THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

The French Revolution and Napoleon

Article summary

Napoleon was a very influential person in history. He helped shape many modern countries. Napoleon is sometimes considered a tyrannical dictator, but in reality he furthered the ideals of the French revolution and was a much better alternative to the "Reign of Terror." Napoleon did many great things, including establishing civil equality, giving liberties to the people, and making the government of France productive.

Napoleon Justin Walker Nationalism is the devotion of people to the interests of its nation or the love of one's country to stay independent. Nationalism played a major role in the downfall of Napoleon in that he wanted an empire and his opponent's wanted independence.

Napoleon established civil equality in France and in many of the countries he conquered. Napoleon did away with feudalism once and for all, so peasants could own land. Napoleon also let peasants and nobles have equal economic and political opportunities. Napoleon did away with the privileged position of the Catholic Church, and he divided much of its land among the peasants. Napoleon nationalized the Catholic Church and made bishops, priests, and cardinals employees of the state. Napoleon made all groups of people pay taxes, and he did away with aristocratic privilege.( Hibbert, 1999)

Napoleon also gave many liberties to the people. He not only gave liberties to the French people, but also to the people in the countries he conquered. Napoleon gave peasants rights and allowed them to own land. Napoleon also had the Code Napoleon written, which was a codification of the laws of the French Revolution. It was similar to the American Constitution, and many of its rights were carried to other countries.

Spain, who was an ally of France, disobeyed Napoleon's decree. Then in 1808 Napoleon overthrew the Spanish royal family and made his ...