Final answer:
Napoleon rose to power in a step-by-step process that involved his military successes and political maneuvering.
Step-by-step explanation:
- Napoleon joined the French artillery as a second lieutenant in 1785.
- During the French Revolution, he sided with the Jacobins and rose in ranks after defeating a rebellion in Toulon.
- In 1795, he gained popularity by suppressing a counterrevolutionary activity in Paris and became the commander of the French army in Italy.
- Napoleon's military victories and his ability to maintain the loyalty of his troops helped him rise to power.
- In 1799, he took part in a coup d'etat and became part of a three-man Consulate government.
- By 1802, he was declared Consul for Life and in 1804, he crowned himself Emperor of France.