Unit 3: Revolutions and Reaction
Lesson C: Impact of the Atlantic Revolutions on Europe
Activity 4: The Actions of Napoleon
Was Napoleon a hero or a villain? Did his actions bring more change or more continuity to Europe? So far, you have gathered evidence from one secondary source, the Rise and Fall of Napoleon presentation. You will now gather evidence from primary source documents so that you can create a more informed hypothesis about the past and prepare to answer the question:
Directions: Did Napoleon advance the goals of the French Revolution (liberty, equality, fraternity, and nationalism), or were his actions primarily a continuation of past rule in Europe? Download and complete the student resource below to answer the question. The first one has been done for you as an example.
Download the Student Resource: The Actions of Napoleon - Change or Continuity?
Classroom Activity - The Actions of Napoleon
Discussion
Directions: Prepare a response to the discussion questions below. Follow your teacher's directions to participate in your class discussion.
- To what extent has your thinking about Napoleon changed? Explain.
- To what extent did Napoleon advance the goals of the French Revolution: liberty, equality, fraternity, and nationalism? What evidence supports your opinion?
- With which of the following statements do you most strongly agree? Explain your choice using evidence.
- Napoleon brought great change to France and Europe.
- Napoleon brought some change to France and Europe, but for the most part, things remained the same.
Select the link to review the Discussion Scoring Tool (pdf).
