How Napoleon Became Emperor of France

How Napoleon Became Emperor of France Napoleon Bonaparte first took political power in France through a coup against the old government, but he had not instigated it: that had principally been the plotting of Sieyes. What Napoleon did was to capitalize on the situation in order to dominate the new ruling Consulate and gain control of France by creating a constitution which bound his interests to many of the most powerful people in France: the landowners. He was then able to use this to leverage his support into being declared Emperor. The passage of a leading general through the end of a revolutionary series of governments and into an emperor was not clear and could have failed, but Napoleon showed as much skill in this area of politics as he did on the battlefield. Why the Landowners Supported Napoleon The revolution had stripped the land and wealth from the churches and much of the aristocracy and sold it to landowners who were now terrified that royalists, or some sort of comprise government, would strip them of it, in turn, and restore it. There were calls for the return of the crown (small at this point, but present), and a new monarch would surely rebuild the church and aristocracy. Napoleon thus created a constitution which gave many of these landowners power, and as he said they should retain the land (and allowed them to block any movement of land), ensured that they would, in turn, support him as leader of France. Why Landowners Wanted an Emperor However, the constitution only made Napoleon First Consul for ten years, and people began to fear what would happen when Napoleon left. This allowed him to secure the nomination of the consulship for life in 1802: if Napoleon didn’t have to be replaced after a decade, land was safe for longer. Napoleon also used this period to pack more of his men into government while debasing the other structures, further increasing his support. The result was, by 1804, a ruling class which was loyal to Napoleon, but now worrying what would happen on his death, a situation exacerbated by an assassination attempt and their First Consul’s habit of leading armies (hed already nearly been killed in battle and would later wish he had been). The expelled French monarchy was still waiting outside the nation, threatening to return all ‘stolen’ property: could they ever come back, such as had happened in England? The result, enflamed by Napoleon’s propaganda and his family, was the idea that Napoleon’s government must be made hereditary so hopefully, on Napoleon’s death, an heir who thought like his father would inherit and safeguard land. Emperor of France Consequently, on May 18th, 1804, the Senate – who had all been chosen by Napoleon - passed a law making him Emperor of the French (he had rejected king as both too close to the old royal government and not ambitious enough) and his family was made hereditary heirs. A plebiscite was held, worded so that if Napoleon had no children – as he hadn’t at that point – either another Bonaparte would be selected or he could adopt an heir. The result of the vote looked convincing on paper (3.5 million for, 2500 against), but it had been massaged at all levels, such as automatically casting yes votes for everyone in the military. On December 2, 1804, the Pope was present as Napoleon was crowned: as agreed beforehand, he placed the crown on his own head. Over the next few years, the Senate and Napoleon’s Council of State dominated the government of France – which in effect meant just Napoleon – and the other bodies withered away. Although the constitution didn’t require Napoleon to have a son, he wanted one, and so divorced his first wife and married Marie-Louise of Austria. They swiftly had a son: Napoleon II, King of Rome. He would never rule France, as his father would be defeated in 1814 and 1815, and the monarchy would return but he would be forced to compromise.

How Post-World War Ii Technology Changed America Essay Example

How Post How Post-World War Ii Technology Changed America Essay How Post-World War Ii Technology Changed America Essay How Post-World War II Technology Changed America 5/3/2012 AMH 2020- Yellow Class Angelika Vasquez Professor Brian Milner During the post-World War II era everything in our nation seemed to change. The post-World War II era had significant technological advances that changed politics, the economy, and the way people interacted with one another. Three of the biggest technological advances during this era were the introduction of the atomic bomb, television, and space race technology. 945 to 1949, the Atomic bomb changed politics and introduced the military industrial complex. Television, in the 1950’s, changed the way people thought. During the 1960’s there were many new space race technologies introduced that changed the way Americans received information. The atomic bomb, television, and space race technology significantly changed America. Atomic Bomb Cold War- Julius and Ethel Rosenberg After Dwight D. Eisenhower left office, he warned about the growing influence of th e military-industrial complex, in American government and life. The military-industrial complex was first coined by Eisenhower, during his farewell address in 1961. This complex defines the combined effort of big business and the military to press for an ever-increasing share of national resources for the development of new weapons. Many politicians during this time believed that the military-industrial complex promoted policies that were not in the best interest for America, and that the growth of the military-industrial complex could perhaps undermine American democracy. The Cold War had created a warfare state. Because of the atomic bomb, civil defense drills required people to crawl under their desks at work or school; high schools named their football teams The Atoms; and songwriters wrote about the end of the world. Movies warned of the dangers of the bomb or made grim jokes about the fate of humanity. In the late 1940’s, faced with the possibility of a nuclear war, Americans began building bomb shelters. Bomb shelters were built in either your backyard or your basement that were meant to offer substantial protection. Television By the late 1950’s, almost ninety percent of American homes had a television set. Television transformed the way Americans did politics. During the Kennedy versus Nixon election, television played a key role in their election campaigns. During the Kennedy-Nixon debates, Kennedy had more of an appeal than Nixon. Although campaigns were already relying less on political parties and more on money before the introduction of the television, television helped accelerate this idea. John F. Kennedy emerged with a disputable national vote plurality over Richard M. Nixon by a razor’s edge of . 7 percent in popular vote (49. 72% to 49. 55%) that converted into a 303 to 219 Electoral College victory. Some historians believe that without the television, Kennedy would not have won the 1960 election. In fact, John F. Kennedy himself stated that, â€Å"we wouldn’t have had a prayer without that gadget. † Besides affecting politics, television also transformed American cul ture. The average American viewer spent a little over five hours a day in front of a television screen. American television was paid for by private enterprise, unlike Europe’s government financed television. During the mid 1950’s advertisers spent an estimate ten billion dollars to push their advertisements on the air. Television transformed American culture into a consumer culture. Television also changed the way Americans live, and the ideology which Americans lived by. Popular television series, such as Leave It To Beaver, portrayed the ideal family as a male breadwinner, a woman full-time homemaker, and three or four children. On television, married women did not have paying jobs and depended on their husbands. Americans began getting married at a younger age and the birthrate soared. Space Race Technology Microwaves Cell Phones Home Computer Bibliography Atomic Culture. Social Culture. centennialofflight. gov/essay/Social/atomic_culture/SH23. htm (accessed May 3, 2012). Renka, Russell. The 1960 Kennedy v. Nixon Election. The Modern Presidency. cstl-cla. semo. edu/renka/ui320-75/presidents/kennedy/1960_election. asp (accessed May 3, 2012). Roark, James L.. Understanding the American promise: a brief history. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. [ 1 ]. Roark, James L.. Understanding the American promise: a brief history. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 717. [ 2 ]. Atomic Culture. Social Culture. centennialofflight. gov/essay/Social/atomic_culture/SH23. htm (accessed May 3, 2012). [ 3 ]. Renka, Russell. The 1960 Kennedy v. Nixon Election. The Modern Presidency. cstl-cla. semo. edu/renka/ui320-75/presidents/kennedy/1960_election. asp (accessed May 3, 2012). [ 4 ]. Roark, James L.. Understanding the American promise: a brief history. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 765. [ 5 ]. IBID, 764.