakened France and gave other France and gave other conquered people ideas conquered people ideas to turn against France.to turn against France.

•Nationalism became a Nationalism became a weapon against France.weapon against France.

The Invasion of The Invasion of RussiaRussia

•In June 1812 Napoleon In June 1812 Napoleon made his most costly made his most costly mistake he invaded mistake he invaded Russia. Russia.

•As the French marched As the French marched towards Moscow the towards Moscow the Russians (cont.)Russians (cont.)


•burned fields and burned fields and slaughtered animals slaughtered animals making sure the French making sure the French would have nothing to would have nothing to eat.eat.

•Sept 1812 the two armies Sept 1812 the two armies met and Napoleon barely met and Napoleon barely won and gained control of won and gained control of Moscow.Moscow.


•As the Russian’s left As the Russian’s left Moscow they set fire to it. Moscow they set fire to it.

•Napoleon stayed in the Napoleon stayed in the ruined city for 5 weeks ruined city for 5 weeks waiting for the Czar to waiting for the Czar to make an offer of peace.make an offer of peace.


•Napoleon finally ordered Napoleon finally ordered his starving army to his starving army to retreat.retreat.

•The Russians attacked The Russians attacked the French mercilessly as the French mercilessly as they retreated.they retreated.


•Many died of Many died of exhaustion hunger and exhaustion hunger and cold. It was 30 degrees cold. It was 30 degrees below zero.below zero.


•One French soldier wrote. One French soldier wrote. “Many of the Survivors “Many of the Survivors were walking barefoot, were walking barefoot, using pieces of wood as using pieces of wood as canes, but their feet were canes, but their feet were frozen so hard that the frozen so hard that the sound they made on the sound they made on the road was like that of road was like that of wooden clogs.wooden clogs.


•In December when the In December when the last survivors left last survivors left Russia Napoleon only Russia Napoleon only had 10,000 left who had 10,000 left who were fit to fight.were fit to fight.

Retreat from RussiaRetreat from Russia

Napoleon’s Napoleon’s DownfallDownfall

•Enemies took advantage Enemies took advantage of his weakness and all of of his weakness and all of the main powers of the main powers of Europe attacked.Europe attacked.

•Empire crumbled quickly.Empire crumbled quickly.

•1814 gave up throne he 1814 gave up throne he was only 45.was only 45.•Banished to Elba Island Banished to Elba Island

•Escaped in 1815 and Escaped in 1815 and ruled for 100 days before ruled for 100 days before defeated again and sent defeated again and sent to St. Helena island to St. Helena island where he died in 1821.where he died in 1821.

Napoleon’s Napoleon’s DownfallDownfall

St. Helena IslandSt. Helena Island

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Who was Napoleon and What Were His Three Costly Mistakes?