In my opinion I think Napoleon was the creator of his times because he created all of the events that happened during his time. For one thing people recognized him and still do today as one of the worlds greatest military leaders. All of the things he did in order to become the creator that he was started when he was sixteen years old and joined the army. A while after that in October 1795 Napoleon became a hero and was praised thought Paris as the savior of the French Republic. Soon after that the directory decided to have Napoleon lead the French army. Because he was the leader of the army he was the creator of the things that he wanted his soldiers to do therefore, they resulted in many victories once they arrived in Italy. When Napoleon …show more content…
Eventually the result and diplomacy all three nations signed peace agreements with France. Napoleon was free to focus his strengths on restoring order in France. In 1800 the people voted to approve the new constitution. As for the results the people voted in favor of the constitution. This gave all the real power to Napoleon as first consul. Soon after that Napoleon wanted to strengthen the central government and achieve some of the goals for the Revolution. The first thing that Napoleon did was was he set up an efficient method of tax collection and recognized a national banking system. As the creator of these actions, they promoted sound financial management and better control over the economy. Napoleon also wanted to end corruption in his government. So he dismissed dishonest officials, and in order for him to provide the government with trained officials he created government-run public schools. These schools were open to male students of all backgrounds. One thing that Napoleon ignored was religion. Religion was one of the changes introduced by the Revolution. Both the clergy and the peasants wanted to bring back the position of the church in
Impressed by his feats the five main military leaders asked Napoleon to invade England, instead he offered a plan to invade Egypt. After he got the okay to do so Napoleon took over the Egyptian army and its main leaders (www.history.com, www.thefreesource.com). In 1799 Napoleon overthrew the French Directory in an attempt to gain more power. After the defeat he was the leading political figure to most historians (www.history.com). As leader Napoleon improved not only the military of France but also the economy and other parts of the French empire. He helped reform the banks and education system as well as improving the arts and sciences. But his biggest contribution was the Napoleonic code, which was a big part of the legal system in France.(www.history.com, www.thefreesource.com, www.bbc.co.uk). In 1804 Napoleon declared himself emperor of France, which was meant he was the sole leader of this great empire (www.history.com). Napoleon won many battles and his reign stretched from the edge of the border of Spain to Italy and also some parts in Austria and Egypt. It was a strong and powerful empire at the time. The start of Napoleon’s downfall began when Russia broke agreements with France. So Napoleon brought about 600,000 troops into Russia to attack but the Russians were prepared and had the perfect strategy to defeat the French army. The Russians would retreat and keep the French marching
Napoleon continued in the Revolutionary tradition of liberating and introducing revolutionary ideals to the territories he claimed for France. In the areas he conquered Napoleon granted constitutions, introduced law codes, abolished feudalism, created efficient governments and fostered education, science, literature and the arts. However these reforms always failed as Napoleon was always attempting the politically impossible. This did not stop Napoleon from continuing his conquests. Napoleons battles were fought in order to consolidate his dictatorship. His Military success initially consolidated the revolution, but once he turned France into a military dictatorship he betrayed the revolution.
Napoleon managed to maintain the lesser ideals of the French Revolution. However, he managed to do this by giving all of the former ideals a ‘twist’ of his own if he was displeased by them. This included the fact that he re-wrote the constitution that had previously been written; he partially reversed the relationship with the Church, turning France into a Catholic country. It can also be stated that the way he gained power was against the French Revolution’s ideals: and this was the very beginning! On the other hand, Napoleon managed to maintain equal taxation, which had previously been a big issue, especially for the poor. Distinction was removed and there were no privileges for any parties neither was there a way to ‘sneak out’ of
Certain individuals approved of Napoleon 's reign as the saviour of France. He finished and completed the Revolution by fulfilling the ideals the people of France demanded. A person such as one belonging to the bourgeoisie, or even a peasant would be very satisfied with the way Napoleon ruled over the country. He gave them equality, freedom, justice, and many rights. Such things never existed
He provided equality for people in the Napoleonic Code written in 1804. “Every Frenchman shall enjoy civil rights”(Source F). This provided equality for all that were French, and for all French that were men, which excluded people in French colonies as well as women. Women’s rights was fought for during the French revolution, so by decreeing this in the code, Napoleon betrays one of the ideals of the French revolution. Also in the Napoleonic code, Napoleon betrays another ideal that was pushed for during the French revolution. “The laws are executory throughout the whole French territory, by virtue of promulgation thereof made by the first Consul.”(Source F). Napoleon, being the first consul of France, gives himself a significant amount of control over France by forcing any laws that he decrees to be followed by all citizens in France. Ironically he gives rights to some, but forces all to obey him and his laws. One of the main reasons the French revolution commenced was because the people of France believed in a government where all had rights and political power, rather than only the rich. The decades fought and the bloodshed was for a democracy, but here, Napoleon returns France back to a constitutional
Instead of creating a society based on free exercise of property, limiting state intervention, and giving political and civil liberty to people, he created a society based on order and hierarchy. Napoleon also had the power to appoint positions, as he 60 percent of the 3263 nobles he appointed from 1808 to 1814, were officers and the rest were people holding high ranks in civil service and notables (like bishops and mayors.) Napoleon taking control was also seen as an improvement through the average Frenchman’s eyes due to the lack of work being done by the Directory. Napoleon used military terms to deal with affairs. In order to be successful, the situation must be exploited as quickly as possible, which in this case, was giving the nation confidence that good times are ahead. Though Napoleon was confident in reforming he was also confident in doing this mostly by himself by getting the nation to pledge their loyalty to Napoleon, and Ducos and Sieyes who he generously added to the decree.
He established the National Banking System to help out the French with their taxes. He made a more effective tax system. He tried to stop corruption and inefficiency in the government. He set up public schools that gave positions based on merit. He signed an agreement with the church giving it significance, but not power. Most of all, he established the Napoleonic Code, which limited freedom at the expense of order. Napoleon expanded his empire into Austria and Prussia by defeating all Austrian and Prussian armies. Not only did Napoleon strengthen his empire, but also weakened it in several ways. For example, he was defeated in the battle of Trafalgar where he lost to Horatio Nelson and his British troops. Moreover, in the Peninsular War, Napoleon battled Portugal and was determined to conquer it. However, when British troops aided Spanish troops and used guerilla warfare to ambush Napoleon’s troops, they were attacked and defeated. This war resulted in Napoleon losing many of his soldiers and best troops. So too, Napoleon set out with 600,000 troops in hopes of finding food and shelter for his soldiers in his attempt to conquer Russia, but once Czar Alexander the first was notified about Napoleons plan, he decided to use the scorched-earth policy. This meant that he destroyed all the supplies and food that Napoleon’s troops can possibly use to benefit them so they would
The system of laws was in a state of chaos. Laws were not codified and were based on Roman law, ancient custom or monarchical paternalism. During the revolution, many laws were changed. It was difficult to determine what law applied in any given situation, and laws were not equally applied to everyone. The mishmash of laws were codified and written clearly so that the people could determine what law applied. It incorporated much of the Roman law. For the first time in history, the law was based on reason and founded on the notion that all men were equal before the law. Napoleon centralized the government, putting control firmly in the hands of the national government making it more efficient. Advancement in the civil service and the military was based on merit rather than rank. The tax system was applied equally to all. He also 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. Although he did not create a system of mass education, education was more available to the middle class than it ever had been before. (historywiz,
France had many problems after the Reign of Terror and looked to Napoleon for help. Therefore, Napoleon changed many government officials such as, having the Directory resign and then created a three-member consulate. He agreed with many Enlightenment ideas by promoting freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. In 1796, Napoleon wrote how he felt sympathetic for declaring Catholicism as the official religion, "It was by becoming a Catholic that I pacified the Vendee and a [Muslim] that I established myself in Egypt; it was by becoming ultramontane that I won over public opinion in Italy," he cared about everyone's religion and believed in religious tolerance. Napoleon beliefs made him very popular with the people and
To understand the question one must know what is the meaning of a revolutionary and a military dictator. A revolutionary is someone who brings about change to set of laws in a country or state. Where as a military dictator is someone who rules through fear and force. Napoleon’s actions gave off many views of him, this lead people to think whether he was a revolutionary or a military dictator. However, to decide the answer to these questions, it is important to know the answer to other questions that historians must consider such as what people thought of him, what actions did he commit in his rule, what were the motives to his actions, and how did he treat his nation and the people. By asking answering these questions historians can get a decent view on the answer the main question. Historians over time have questioned his actions and all have an outcome of similar or different arguments. Throughout his life Napoleon committed many actions, multiple people have different viewpoints on these actions. Others may see the amounts of deaths that he caused and brushed them aside as an act of a tyrant bent on conquest and power. Therefore, to answer the question other aspects and elements in the question have to be understood.
He did not have religious tolerance, or freedom of speech, or freedom of the press. He did not have equal rights between all the people and he crowned himself emperor. Lastly, he continued to cause chaos in his own empire instead of trying to end it and find peace in the Europe. The outcome of the French Revolution had many lasting changes and ideas that would continue and inspire even to today. Except, Napoleon Bonaparte did not stick with the ideals that the revolution stood for. He turned himself against the people that he was supposed to be leading and it got him exiled. When there is a leader of a group of people, they need to do what the people want and what is best for them, not what is best for the
Napoleon became that guy, who ended the French Revolution as well as brought them the stability with his successful administrative reforms. Politically and socially, Napoleon came up with the motto: “Liberty, fraternity, and equality”, and moreover, he did achieve it. Two of his main accomplishments politically for equality were the Napoleonic Civil Law Codes, which made all men equal under the law and the Religious Toleration, which made all religions legal in France. He also established a strict program of censorship in order to grant the maximum amount of liberal and equal rights to the citizens under his control without shaking his own power. For instance, Napoleon implemented the “Career Opens to Talent” policy, which abolished the corrupt form of government while gave every talent men a chance to serve for the nation.
Napoleon’s political ideas were efficient and worked well to rule a country; he even adapted his ideas to help France run more efficiently. The Napoleonic Code gave equality to all male citizens and he rehabilitated the Catholic Church for his people, despite his belief in religious freedom. He created a bureaucracy with subprefects, prefects, and mayors that ran France. All of these ideas helped France run smoothly.
My opinion is that Napoleon Bonaparte was the creator of his times. Going to military school at a young age and becoming a lieutenant so soon was part of what help make him a creator. He was a leader from the very beginning and he was successful with most of the tasks handed to him. When things started going down hill with the French people, Napoleon took power and started to fix these things. His first goal was to better the economy. He wanted to make sure the economy would last and be successful. To accomplish that he did many things, a couple were making sure the government would keep having enough money and started a new banking system. Napoleon also created
In my opinion, Napoleon was the creator not the creation. On several occasions, Napoleon proved and showed to his upcoming empire that he was worthy of his position. In October of 1795, Napoleon had his first chance to show the French Republic what he was capable of. Napoleon had to defend the delegates from the rebels who marched on the National Convention. Napoleon had gunners (and himself) greet the thousands of royalists with a cannonade, and with in minutes the attackers had fled. Napoleon was the French Republics hero and was praised throughout Paris. Following that occasion in 1796, Napoleon was told by the Directory to lead the army against the forces of the kingdom of Sardinia and Austria. Napoleon had to cross the Alps and get into