Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica on August 15, 1769 (Kishlansky, Geary and O'Brien). Napoleon was a complex man who served in the Revolutionary War, rising through the ranks and ultimately using his military successes to gain popularity and political power (Kishlansky, Geary, and O'Brien). In 1799, Napoleon became First Consul by overthrowing the Directory and he would eventually control France, making himself emperor (Kishlansky, Geary and O'Brien). This essay will expand on Napoleon's national and military achievements, as well as his greatest successes and failures. Two national achievements of Napoleon were the reforms he made to education and the economy. Napoleon made reforms to the education system that would impact primary, secondary and technical schools, as well as colleges, creating a comprehensive system that everyone could follow ("NAPOLEON"). The University of France would also be created and would oversee the curriculum that would be taught as well as the licensing of teachers (“NAPOLÉON”). Napoleon also believed that it was important for France to be a leader in science and its applications (Kishlansky, Geary, and O'Brien). The new education system would include science as an important aspect, focusing on chemistry and physics (Kishlansky, Geary and O'Brien). The economic reforms implemented by Napoleon would also be important to France because he would be able to stabilize the currency and he would also support industry (Kishlansky, Geary, and O'Brien). Napoleon would also reform the tax system in France, require all government agencies to have a balanced budget, and create a central banking system, the Banque de France in 1800 ("NAPOLEON"). In the army, Napoleon was also successful. ..... middle of paper ...... military, he also managed to rise through the military ranks and expand French rule in Italy, helping to launch his political career. In the army, Napoleon also used his knowledge of war and strategies to defeat nations like Russia and make peace treaties with Austria. Although Napoleon was gifted in military matters, one of his biggest mistakes would occur during the war in Moscow. He was overconfident and did not prepare for a battle that would last longer than expected. When he arrived in Moscow, he found it completely burned, leaving his troops neither shelter nor food. Works Cited Kishlansky, Mark, Patrick Geary and Patrick O'Brien. Civilization in the West. 7th ed. United States: Pearson, 2008. “NAPOLEON” print. GPS Teacher Pages. Np, and Web. April 15. 2014. .