History of Europe

What was napoleons government like?

Executive branch

* Emperor: Napoleon Bonaparte was the head of state and government. He had absolute power and made all decisions.

* Council of State: The Council of State was an advisory body to the Emperor. It was made up of high-ranking officials and experts.

* Ministers: The ministers were responsible for the day-to-day administration of the government. They were appointed by the Emperor and served at his pleasure.

Legislative branch

* Senate: The Senate was a legislative body that was responsible for approving laws. It was made up of high-ranking officials and nobles.

* Legislative Corps: The Legislative Corps was a lower house of parliament that was responsible for discussing and passing laws. It was made up of elected representatives from the departments of France.

Judicial branch

* Courts of Cassation: The Courts of Cassation were the highest courts in the French legal system. They were responsible for reviewing decisions of lower courts.

* Courts of Appeal: The Courts of Appeal were intermediate courts that were responsible for hearing appeals from lower courts.

* Tribunals: The tribunals were lower courts that were responsible for hearing cases at the local level.

Local government

* Departments: France was divided into departments, which were each governed by a prefect who was appointed by the Emperor.

* Arrondissements: The departments were divided into arrondissements, which were each governed by a sub-prefect who was appointed by the prefect.

* Communes: The arrondissements were divided into communes, which were each governed by a mayor who was elected by the citizens of the commune.

Military

* The Grand Army: The Grand Army was the main military force of the French Empire. It was made up of over 500,000 men and was organized into corps and divisions.

* The Navy: The Navy was the second largest military force of the French Empire. It was made up of over 150 ships and was organized into squadrons.

Secret police

* The Sûreté: The Sûreté was the secret police force of the French Empire. It was responsible for monitoring and suppressing political dissent.

Economic system

* Mercantilism: The French Empire was a mercantilist state. This meant that the government used tariffs and other trade restrictions to protect French industries and exports.

* The Bank of France: The Bank of France was the central bank of the French Empire. It was responsible for regulating the money supply and issuing currency.

Social system

* The Code Napoleon: The Code Napoleon was a civil code that was introduced by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804. It was based on the principles of equality and freedom and it remained in force in France for over a century.

* The Concordat of 1801: The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement between Napoleon Bonaparte and the Pope that restored the Catholic Church in France. It gave the Catholic Church a privileged status in France and it remained in force until 1905.