Question

Explain the rise, rule and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Answer 1

Instructions:

The answer to this question can be broken into 3 parts:

1. How the Directory paved the way to his rise (1 mark)
2. How his rule changed Europe and the people (1 mark)
3. How he was defeated at Waterloo (1 mark)

Solution:

The political instability of the Directory paved the way for the rise of a military dictator - Napoleon Bonaparte. He crowned himself Emperor of France. He started conquering neighbouring countries by waging wars against them and saw himself as a moderniser of Europe. He introduced many laws, such as the protection of private property and a uniform system of weights and measures provided by the decimal system. Many of his measures carried the revolutionary ideas of liberty and modern laws to the other parts of Europe. This had a positive impact on people long after he was dethroned as an emperor when he was finally defeated in the Battle of Waterloo.