New
New
Year 9

Understanding the Napoleonic era through political cartoons

I can explain how historians analyse political cartoons from the Napoleonic era to understand differences in contemporary public opinion.

New
New
Year 9

Understanding the Napoleonic era through political cartoons

I can explain how historians analyse political cartoons from the Napoleonic era to understand differences in contemporary public opinion.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Contemporary cartoons give us insight into contemporary responses to the Napoleonic period.
  2. Historians look at the provenance of a source to determine the purpose of its creation.
  3. Historians also look at the provenance of a source to determine its reliability.
  4. Historians can discern nuance in contemporary opinion on the Napoleonic era by studying contemporary political cartoons.

Common misconception

All French cartoons are complimentary of Napoleon and all British cartoons are critical of Napoleon.

Many French cartoons were critical of Napoleon and many British cartoons were critical of the British government's response to his actions.

Keywords

  • Contemporary - a contemporary source is one created at the time of the events it depicts or is commenting on

  • Provenance - provenance is a term used to describe a source's background; its nature, origin and purpose

  • Reliable - reliable is another word for trustworthy and accurate

  • Satire - when something serious is made fun of in order to make a point it is known as satire

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What did Napoleon impose on Europe after the Battle of Trafalgar in order to try and stop countries trading with Britain?
The Code Napoleon System
The Competition System
Correct answer: The Continental System
Q2.
Which keyword means being sent away from your home country as punishment?
Correct Answer: exile, Exile, exiled, Exiled
Q3.
Roughly how many soldiers did Napoleon lead into Russia?
5 000 000 (five million)
Correct answer: 500 000 (five hundred thousand)
50 000 (fifty thousand)
5000 (five thousand)
Q4.
Match the places listed below with the descriptions of their geographical locations.
Correct Answer:France,a country in western Europe between Spain and Prussia

a country in western Europe between Spain and Prussia

Correct Answer:Britain,an island nation across the English Channel from France

an island nation across the English Channel from France

Correct Answer:Waterloo,a town in Belgium

a town in Belgium

Correct Answer:St Helena,an island in the South Atlantic Ocean

an island in the South Atlantic Ocean

Correct Answer:Elba,an island off the coast of Italy

an island off the coast of Italy

Correct Answer:Trafalgar,on the coast of Spain

on the coast of Spain

Q5.
Complete the sentence: France and Spain were beaten by the British navy at the Battle of in 1805.
Correct Answer: Trafalgar, trafalgar
Q6.
Put these events into chronological order.
1 - France and Spain are defeated by Britain at the Battle of Trafalgar
2 - Napoleon imposes the Continental System on Europe
3 - Napoleon invades Russia
4 - Napoleon is exiled to Elba
5 - Napoleon returns and is defeated at Waterloo by Wellington and allies
6 - Napoleon is exiled to St Helena

6 Questions

Q1.
Which keyword is used to refer to when something serious is made fun of in order to make a point?
Correct Answer: satire, Satire
Q2.
Which of the following help historians to determine the diversity of public opinion during the Napoleonic era?
Correct answer: Political cartoons produced within France
Political cartoons produced under the Ancien Regime
Correct answer: Political cartoons produced outside of France
Q3.
Match the type of political cartoon to its likely message.
Correct Answer:Political cartoons produced in Britain,Likely to be critical of Napoleon's actions

Likely to be critical of Napoleon's actions

Correct Answer:Political cartoons produced in France,Likely to be complimentary about Napoleon

Likely to be complimentary about Napoleon

Q4.
Which words are associated with the word 'reliable' when thinking about historical sources?
Correct answer: trustworthy
false
Correct answer: accuate
unclear
Q5.
Which keyword describes a source's background; its nature, origin and purpose?
Correct Answer: provenance, Provenance
Q6.
Put the events into chronological order.
1 - Napoleon became the top army general in the post-revolutionary chaos in France
2 - Napoleon seizes power from the Directory in Paris after returning from Egypt
3 - Napoleon makes himself First Consul of France
4 - Napoleon crowns himself Emperor of France
5 - Napoleon abdicates after a disastrous invasion of Russia and is exiled to Elba
6 - Napoleon returns from exile and loses to Britain at the Battle of Waterloo
7 - Napoleon is exiled to St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean where he dies

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