Question

Which statement correctly describes Napoleon Bonaparte? A. He established the Continental System to keep American goods out of Europe. B. He refused Robespierre's offer to crown him Emperor of the French. C. He forced Tsar Alexander I to surrender after the French army captured Moscow. D. He joined a coup that overthrew the Directory in 1799 and was named First Consul.

Answer 1

Correct answer:  

d. He joined a coup that overthrew the Directory in 1799 and was named First Consul.

Reasons why the other answers are incorrect:

• Napoleon did establish the Continental System, which required all the countries on the continent of Europe (where he had established his control) to trade only with each other.  But that was aimed at boycotting British trade and goods.  He was not at war with America.
• Robespierre was leader in France during the Reign of Terror, before the rise of Napoleon.
• Napoleon never captured Moscow.  His invasion of Russia was ultimately his undoing, as he lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the effort and was forced to retreat in defeat.

Further detail about Napoleon's rise to power in the 1799 coup:

Napoleon came to power through a military coup in 1799, which is known as the Coup of 18 Brumaire.  (The French Revolution had redone the calendar and renamed months; 18 Brumaire would equate to November 9 on standard calendars.)

Here's the backstory on how Napoleon came to be in a position to be part of that coup and then, ultimately, seize power by himself:

The French Revolution had involved much chaos and turmoil in France. By  the time Napoleon stepped into the picture, there was a desire for law and order and stability. He brought that as a military leader who was not afraid to fire "a whiff of grapeshot" (as one historian termed it) on royalist opponents in order to control and defeat them. ("Grapeshot" was Napoleon's use of cannons like shotguns to fire shrapnel at those opposing his troops.) By the time of that event, Napoleon had already established his military reputation against the British in the Battle of Toulon.

The Directory was a 5-man committee that led France in the later stages of the Revolution.  But the Directory was ineffective and weak, and Napoleon was showing himself to be strong and effective in battles for France.  Napoleon conspired to plan a military coup, with the cooperation of two Directory members, Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyes and Pierre Roger Ducos. Before long after that, Napoleon positioned himself to be solely in charge of French government.

Answer 2

The correct answer is D) Napoleon Bonaparte joined a coup that overthrew the Directory in 1799 and was named First Consul. He led France during a series of Revolutionary Wars and dominated European politics. He also introduced a standard legal system, which has inspired many countries, stating that no being should have privilege over another due to the status he was born in nor his religion and he equally stated that high government positions should be given to people who deserve them and not given to people because of their rank.