Napoleonic Era flashcards

What was the Directory?

The government created after the Reign of Terror.

What did the Directory consist of?

Five Directors, a Council of Five Hundred, and a Council of Ancients.

What crises did the Directory inherit?u

Famine, civil war, internal corruption, and war.

Why did the people of France want a change from the Directory?

The Directory was inefficient, ineffective, and corrupt.

What does coup d’état mean?

“Blow against the state.”

What did Napoleon do in 1799?

He staged a coup d’état and overthrew the Directory.

Who supported Napoleon’s coup d’état?

The people of Paris.

What happened in 1799, 1802, and 1804 as Napoleon centralized power?

1799: He created a new constitution and appointed three consuls. 1802: He was named first consul for life. 1804: He crowned himself Emperor.

What were Napoleon’s five noteworthy achievements?

The Napoleonic Code, public education, centralization of government, the Concordat with the Pope, and economic stability.

What was the Napoleonic Code?

A uniform system of law introduced by Napoleon to govern all of France.

What was the purpose of the Napoleonic Code?

To replace the many different, sometimes conflicting, legal codes in France with one uniform system of law.

What public school system did Napoleon create?

The lycées.

Why were Napoleon’s lycées limited?

They were highly regimented and open primarily to the wealthy.

What was centralization of government under Napoleon?

Napoleon brought power into his own hands to make the government more efficient, although it was not democratic.

What was the Concordat with the Pope?

An agreement that returned church buildings and recognized Catholicism as the official religion in France.

Why was the Roman Catholic Church upset during the Revolution?

Its lands were confiscated, and the Church was removed from government.

How did Napoleon try to create economic stability?

He made taxation fairer and more efficient, created the Bank of France, improved infrastructure, and tried to balance France’s budget.

What did the Bank of France do?

It regulated French currency and protected it against inflation.

When did the Napoleonic Wars take place?

1799–1815.

What does “Liberté” mean?

Liberty — rights and freedoms.

What does “Égalité” mean?

Equality — all citizens equal before the law.

What does “Fraternité” mean?

Brotherhood — friendship, harmony, and morality.

What were the purposes of the Napoleonic Wars?

To isolate and defeat Great Britain and subdue Europe by military conquest.

What strategies did Napoleon use in the Napoleonic Wars?

Well-thought-out battle plans, understanding physical geography and cultural context, surprise, and speed.

What were the key outcomes of the Napoleonic Wars by 1810?

Napoleon dominated Europe, brought the Revolution to other nations, and French nationalism increased with each French victory.

What happened to Napoleon in 1815?

After failed military campaigns, he abdicated and was exiled to a remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean.

What happened during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, according to the notes?

350,000 French troops were killed.

What did Napoleon create to help make himself a national hero?

The Legion of Honor and the Arc de Triomphe.

How did French people show nationalism during Napoleon’s rule?

They became so supportive and patriotic that they would fight and die for their nation.

How did Napoleon spread nationalism throughout Europe?

He spread the ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity, and was seen as the “Great Liberator” freeing people from kings, feudal lords, and the Church.

What new ideal did Napoleon help create?

Being a citizen of a nation rather than a subject of a monarch.

How did Italians respond to Napoleon’s creation of an Italian state?

They celebrated it.

What were the negative effects of Napoleon’s rule?

Wars drained France’s finances and caused great loss of life and destruction.

Did Napoleon destroy absolutism?

No. He created a more efficient form of absolutism and used populism and nationalism to gain and maintain support.

How did Napoleon’s rule contribute to his downfall?

Individual interests were seen as inferior to the interests of the Emperor.