GH 301: Napoleon's Atlantic

Few individuals in modern history have shaped their world as much as Napoleon Bonaparte did during the twenty years (1795-1815) he found himself at the center of the upheavals of the French Revolution.  GH 301: Napoleon’s Atlantic, which will be offered Spring 2024, will explore the life and career of this remarkable figure with the goal of understanding his impact on the societies that comprised the Atlantic World in the early nineteenth century.  While the course will revolve around Napoleon and will address his personal history, it will focus on the ramifications of his rise to power in France: e.g., the creation of a European empire; the geopolitical rivalry with Great Britain; relations with the United States; and, interventions in American colonies.  Much of this legacy was disruptive and contributed to the collapse of the Spanish and Portuguese empires in the Americas.  At the same time, Napoleon’s regime had a profound influence on emerging nations.  Not only did he serve as an archetype for countless charismatic revolutionaries and politicians across the region, but his Napoleonic Code became the foundation for many new judicial systems, including in the state of Louisiana.  The historiography of Napoleon’s Atlantic has exploded in recent years, and this course will take advantage of these studies to cover a wide range of topics.  As much as possible, GH 301 will explore this history through primary sources.

Instructor: Dr. Timothy Hawkins

Timothy Hawkins is a professor of history at Indiana State University and a scholar of Spanish colonial administration during the Age of Napoleon.  His most recent book, A Great Fear: Luís de Onís and the Shadow War against Napoleon, 1808-1812, appeared in 2019. 

Please contact Dr. Hawkins if you have questions about this course.