Napoleon - An Intimate Portrait


Educating the Nation

Napoléon believed strongly in the power of education to build the new France he envisioned. In 1802, a new system of education went into law, establishing the foundation for what exists to this day. Elementary schools were a local responsibility, but the secondary were supported and controlled by the state. In his last years, Napoléon wrote, “One of my great objectives was to render education accessible to everybody.”

Images © photo12.com-Pierre-Jean Chalençon
A Traveling Exhibition from Russell Etling Company (c) 2011