Napoleon- Eric

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest leaders of all time. He conquered most of Europe during his time as a leader. In conquering Europe Napoleon was trying to protect his people. All of his opponents were threats to France. Also, Napoleon created the best form of law that France had seen. It was called the Napoleonic Code. It created equality under the law for all men. As well it removed serfdom from society. The government run schools (lycées) that Napoleon created helped to extreme patriotism. Napoleon was the main reason for France?s success. By: Eric Hawkins

The Leadership of Napoleon- Owen

Throughout the course of Napoleon’s life, he was a great leader. He did numerous things to benefit France during the revolution. Starting in low military ranks, Napoleon quickly worked his way up to being great military ranks and was soon adored by many men and fellow officers. Napoleon had great plans and ideas for France as a nation and devoted his life to seeing to it that his ideas made an impact. France, under Napoleon’s rule, won countless battles and expanded the empire further. Napoleon kept a careful watch through followers and Frances army, to ensure Frances allies would not turn on him. Without a doubt Napoleon did a textbook job at stabilizing France and growing his army. The gain was all for France, even though he did progress through ranks. As well as military accomplishments, he also did many great political things for his nation. Having en-stated Napoleonic code for the people, he changed France forever. He established an education system, so people could be more educated. It can be argued that education was purely for military use, but even if it was, more educated people wouldn't be killed as easily with their abilities to take orders and use common sense. Either way you look at it, Napoleon was a great leader, which was exactly what France needed.  

French Revolution- Connor

        Do you think Napoleon was a great leader of France or was he a self-centred killer? He was a great military leader and did many good things on the war side, but his political side wasn?t so good and he seemed like he wanted to change too much in too little of time. I feel like napoleon was fearless and he never really thought about every outcome, which wouldn?t show on the battle field and if it did it would usually benefit him, but it would show it on his political side and sometimes hurt him and his empire. He won several brilliant wars because of this and gained lots of territory, and becoming general by age 24. He also made the Napoleonic code which benefited people by freedom of religion and equality under the law but it also hurt women?s and children?s rights, he also had a couple political accomplishments like making everyone pay taxes and abolishing serfdom, he did a great job at spreading nationalism and making his people proud. So Napoleons positive contributions outweigh is bad ones. Napoleon did what he though was best for war and his community sometimes these things did get in the way and damage others like his economy, women?s and children?s rights, but overall Napoleon was an outstanding leader and there will most likely never be another one like him.

Napoleon- Weston

Napoleon was so power hungry that he took France into many battles to gain land. Napoleon had good military strategies but poor tactics. Like when napoleon lead his men into Russia to invade Russia because they were trading with Britain. Due to Russia?s setting crops and houses on fire, Napoleon looses men to starvation and the cold. Napoleon had made public schools so that they would be smart and so that he would build his army. Napoleon brought in the Napoleonic code and that took away women?s and kids rights.

French Revolution- Bryden

Napoleon was one of the most brilliant leaders in history. Napoleon was not born into power since he spent early years training to become an army officer at a French military academy. Napoleon rose very quickly in the army during the revolution because many officers fled France. Napoleon was general at age 24/27 and soon received command. Napoleon won several brilliant victories over the Austrians who ruled northern Italy. Napoleon also invaded Egypt and defeated them. Napoleon controlled nearly all of Europe, Netherlands, and parts of Italy. Napoleon invented many great things like the Napoleonic code. The Napoleonic code had many key concepts at its core like, Equality under the law, Freedom of religion, and the code also abolishes serfdom, just to list a few. The Code contributed greatly to Napoleon's achievement of helping France turn away from the past. To strengthen the French economy, he enforced a law requiring all citizens to pay taxes. He also created the national Bank of France, in which the tax money was deposited. He also set up government-run school to fill the need for educated, loyal government officials. Napoleon was also very greedy as he grabbed the crown from the Pope?s hand and crowned himself. I believe that without being a little greedy you can?t be a very good leader. Yes he made some bad decisions but everyone can?t be perfect. These are just some of the reasons why I think he was a good leader. 

Napoleon

            Napolean was a self centered leader who only cared about personal glory. Not what was best for the people of France. He acted in ways that only fanatical leaders would. He constantly attacked other European nations for the purpose of having territory and gaining glory. This worked for him in the beginning but eventually lead to his downfall as emperor when he would overextend his troops thinking that he was invincible, and could never be beaten in battle. The fact that there was an overall, long-lasting benefit to his rule was only because he knew supporting those ideas would made him more likable from the peoples perspective. Aside from acting invincible in battle he also said “I am no ordinary man” trying to convince people that he was some sort of superior human. To add to his claims he also crowned himself emperor of France, making France an empire instead of what revolutionary ideas supported. Once he was defeated and sent to Elba only to return to France, crown himself emperor, take control of the French army and go to war with Great Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. In conclusion, the emperor we know as the person to spread enlightenment ideas over Europe is actually a fanatical, power hungry dictator, who put France under his sole rule, and also had a god complex which eventually led to his defeat.

Kohlton

The Third Estate: An Evaluation-Emily

Before the French Revolution or during the Old/Ancien Regime society was divided into three estates: the first Estate which consisted of the Clergy, The second Estate which consisted of the Nobles and the Third and lowest Estate which was made up of everyone else who lived then. The third Estate was the worst Estate to live in because of the unfair tax system and harsh living conditions.

Absolute Monarchy Isn't a Good Form of Government- Kacey

An absolute monarchy is not a good form of government because the people have little to no say in the decisions made, which leads to a bias government only displaying one point of view. A monarchy is a form of government in which a king or a queen rules over a country, having the upper hand in all decisions that have to be made. People are able to state their views through people lower than the king, but overall the king or queen makes the final decision. Because of this the common folk have little power in the decision making process. The best they can hope for is to have an influence in the decision. A form of government with an official elected by the people to run the country would be the best form, because the elected official represents the people. This way all people can get their thoughts on decisions, etc. into the government making it not so bias and narrow-minded. These theories proved themselves worthy time and time again in the French Revolution.  Before the revolution, France had an absolute monarchy type of government. Most people weren't happy with this because of the incompetent leaders who had all the power. Louis XV was described as unintelligent and a weak ruler, while his successor, Louis XVI was described as indecisive and was known for his disinterest in political power. Louis XVI consulted no one when it came to making decisions, and therefore gave all the power to himself. While under the Old Regime (monarchy) France decided to help with the American Revolution, because of this France was in a financial crisis.  Because of this, the decision was made that only the third estate (peasants, poor people) would have to pay taxes. This just shows how little influence the people had, because if they did have any influence they would have never stood for the heavy, unfair taxes they had to pay. Having a government where people can influence the decisions and elect someone who they deem fit to rule is the best form of government because everyone is represented and everyone has somewhat of a say. Unlike the monarchy during the French Revolution which only caused problems.

Napoleon was the best war general that France has seen?

Napoleon had a very large army that supported him and his cause. The French Revolution was a truly amazing event. It began as a really liberal revolution, but was hijacked by murderous people; namely Robespierre, who led the revolutionaries called the Jacobins. When Napoleon held power in a nearly failed attempt, he became the Emperor   of a nation that was affected by the old monarchies of Europe. Napoleon found himself at the head of nation that was inclined to welcome his proven military skills, which could be usefully deployed in the defence of France and its newfound freedoms.  Napoleon proved himself to be much more than just a successful general. Napoleon had a good army that was one of the smallest but one of the most powerful or well prepared for anything you could throw at it. He won so many battles in his power that he took over most of Europe. Napoleon had a great background for being a general or political leader. He made a law called the Napoleonic Code which made all estates of that time had to pay taxes and the women and children lost all of their rights.

They Were Villains!- Cassidy

Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) and Louis XVI (1754-1793) were training troops for the war, so they spent money on the troops and not on the people of France. The people did not even have any food or a job or a home even, so most of the people died because the either starved to death or they just died because they could not take it. Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were villains in this situation.

Napoleon the Egotistical Dictator

Napoleon Bonaparte was a power hungry dictator and was only portrayed as great through his followers. Napoleon thought of himself as a waking god amongst regular men and allowed his ego to get the best of him. To most he may have had a good start to his career as being one of the youngest French men to accomplish what he had at that age, but his greatest ally became his greatest downfall, his brain. After his successions his fellow man made him out to be some sort of deity and Napoleon welcomed those thoughts and ideas into his mind.  Some of the many devilish things Napoleon did was the way he led his men and soldiers into death traps towards the end of his rule. He started thinking so high of himself that he stopped thinking all together and just went with his baring extinct instead of ever questioning his own self. Multiple people died under his reign and after his wife couldn’t bear a child he left the woman he was supposed to “love” and rather married again just to have kids so someone, probably preferably his own kin to take over after his death, because he couldn’t handle the thought of someone else taking his spot let alone someone not of blood. On top of all of this Napoleon had a revolution happen under him, which in itself shows that one’s people aren’t happy under the current conditions. This is why Napoleon isn’t a French hero.  

Dain