Map of Europe in 1812 | Student Handouts
 
Welcome to Student Handouts--www.studenthandouts.com! 100% free teaching materials for students in kindergarten through high school--lesson plans, worksheets, PowerPoints, outlines, interactive games, puzzles, and so much more!
 
Map of Europe in 1812
World History > Era of Napoleon Bonaparte > Napoleonic Era Maps and Pictures
 
 
Map of Europe in 1812 (Napoleonic Era in European History)
 
 
Map of Europe in 1812. Including the empire of the French, states dependent on Napoleon, and states allied with Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon I). Click here to enlarge.

In 1812, Europe was deeply entrenched in the Napoleonic Wars, with Napoleon Bonaparte's French Empire dominating much of the continent. However, cracks were beginning to show in his dominance. The Continental System, Napoleon's blockade against British trade, had strained relations with allies like Russia, which resumed trade with Britain in defiance. This led to Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia in June 1812, marking a turning point in the war. His Grande Armée, over 600,000 strong, advanced deep into Russia but was devastated by scorched-earth tactics, harsh weather, and logistical failures, with only a fraction returning.

Meanwhile, Britain remained a persistent enemy, funding coalitions against France and maintaining naval supremacy after Trafalgar. In Spain, the brutal Peninsular War drained French resources as Spanish guerrillas and British forces under the Duke of Wellington pushed back Napoleon's troops.

In Central Europe, Austria and Prussia, though subdued after earlier defeats, were secretly rebuilding their armies and awaiting an opportunity to revolt. By late 1812, as news of Napoleon's Russian disaster spread, anti-French sentiment grew. The following year, Prussia and Austria would join Russia and Britain in the War of the Sixth Coalition, ultimately leading to Napoleon's downfall. Thus, 1812 was a pivotal year—Napoleon's empire reached its peak but began its irreversible collapse.
 
 
We recommend that educators check out these other free teaching materials our experts have created. My Dolly Poem Worksheet Environmental Sustainability Word Search Puzzle The Omnibus Poem Worksheet Free Printable Circular Eight-Compartment Graphic Organizer
 
 
Napoleonic Era Books and FilmsNapoleonic Era Outlines and PowerPoints
  
Napoleonic Era Maps and PicturesNapoleonic Era Study Games
  
Napoleonic Era MiscellanyNapoleonic Era Worksheets
 
 
World History > Era of Napoleon Bonaparte > Napoleonic Era Maps and Pictures