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Jack Martha

Ms. Burke

February 9, 2017

Honors Modern World History

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte was a controversial leader during the French Revolution. He

supported the ideas and goals of the French Revolution because he helped to overthrow the

directory and was a great military leader when countries threatened his power. He undermined

the French Revolutions goals and ideas because he called himself the emperor of France and he

strays away from the principals of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.

Napoleon Bonaparte supported the ideas and goals of the French Revolution because he

helped to overthrow the directory and was a great military leader when countries threatened his

power. Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the directory during an event called coup of 18 Brumaire.

He replaced the directory with a three member Consulate and he put himself as the head of it.

That made him the leading political figure of France. Since he was a great military leader he was

very popular among the French citizens because he would drive the enemies back. This helped

him to become a strong political figure. One example of this was the Battle of Marengo where

his forces pushed the Austrians out of Italy. He also made Great Britain sign a peace treaty in

1802 to because the British forces were so weak. Doing these thinks Napoleon brought stability
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to France and made a centralized government during the post revolution. These were some of the

ways he supported the goals and ideas of the revolution.

Napoleon also undermined the goals and ideas of the French Revolution because he

called himself the first Emperor of France and he strayed away from the principals of Liberty,

Equality, and Fraternity. During his rule of France he referred to himself as the first Emperor of

France. During that time he reestablished the French aristocracy which was eliminated during the

French Revolution. He began handing out titles of nobility to his friends and family as his empire

expanded. That is something a king would do and it was abolished by the French Revolution.

Napoleon became blinded by his power and thought he was better then everyone and he thought

nothing would stop him to make his empire larger. Napoleon was too confident in 1812 when he

led a massive army into Russia to retaliate for Russia leaving the Continental System. He was

out played by the Russia army and instead of turning back he kept pushing his forces. This went

for so long that they got stuck in the middle of the Russia winter without the proper equipment.

They were then attacked by the Russian army that almost wiped them out. Napoleon started with

600,000 troops and ended with 100,000 after they fled Russia. He was exiled two years later.

This is how he undermined the goals and ideas of the French Revolution.

Napoleon supported and undermined the ideas and supports of the French Revolution

through getting rid of the directory and being a great military leader as a supporter but as he

undermines the French Revolution by calling himself the Emperor of France and strayed away

from the principles of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. This has happened throughout history a

lot when a ruler comes in with good intentions but ends up corrupt and power hungry. One

biblical example is Saul the first king of Israel. He was called by God to be the king because he

was a good military leader and the people wanted a king. Even though God was there king. Soon
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being the king got to Sauls head and he became corrupt and strayed away from God just like

how Napoleon strayed away from the revolutionary ideas as he grew with power. Both started of

humble and happy to be the rulers but power got to both of their heads and made them corrupt.

Napoleon was not the first to act like this and he wont be the last either.