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Napoleon Bonaparte Dbq

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Napoleon Bonaparte, an influential leader of France, was a man of many facets. On one the one hand, Napoleon was a strong leader who created durable institutions and strengthened France, but on the other, there is a more pitiful view of Napoleon. The view of Napoleon was initially very positive: he viewed himself as a protector of the people, and the people saw this too; however, over time, this image was greatly worsened, due to military hardship. Initially, the people of France saw him as a hero. This is clearly demonstrated by Document 3. The painting of Napoleon, published in 1800, just one year after he rose to power, depicts Napoleon’s valiant figure. The French people saw him as a hero because of the prior events in France. Preceding Napoleon’s rule was the “Reign of Terror” instituted by radicals in power of the government. The French people were desperate for a ruler to stabilize the country, and Napoleon was the answer. In Document 1, Napoleon motivated the French army, and promised them riches and honor. Napoleon, again, was the answer to the people’s problems. The …show more content…

Napoleon won battles in Italy and Austria early in his rule, but eventually, the French Emperor attempted to conquer other major powers in Europe. Napoleon lost major battles in Russia and Britain, and the French people’s perception of their king began to change. Document 5 shows a painting of Napoleon in 1812, during the French invasion of Russia. Napoleon is depicted very negatively: he appears to be short, almost small, overweight, and certainly not the heroic image he carried early in his rule. In Document 7, Napoleon is controlled at the hands of the Duke of Wellington, dancing like a puppet. The painting was published in 1815, the year Napoleon was officially removed from power. As Napoleon’s initial success faded, so did his

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