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Birth
Napoleon Bonaparte was born 1769 on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. When he was only nine, his parents sent him to military school. -
Becoming a General
The Directory made Napoleon the leader of the french army. With his army, he won many battles in Europe. But once he got to Egypt, the British army defeated them. Napoleon managed to keep this lost out of the news, so the French still saw him as a hero. -
Napoleon Seizes Control
The Directory has lost control of the political situation and the french people's confidence. When Napoleon returned from Egypt, his friends encouraged him to take control. In November, Napoleon took action and drove away most of the members. -
Napoleon rules France
Napoleon pretended to be the constitutionally chosen leader of a free republic. A vote of the people, was held to approve a new constitution. Desperate for good leadership, the people voted for Napoleon.This gave all real power to Napoleon as first consul. -
Napoleonic Code
Napoleon thought that his greatest work was his system of laws, known as the Napoleonic Code. This gave the country a uniform set of laws and eliminated many injustices. -
Napoleon crowed Emperor
Napoleon decided to make himself emperor. dressed in a splendid robe of purple velvet, Napoleon walked down the long aisle of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The pope waited for him with a glittering crown. -
Battle of Trafalgar
This was Napoleon's first major loss. He lost against the British army, led by Horatio Nelson. It took place on the southwest of Spain. Since Napoleon is better at land and Nelson is better at sea, Nelson won easily. -
The Continental System
Napoleon set up a blockade to prevent trade between Great Britain and other European nations. Napoleon called this policy the Continental System because it makes continental Europe more self-sufficient. -
St. Helena
After Napoleon lost at Waterloo, and his last bid for power ended, he was set to St. Helena. A remote island in the south Atlantic. There, he spent 6 years alone until he died. -
Waterloo
Napoleon wanted to regain power, due to the fact that the people didn't like the new king. So, he led an army to fight the British and the Prussians near the town of Waterloo, Belgium. Napoleon's army gave up and he lots. -
Death
He died of a stomach ailment, that was most likely cancer. He lived at St. Helena after six years of writing memoirs.
