French Revolution and Napoleon

Unit II overview and essential questions (Transformation of Political Realities: the French Revolution and Napoleon)

OVERVIEW

Old Regime France was an absolutist state where only the privileged succeeded.  By 1789, France was convulsed by a revolution that promised to realize Enlightenment ideals of freedom, equality, natural rights, and institutional reform.  The revolutionaries had early success in installing a constitutional government.  But before long, these lofty aspirations were bathed in blood as the revolution became increasingly radicalized.  The chaos of the French Revolution paved the way for Napoleon's takeover of France in 1799.  Under his military dictatorship, Napoleon simultaneously extended and contracted many achievements of the French Revolution.  Within a ten year period, France went from an absolutist monarchy to a republic to enlightened despotism.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1.  What were the political, social, and economic realities of Old Regime France?

2.  Why was the Third Estate aggrieved?

3.  How and why did the French Revolution become radicalized?

4.  How was Napoleon able to assume control over France?

5.  To what extent did Napoleon both preserve and subvert the French Revolution?

• Internet Modern History Sourcebook: French Revolution
• Interactive materials on the French Revolution
• Webquest on the French Revolution
• PBS series on Marie Antoinette
• Napoleon.org
• Napoleon Guide
• PBS series on Napoleon
• French Revolution and Napoleon: songs, maps, documents, timelines, glossary