Grade 9 Napoleon Unit Plan

This mini unit on Napoleon consists of six lessons, including a review lesson and a unit test. This unit is a follow-up to the French Revolution Unit Plan.

Prescribed Learning Outcomes the Unit Addresses:

It is expected that students will

select and summarize information from primary and secondary print and non-print sources, including electronic sources

assess the reliability, currency, and objectivity of different interpretations of primary and secondary sources

defend a position on a controversial issue after considering a variety of perspectives

co-operatively plan, implement, and assess a course of action that addresses the problem, issue, or inquiry initially identified

define colonialism, imperialism, and nationalism

analyze factors that contribute to revolution and conflict

evaluate the changing nature of law and its relation to social conditions of the times

construct, interpret, and use graphs, tables, grids, scales, legends, contours, and various types of maps

Unit Rationale and Goals: Napoleon’s rule and role in Europe is both epic and fascinating in nature, and changed the political profile of Europe drastically. This unit seeks to

have students analyze and think critically about how Napoleon’s rule impacted Europe on a short-term and long-term basis.

A prominent part of the unit plan focuses on using a geographic framework. Physical, social, cultural and economic geographic concepts are incorporated into the body of the lessons.

In particular, this unit will consider how 1) physical geography affects war plans, logistics and battle conditions, 2) social and cultural geography impacts both conquerors and the conquered, and 3) those who draw borders on maps do not necessarily understand geographic forces at play.

More specifically, this unit plan uses the obvious geographical nature of war to help students think spatially and temporally. The Napoleonic Era falls between two important technological innovations: the printing press and rail transport. In an age when ideas and information could spread faster than armies, the leaders and generals of European powers are confronted by unique challenges that today's students may have trouble imagining.

1.) Introduction to Napoleon’s military career/ Napoleon’s personal life/ Connection with Napoleon to the French Revolution

Objectives: - SWBAT select specific

information from primary and secondary sources to use in their workbooks

- SWBAT interpret and analyze primary and secondary sources

- SWBAT draw to demonstrate a certain point of view based on primary and secondary sources

- SWBAT identify key factual information about various aspects of Napoleon’s life

Body: - Hook: Introduce Napoleon with YouTube clip by

“historyteachers” - Conduct a “station” activity:

o Students work in groups of 4-5

o Each station offers a couple of primary and secondary

sources based on various aspects of his life

o 1. Napoleon’s early life and upbringing

o 2. Napoleon’s family

o 3. Napoleon’s connection to the French Revolution

o 4. Napoleon’s military career Part 1

o 5. Napoleon’s military career Part 2

o 6. Napoleon’s personality

o 7. Famous quotes made by Napoleon

o Students gather information and make inferences on

Napoleon based on the resources provided

o Students demonstrate their understanding of each

station by participating in a task (they must choose a

different task for each station) to be compiled

together in a workbook:

o 1. Answering a critical question about Napoleon in a

paragraph format

o 2. Writing a short interview with three questions and

answers addressed to Napoleon

o 3. Producing a labeled diagram/ drawing (to serve as

the title page)

o 4. Drawing a labeled cartoon panel with at least four

panels

Resources: - http://www.youtube.

com/watch?v=fOki3 qAZe4g

- Primary and secondary sources for each of the station categories

- Blank white paper - Blank blowout maps

of Europe -

o 5. Writing a poem

o 6. Labeling/ annotating a map of Europe (provided by

the teacher)

o 7. A repeat of any of the above to the student’s

choosing

- Students rotate around each station simultaneously in a

timed fashion

- If there is extra time, students are to continue to work on

the workbooks to be handed in as a package to the teacher

in two classes

2.) Under Napoleon’s rule

Objectives: - SWBAT watch and

analyze a presentation on the Napoleonic Code and the geography of Napoleon’s ideas

- SWBAT create propaganda posters of resistance to Napoleon’s rule

Body: - Hook: Show Animoto presentation on the Napoleonic

Code and the social and cultural geography of the spread of Napoleonic ideas, education and ideals

- Ask follow-up questions after the presentation to assess

student understanding

- Based on the information in the presentation and in the

textbook, students create propaganda posters of

resistance to Napoleon’s rule from the perspective of a

different assigned character (women, the Spanish, the

Italians, the Egyptians)

- On the back of the poster, students must write a short paragraph to explain how Geography plays a role in the spread of ideas

- The posters are due the day after the unit test - If students finish early, allow them to finish their

workbooks to be handed in next class

Resources: - Animoto

presentation - Textbook - Large white paper

3.) Napoleon’s campaign

DETAILED GEOGRAPHICALLY THEMED LESSON PLAN INCLUDED

Objectives: - SWBAT analyze

statistical information - SWBAT compare and

relate military maps with population and weather impacts

- SWBAT compare and contrast the influence that physical, environment and weather geography can have on planning a military campaign

- SWBAT apply their knowledge and experience of geography to critically plan a campaign on Russia

Body: - Hook: Present lessons objectives

o Introduce the events the lead up to the decisions to invade Russia

- Class Invasion of Russia: The whole class will get up and move to a designated starting point, within the school, to start the invasion. Each student will receive a unit (cut out) that will represent 20,000 men (to add up to 600,000 soldiers of the Grande Armee)

- Host class discussions o Further details in lesson plan following

Resources: - Map of early 19th

century Europe

- Activity Cards for

soldiers

- Tape

- Labels

- School Map

- Over head

- White board markers

4.) After Napoleon’s rule

DETAILED GEOGRAPHICALLY THEMED LESSON PLAN INCLUDED

Objectives: - SWBAT Interpret

information: drawing inferences from maps, documents, and other primary and secondary sources, both historical and contemporary

- SWBAT compare and contrast historic concerns of ‘powers’/

Body: - Hook: introduce the Congress of Vienna using a short

PowerPoint - Jigsaw activity: students get into groups representing the

powers involved in the Congress of Vienna (Austria, Russia,

France, England, Prussia)

o Invitations are issued to “all the Powers engaged on

either side in the present war”

o With the aid of a background information sheet on the

social, political, economic and military situations of

Resources: - PowerPoint

presentation - Projector - Map of Europe post

Conference of Vienna

- Map of Europe pre

Conference of Vienna

(transparency for

each ‘Congress’)

empires in creating borders with what they themselves feel is critical (an investigation into the characteristic which define a sense of place for geographic locations)

each of the powers, each group discusses their specific

aims/ goals/ desires (will largely be adjustments to

borders/ compensations) going into the conference

o In their groups the students also make use of a set of

maps of Europe in 1815, showing major landforms,

rivers, linguistic groups and available resources to help

shape what their aims/goals are going into the

conference

- Class discussion: students are shown the actual borders

decided upon by the Congress of Vienna (using projector)

and asked to reflect on what they think were the concerns

of those who drew up the borders at the conference.

o Hold a class discussion supported with a few

PowerPoint slides explaining the major concerns of

those who operated at the conference

- Students are asked to prepare a list of the differences in

the way those involved in the conference thought of

geographic locations versus how they themselves did

during the exercise (example: as defensive buffers, tools of

imperialism and the balance of power versus a location

which has a sense of place due to the specific livelihoods,

religions, food, folk ways, transportation and

communication systems etc. present)

- Discussion question: What future problem might arise as a

result of neglecting the linguistic distinctions prevalent in

Europe when drawing up the borders of the conference of

Vienna?

- Map of European

Linguistic Groups in

1815

- Map of major

European landforms

- Map of major

European rivers

- Background

information sheets

for each of the major

powers (Austria,

Russia, France,

England, Prussia)

- Guiding questions for considering the implications of proposed border adjustments

5.) Unit review

Objectives: - SWBAT summarize their

understanding of Napoleon’s life

- SWBAT explain the physical map of Europe post-Napoleon

- SWBAT discuss questions classmates have regarding the Napoleon unit

Body: - Host class discussion on critical questions about Napoleon

as a summative assessment - Play Jeopardy as a review of the Napoleon unit - Answer any lingering questions students would have

about the unit (encourage student peers to try and answer the questions first, before the teacher answers)

- Review the format of the unit test

Resources: - Question sheet for

teacher: “Napoleon Discussion”

- Jeopardy PowerPoint

6.) Unit test Objectives: - SWBAT write a unite test

demonstrating their understanding of people, events, places and concepts discussed in class throughout the Napoleon unit.

Body: - Start by giving brief instructions on how to behave during

the unit test, what to do with the test when students are finished, and what to do after the test

- Walk around during the test to monitor student behavior and answer any questions

Resources: - Unit Test

Lesson 3) Military Geography -> Napoleon’s Russian Campaign

PLOs - Discuss the effects of expansionism and Geographical influences -Discuss the rise of Nationalism and its effect of Empires

Other Objectives: - Analyze statistical information -Compare and relate military maps with population and weather impacts -compare and contrast the influence that physical, environment and weather geography can have on planning a military campaign -Apply your knowledge and experience of geography to critically plan a campaign on Russia

-Introduction: -Present Lessons Objectives -introduce the events the lead up to the decisions to invade Russia -Treaty of Tilsit -Tzar Alexander -British Blockade -Class Invasion of Russia: The whole class will get up and move to a designated starting point, within the school, to start the invasion. Each student will receive a unit (cut out) that will represent 20,000 men (to add up to 600,000 soldiers of the Grande Armee)

Start

Its July, We represent over 600,000 soldiers ready for battle

Walk a long distance

Battle of Smolensk loss of 30,000 soldiers (students hand in card)

End of August: What’s happened thus far in our Campaign?!?

How are you all feeling? Well guess what!, Travelling extremely long distances in the hot summer every day is extremely hard on the body3

o Exhaustion, sickness, desertion o After 2 months o 150,000 soldiers are out of action. o Have I reminded you that we have not yet found this Russian

Army?

Remember that we are in Russia!, every town that we encounter we will ransack and take all available supplies. The only problem is that every town we run into is deserted and usually burnt to the ground.

o What wrong with this? Scorched Earth o Burn Absolutely any and everything that the enemy can use

BORODINO Mid September

Finally, we find the Russian’s! Just before the Beloved City of Moscow! o What is Napoleon best known for on the battle field? o In this war, Napoleon attacks them head on with no strategy o This battle is extremely bloody and only last 12 hours when the

Russian’s retreat.

Materials:

Map of early 19th

century Europe

Activity Cards for

soldiers

Tape

Labels

School Map

Over head

White board

markers

o Napoleon declares victory!

On to Moscow! When we arrive we are greeted by….? o No one o The entire city is almost completely deserted and emptied

Moscow Late September, burned to the grown by the Russians themselves!

send a letter to the Russian Tzar and wants to Negotiate a deal.

5 weeks Napoleon Waits in Russia for a response… it never comes

October.19 We leave Moscow without an Answer. And head home

In 3 weeks it will begin to snow, this is unexpected and very cold (-22)

Our soldiers begin to freeze to death, Food is ran out, Horse’s begin to die (soldiers will eat them)

Cossack Raids! o From the Rear, Russian Cossacks (fierce Russian Riders) begin to

attack our greatly weakened army and more men begin to be lost o The French army begins to disband o 6 months prior Napoleon entered Russia with over half a million

soldiers and riding high. -Class discussion:

In small groups o discuss the impact that physical geography had on Napoleons

Campaign o Discuss the impact that Environmental geography had on Napoleons

Campaign o Can you think of any other geographical influences that impacted

Napoleon? o Analyze the Grande Armee Statistical Map o Think of 5 things that you feel Napoleon did wrong within this

Russian Campaign and rank them in order of importance o In larger Groups compare your 5 things and create a master list of 5

key errors to present to a class

As a Class o If we had a time machine to go back and talk to Napoleon before he

decided to attack Russia, What Geographical knowledge would we want to pass on to him? Be specific, detailed and critical of the information you wish to pass on to him.

Analyze Russia as a class. o What did Napoleon’s loss reveal to us about Russia’s Geographical

defense? o What will future enemies of Russia need to do in order to defeat

them?

Discuss WWII and Russia’s Geography

Map of Europe Prior to the Conference of Vienna:

15000 Horses 15000 Horses 15000 Horses

15000 Horses 15000 Horses 15000 Horses

20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers

20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers

20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers

20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers

20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers

20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers

20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers

20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers 20,000 Soldiers

War Wagon Supplying Soldiers War Wagon Supplying Soldiers

War Wagon Supplying Soldiers War Wagon Supplying Soldiers

War Wagon Supplying Soldiers War Wagon Supplying Soldiers

Healthy Russian Cossacks!!!!!

Healthy Russian Cossacks!!!!!

Healthy Russian Cossacks!!!!!

Healthy Russian Cossacks!!!!!

Healthy Russian Cossacks!!!!!

Napoleon Started his March on Russia From Paris. He left his Empire on the

Northern Tip of Prussia and headed straight for Moscow.

From Paris to Moscow = 2,500 km

Or from Vancouver to Thunder Bay Ontario!!!! From Prussia to Moscow = 1,100 km

Or from Vancouver to boarder of Saskatchewan

BEFORE WE START!

Treaty of Tilsit, 1807

Divided Napoleon’s Europe into many new countries

Countries were based off of France

These new countries were to create a blockade against Britain and Weaken them.

Tsar Alexander I:

Napoleon “ If Alexander was a woman, I would have him as my wife!...”

Agreed to Napoleons Tilsit Treaty

Secretly continued to Trade with Britain

START: July

600,000 Soldiers in the Grand Armee (half of which are French). Napoleon: “It

will take us 20 days to defeat the great tzar of Russia”

Mid-August: Battle of Smolensk

30,000 of Napoleon’s men killed but we won! HURA!! Half way to Moscow!

End of August!

Still Marching Towards Russia but the summer is hotter and much longer than

usual. Napoleon will lose 150,000 soldiers due to exhaustion, sickness,

desertion, and minor battles.

September: Payment

Question: How had Napoleon paid for his army?

Pillaging. All that your conquer is yours

Scorched Earth: Every Town we arrive to has been completely burnt to the ground.

Supply Wagons Running Dry!

More of your men begin to die or desert you! o – 20,000 Men

Mid-September: Battle of Borodino

After this battle we have made it to Moscow!

Question: What is Napoleon Best known for? o Strategic War Skills

Attacks head on, Wins but looses 80,000 Soldiers!

Declares victory

September 15: Moscow

We will crush their army in Moscow and force a surrender.

No one is there and the place as been set a BLAZE! o Scorched Earth

Napoleon Its time to step up and demand a surrender!

Question: How was a surrender given? o Write a letter and send it to Tsar Alexander of course! o 5 weeks later…. No response, No supplies, No winter clothes o More Men are Dying!!!

October 19: Time to go home!

Of your remaining army, just over 100,000 of your men are still in fighting form.

As we begin to retreat, Russian Cossacks begin to attack us from all angles

November: Winter!

Napoleon planned to defeat Russia in 10 days.

It has been over 90 and he had not packed his winter clothes and still no food

Half of the remaining soldiers will die

Almost home!

All but 20,000 men will survive the cold and make it back to French Territory with Napoleon.

Lesson 4)

Political

Geography

(Congress of

Vienna)

PLOs:

- evaluate the

changing nature of law

and its relation to

social conditions of

the times

Other Objectives:

- Interpreting

information: drawing

inferences from maps,

documents, and other

primary

and secondary

sources, both

historical and

contemporary.

-compare and contrast

historic concerns of

‘powers’/empires in

creating borders with

what they themselves

feel is critical (an

investigation into the

characteristics which

define a sense of place

-Introduction: -present lesson objectives

-introduce the Congress of Vienna (using a short PowerPoint, students

instructed about the objectives of the Congress: to settle the many issues

arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, and the

dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire)

-Jigsaw activity: students get into groups representing the powers involved in

the Congress of Vienna (Austria, Russia, France, England, Prussia)

-invitations are issued to “all the Powers engaged on either side in the present

war”

-with the aid of a background information sheet on the social, political,

economic and military situations of each of the powers, each group discusses

their specific aims/goals/desires (will largely be adjustments to

borders/compensations) going into the conference

-in their groups the students also make use of a set of maps of Europe in

1815, showing major landforms, rivers, linguistic groups and available

resources to help shape what their aims/goals are going into the conference

-each group must consider the social, political and economic implications of

their desired aims/border adjustments (a set of guiding questions will be

provided, including questions surrounding how sense of place may be

affected/ specifically the human characteristics of place, including the

human-designed cultural features of a place, from land use and architecture

to forms of livelihood and religion to food and folk ways to transportation and

communication networks)

Materials:

invitation

map of Europe post

Conference of Vienna

map of Europe pre

Conference of Vienna

(transparency for each

‘Congress’)

map of European

Linguistic Groups in 1815

map of major European

landforms

map of major European

rivers

background information

sheets for each of the

major powers (Austria,

Russia, France, England,

Prussia)

interactive map:

http://www.the-map-as-

history.com/maps/1_his

tory-europe-XIX-

congress-vienna.php

guiding questions for

considering the

implications of proposed

border adjustments

for geographic

locations)

-students then get into a group with one member of each other group and

negotiate a border treaty using the map of Europe prior to the Congress of

Vienna (they will show their treaty by drawing new borders on a

transparency)

-students will be encouraged to keep in mind their ‘power’s’ relative

bargaining strength during the negotiation process

-each ‘Congress’ will then report to the class, using the transparency, the

process by which they negotiated their treaty, and why the decided upon

their particular borders

-students then return to their countries and decide who is hailed a hero and

who’s reputation has been tarnished by their failed negotiations

(guillotined?)

-Class discussion: students are shown the actual borders decided upon by the

Congress of Vienna (using projector) and asked to reflect on what they think

were the concerns of those who drew up the borders at the conference.

-show interactive video from website

-class discussion supported with a few powerpoint slides explaining the major

concerns of those who operated at the conference:

“A map of Europe after the Congress of Vienna, 1815. After Napoleon’s

defeat, the mood of the European countries at Vienna was conservative; the

four victors wanted to forestall any future European empire. To achieve this

they reestablished a balance of power, which meant that they had to include

France. They also included some defensive measures: Belgium and Holland

were united in the Kingdom of the Netherlands as a bulwark in the north.

Prussia (purple on the map) was given more territory on France’s eastern

border, and a part of Saxony.. Russia and Prussia scaled back their demands

for compensation. Russia created a small kingdom of Poland. Sardinia

received the area shown in yellow. The great powers agreed to meet regularly

to prevent future wars through diplomacy. This "congress system" was

successful for most of the 19th century.”

-students are asked to prepare a list of the differences in the way those

involved in the conference thought of geographic locations versus how they

themselves did during the exercise (example: as defensive buffers, tools of

imperialism and the balance of power versus a location which has a sense of

place due to the specific livelihoods, religions, food, folk ways, transportation

and communication systems etc. present)

-Discussion question: What future problem might arise as a result of

neglecting the linguistic distinctions prevalent in Europe when drawing up the

borders of the conference of Vienna?

Invitation:

Map of Europe Prior to the Conference of Vienna:

Map of Europe after the New Borders Established at the Congress of Vienna

Map of Linguistic Groups in Europe 1815

Map of Major European Landforms

Map of Major European Rivers