The French Revolution and Napoleon: Causes, Stages, and Impact
The French Revolution was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France that began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. This pivotal event in European history was influenced by Enlightenment ideas and had far-reaching consequences.
Why did the French Revolution start? The revolution was triggered by a combination of factors:
- Unequal taxation system
- Financial crisis and government debt
- Food shortages and high bread prices
- Influence of Enlightenment ideas
The French Revolution timeline can be divided into five main stages:
- The National Assembly 1789−1791
- Legislative Assembly and War 1791−1792
- National Convention and Reign of Terror 1792−1795
- The Directory 1795−1799
- Napoleon's Dictatorship 1799−1815
Highlight: The revolution began with the formation of the National Assembly by the Third Estate, challenging the existing power structure.
Vocabulary: The "Estates" referred to the three main social classes in pre-revolutionary France: clergy FirstEstate, nobility SecondEstate, and commoners ThirdEstate.
Who led the French Revolution? Various figures played crucial roles at different stages, including members of the Third Estate, Maximilien Robespierre during the Reign of Terror, and eventually Napoleon Bonaparte.
Example: The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, became a symbolic act of revolution against the monarchy.
Effects of the French Revolution included:
- Abolition of the monarchy and feudal system
- Establishment of a republic
- Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
- Reforms in law, education, and administration
Definition: The "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" was a fundamental document of the French Revolution that defined the individual and collective rights of all estates of the realm as universal.
