The Napoleonic Era and Latin American Revolutions

The French Revolution's Aftermath

Reign of Terror

The wave of rumors and senseless panic that overcame France following the storming of the Bastille in 1789 led to the widespread destruction of manor houses and archives containing the feudal obligations of peasants.

The Napoleonic Wars

Napoleon Bonaparte

He overthrew the French Directory in 1799 and became Emperor of the French in 1804. He failed to defeat Great Britain and abdicated in 1814, returned to power briefly in 1815, but was defeated and died in exile.

Key Terms and Events

Coup d'état

Plebiscite

Concordat

An agreement between the Pope and Napoleon where Napoleon recognized Catholicism as the religion of the majority of France, and the Pope agreed not to ask for the return of any land seized during the Revolution.

Napoleonic Code

This was the civil code created by Napoleon that granted equality to all male citizens before the law and guaranteed the absolute security of wealth and private property. Napoleon also secured this by creating the Bank of France, which loyally served the interests of both the state and the financial oligarchy.

Battle of Trafalgar

A naval engagement involving the British Royal Navy against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies.

Blockade

The use of troops or ships to prevent commercial traffic from entering or leaving a city or region.

Guerrillas

Peninsular War

Waterloo

Napoleon was defeated by the British and the Prussians.

Congress of Vienna

A series of meetings in 1814–1815 during which European leaders sought to establish long-lasting peace and security after the defeat of Napoleon.

Latin American Revolutions

Social Hierarchy in Spanish America

Peninsulares

At the top of Spanish-American society were people who had been born in Spain. Only they could hold high office.

Creoles

Spaniards born in Latin America were below Peninsulares and could not hold high-level political office.

Mulattos

People of the Americas who are a blend of European and African ancestry.

Mestizos

People of the Americas who are a blend of European and Native American ancestry.

Indians

Africans

Simón Bolivar

An educated Creole, Simón Bolivar led a resistance movement against Spain in South America. He was known as "the Liberator."