1.
Key Topic of the Day: The French Revolution (1789-1799)
● Overview: A period of radical social and political upheaval in France that
fundamentally changed the course of French history.
2. Important Definitions:
● Estates-General: A legislative and consultative assembly of the different
classes (or estates) of French subjects.
● National Assembly: A revolutionary assembly formed by the representatives
of the Third Estate (common people).
● The Reign of Terror: A period during the French Revolution after the First
French Republic was established, marked by mass executions of "enemies of
the revolution."
3. Main Points:
● Causes of the Revolution:
● Financial crisis exacerbated by France’s involvement in the American
Revolution.
● Widespread famine and economic hardship.
● Enlightenment ideas challenging traditional structures of power and
authority.
● Significant Events:
● 1789: Storming of the Bastille on July 14, a symbol of royal authority in
the center of Paris.
● 1791: The completion of the Constitution of 1791, which established a
constitutional monarchy.
● 1792-1795: The radical phase, rise of the Jacobins, and the fall of the
monarchy.
● 1793: Execution of King Louis XVI.
● Key Figures:
● Louis XVI: King of France, executed in 1793.
● Marie Antoinette: Queen of France, executed in 1793.
● Maximilien Robespierre: One of the best-known leaders of the French
Revolution, key figure during the Reign of Terror.
● Jean-Paul Marat: Radical journalist and politician, assassinated in
1793.
4. Examples/Illustrations:
● Symbolism of the Guillotine: Used extensively during the Reign of Terror, it
became a symbol of the revolutionary justice system.
5. Questions Raised:
● How did Enlightenment philosophies influence the goals of the
revolutionaries?
● Could the French Revolution have occurred without the influence of external
debts?
6. Homework/Assignments:
● Read Chapter 5 on "The Rise and Fall of Robespierre."
● Write a short essay on "The Impact of the French Revolution on Modern
Governments."
7. Additional Notes:
● The French Revolution's influence on modern political ideologies and the
concept of republicanism.
● Discussion on the legacy of the Revolution in terms of human rights and
democratic principles.
8. For Next Class:
● Prepare to discuss the Napoleonic Era and how Napoleon Bonaparte
capitalized on the outcomes of the Revolution.
