Charter of 1815 facts for kids

The Charter of 1815 was an important French law signed on April 22, 1815. It was like a new rulebook for the country. This document was created by Benjamin Constant for Napoleon I. Napoleon asked for it when he returned to France after being exiled on the island of Elba.

The Charter of 1815 is also known as the "Additional Act to the Constitutions of the Empire." It made big changes to Napoleon's older laws. It gave French people new rights they didn't have before. For example, people could now elect their own mayor in smaller towns. Napoleon saw it as an update to his existing laws, not a brand new start.

How the Charter Was Made

After being exiled, Napoleon came back to France for a short time, known as the Hundred Days. He knew he couldn't rule exactly as he had before. So, he asked a person named Benjamin Constant, who believed in more freedoms, to write a new set of rules.

The French people voted on this new Charter on June 1, 1815. Most people voted yes, even though many didn't vote at all. The Charter was officially announced at a big event in Paris. However, Napoleon's rule ended quickly, so the Charter couldn't be fully put into action.

What the Charter Said

The Charter of 1815 explained how France would be governed. The Emperor and the Parliament would share the power to make laws. The Parliament would have two groups:

• The Chamber of Peers: Members of this group were chosen by the Emperor and their positions could be passed down in their families.
• The Chamber of Representatives: This group had 629 members. They were elected by citizens for five-year terms.

The Charter also said that government ministers had to answer to the Parliament for their actions. It brought more freedoms, like protecting people's rights and ending censorship (where the government controls what people can say or publish). The two groups of Parliament only met for about a month before Napoleon's final defeat.

See also

• Charter of 1814