7 . 5

NAPOLEON DURING CONSOLATE ERA – 1799 TO 1804

MEET NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

• Born of Italian descent on island of Corsica

• A “child of the Enlightenment,” yet educated in a military setting

• Advances through army due to absence of nobility

RISE TO POWER

• Took power on Christmas 1799 with constitution giving supreme power to Napoleon• Called First Consul

• Sought to rule by demanding loyalty to the state

SPECIAL QUESTIONS

• Napoleonic Code• “Careers Open To Talent”• Religious Changes• Financial Unity• Changes in Education• Police State

REFORMS OF NAPOLEONWHAT GOOD HE DID

NAPOLEON CODE

• Codification of French law• Results in strong central gov’t…everyone is

forced to enforce central gov’t’s laws• Achievements• Drawbacks equality for women not present

“CAREERS OPEN TO TALENT”

• Citizens could rise in gov’t according to abilities• Wealth determined status• Wealthy who served state got

rewards• Former emigres were granted

amnesty for loyalty oath• Sans-culottes no longer

politically significant

RELIGIOUS REFORMS

• Concordat of 1801• An agreement between the

French state and the Roman Catholic church

• Motives for Napoleon?

• Provisions• Pope gave up rights to land

seized during French Revolution• French gov’t has power to

nominate bishops• Refractory priests return• Legal toleration to all religions –

including Protestant ministers• Replaced calendar

FINANCIAL UNITY

• Bank of France established sound currency and public credit• Economic reforms

EDUCATION/POLICE STATE

DRAWBACKS