Napoleon's Rise to Power

The following are Napoleon Bonaparte's goals and what he did to achieve them:

1st GOAL: To establish power at home (France)

 * He was MADE A GENERAL and given command of armies in Northern Italy
 * Unsuccessfully tried to destroy British trade routes in Europe
 * Upon return to France, with the help of his brothers and members of the DIRECTORY, he forced the DIRECTORY from power. This sudden, forceful change of government is called a COUP D'ETAT
 * Napoleon issued a new constitution and being popular with the people, he came the FIRST CONSUL and rule of France.

2nd GOAL: To improve France

 * By 1802, Napoleon had brought victory to France and peace to Europe. (reduced unemployment)
 * He made France a strong CENTRAL GOVERNMENT called THE NAPOLEONIC LAW CODE. This code included some democratic principles such as religious tolerance, jury trial, abolishing serfs, and fair legal methods
 * Established the University of France which looked after all schooling
 * Organized the BANK OF FRANCE which was the basis for making France PROSPEROUS
 * Collected taxes and enforced the economy in government
 * he made an agreement with the POPE (an agreement called the CONCORDAT) which made Catholicism the official religion in France as long as the church gave up all land and paid taxes.
 * Made France more beautiful. He improved roads and encourages the best of architecture.

BECAUSE OF HIS SUCCESS AT HOME, the people of France were ready to give Napoleon what he wanted.

He wanted to be FIRST CONSUL for life and this amounted to a DICTATORSHIP - FRANCE AGREED. He also wanted to be titled as EMPEROR which was later achieved in 1804 when he was titles as EMPEROR OF FRANCE. After this, he was looking for new worlds to conquer.

The only country that was a threat to him was GREAT BRITAIN.