Napoleon and the Reign of Terror

Reign of Terror

• Committee of Public Safety formed to keep people from protesting the revolution.
• Headed by Maximilien Robespierre.
• Used the guillotine to execute anyone that disagreed with the revolution: friends of the monarchy, members of the 1st and 2nd estates, some peasants
• Estimated 40,000 killed by the Guillotine (includes Marie Antoinette)
• Reign of Terror ends with the beheading of Robespierre.
• Five person council (Directory) set up to run the country – very weak.

Napoleon Bonaparte

• Popular army general takes power in coup d’etat (1799)

• Names himself Emperor of France (1804)

  • Created a new legal system based on the Enlightenment
  • Restored the Catholic Church, but reduced its the power 
  • Increased rights and equality of French people
  • Conquers most of Europe
  • Set up a national banking system
  • Ended government corruption

• Napoleonic Wars – Napoleon began invading and conquering all of the countries to the east and west of France in Europe.

• By 1812, all of Europe is conquered except for Great Britain and Russia.

• Legacy = Nationalism  

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