guarded every Pass in to Italy but this one. It was said to be impossible far an arm to cross this pass, but Napoleon proved this theory wrong. On June 14 the Austrians attacked him in the plains of Marengo where he only had a portion of his army. At four in the afternoon the French had seemed to have been beaten, but Napoleon remained perfectly calm. Then his reinforcements came, and he lead a final charge to win the Battle of Marengo. Napoleon them reorganized almost everything- roads, factories, harbors- that had been destroyed by the Revolution. He now controlled every part of the French life. He invited the Nobles back who had fled abroad. He wrote laws that are still in use today. He reorganized the treasury department, forming the Bank of France, and regulating taxation. He also setup an education system with secondary and technical schools. A Council of State was set up to give him advise, and help him write laws. France became one of the first efficiently organized modern states. In 1801, Napoleon made anagreement with the pope that made Catholicism the state religion, but all religions were tolerated. "My policy is to govern men as the greatest number wish to be governed," said Napoleon. "I established myself in Egypt by becoming a Mussulman; I won over the priests in Italy by becoming ultramontane (a supporter of the authority of the Pope). If I governed the Jews I should have reestablished the temple of Solomon." (pg.8 Britannica Junior Encyclopedia #11 N-O). In 1802, Napoleon was made First Council for life. Two years later, Napoleon not content with being First Council, crowned him self Emperor of France. At this time France was no longer a republic. Napoleon invited the Pope Pius VII to crown him Emperor, but when it came time to be crowned Napoleon took the crown from the Pope and placed it upon is own head. Meanwhile in 1812 war had broken out with England once again. Napoleon organized a huge army at Boulogne for the...
