Historical Figure Research: Napoleon Bonaparte

Historical Figure Research Paper

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon was a very influential individual throughout his time. The achievements he made still reflect in the world today, especially in France. He was a military general and emperor who conquered the majority of Europe in the 19th Century. Napoleon was a brilliant strategist and military leader. He commanded one of the most powerful armies in his time and, for a while, other countries could hardly even compare. Napoleon had the ambition, skill, and intelligence to do great things for his country. Although he experienced some failures, Napoleon never gave up on the idea of being very powerful himself and building France to be powerful as well. Hands down, he was the most important person in the world in his time.

Napoleon Bonaparte or Napoleon I was born in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island of Corsica in 1769 to a noble, but not wealthy family (Schom 5). He learned the French language while attending school in the French mainland. Destined for the military, Napoleon went through a French military academy afterwards. He excelled, quickly rising in the ranks to a 2nd lieutenant in an artillery regiment. The French Revolution started soon after in 1789. Three years after the revolution started, the French monarchy was overthrown and, in its place, a French Republic was implemented. During this time Napoleon became associated with a pro-democracy group, The Jacobins. In 1793, a conflict, due to opposing ideas with the Coriscan governor, who favored nationalism, Pasquale Paoli (1725-1807), broke out (Schom 89). The Bonaparte, as a family, fled north to the French mainland. Passing through the ranks as if they were just stepping stones, Napoleon had quickly acquired the prest...

... middle of paper ...

...se could not have achieved the things that this one man did in his lifetime; therefore he was very effective in what he chose to do. He lived in a perfect time period for the things he wanted to accomplish. France was needing a new way of government, and the citizens were excited with the new change, so they would fight very hard to keep the new change and reforms. Overall, Napoleon Bonaparte, otherwise known as Napoleon I was the most important person in the world during his time.

Works Cited

“Coup d’état.” Merriam-Webster. Encyclopǽdia Brittanica Company, n.d. Web. 24 April 2014.

Ellis, Elisabeth Gaynor and Anthony Esler. World History. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education Inc., 2009. Print.

History.com Staff. “Napoleon Bonaparte.” History.com (2009) Web. 24 April 2014.

Schom, Alan. Napoleon Bonaparte: A Life. New York: HarperCollins., 1998. Print.