Napoleon Bonaparte is considered by many to be the most polarizing and influential figure of the 18th and 19th centuries. The influence of Napoleon was not also felt domestically in France, but also affected Europe as a continent. He instituted many reforms into France’s culture, such as the Napoleonic Code and advances to French education. These developments showed him to be both a liberal and a conservative during his tenure. Altogether, the advances made by Napoleon changed the course of European history, inspiring other European countries to fight for independence over tyranny, by appearing as a hero to some and a tyrant to others. To many in France, Napoleon was viewed as a hero with great power. Napoleon was an inspirational leader of his men. In Document 1, Napoleon addressed his army before they embarked on a campaign. He promised to lead them into “the most fertile plains”. He also ensured to his army that “great …show more content…
For example, Document 4 displays several excerpts from the Napoleonic Code, laws put in place by Napoleon. Chapter I of the Code, “Of the Enjoyment of Civil Rights”, shows the freedoms every French citizen was granted as a result of his policies. Even the Jews, who were commonly restricted to the ghettoes in European countries, especially France in pre-Napoleonic times, were given freedoms such as running for office. Napoleon also flaunted his conservative ideas through the Napoleonic Code, specifically through his description of the duties of women. The code states, for instance, “The wife is obliged to live with her husband, and to follow him to every place where he may judge it convenient to reside.” This shows Napoleon’s conservative ideals, as women still lacked many rights during the Napoleonic era. These advances changed the order and ideals of French