Napoleon+III

Napoleon III by Rachel Kim I. Pre-Second Empire A. Louis Napoleon  Although his contemporaries underestimated him, Napoleon was a bright politician  For three years, Napoleon worked to gain the favor of the French people  There was opposition from the National Assembly  When 3 million men were not allowed to vote, Louis Napoleon posed as one who favored universal male suffrage  On 12/01/1851, Louis Napoleon captured opposition leaders and asked the people for a 10-year presidency and received an overwhelming amount of support  On 12/02/1852 – Louis Napoleon became Emperor Napoleon III marking the beginning of the Second Empire B. The Second Empire i. Government and Politics  Napoleon was very authoritative; only he was allowed to control the military, police and civil state  Only he could declare war and introduce legislation  The Legislative Corps posed as a government by universal male suffrage however its members had almost no power ii. Economic policies and Economic growth  Policy – use resources from the government and encourage national economy  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Emphasis on industrial growth  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Promoted expansion of credit with the forming of the investment banks  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Construction of roads, railroads, canals etc  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Iron production tripled during the reign of Napoleon  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Activated social reforms as well (ie. free medical care for workers) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 132pt; text-indent: -36pt;">iii. Reconstruction of Paris  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Under guidance of Baron Haussmann  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Narrow streets and old city walls torn down  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Wider streets, big buildings, circular plazas, public water supply, and an underground sewage system <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 132pt; text-indent: -36pt;">iv. Napoleon’s interest in public opinion  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Very conscience and sensitive of public opinion  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Freedom of speech was not allowed and newspapers were censored  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Due to opposition to Napoleon’s policies, the authoritarian emperor somewhat liberalized his empire  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">The Silkworm disease (in vineyards) in 1857 caused severe damage to the economy  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Legalized trade unions and strikes for working class  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">In Legislative Corps, opposing leaders were allowed more freedom  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Napoleon’s end came in the Franco-Prussian War (see German Unification) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 96pt; text-indent: -20pt;">C. The Crimean War  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">The Ottoman Empire declines slowly  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Due to religious similarities between Russians and the Greek-Orthodox Christians of the Ottoman Empire, Russia becomes a very powerful sphere of influence  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">When Russians demand the right to protect the Christians in Palestine (the right had been originally given to France), war erupts  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Russians invade Ottoman territory after being rejected  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">On Oct.4, 1853, the Ottomans declare war on Russians leading the British and French to do the same in 1854  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Napoleon III believed that the French had been insulted by the Russians at the Congress of Vienna previously and now  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Result: Russians surrender in 1855 and sign the Treaty of Paris in 1856