A Short History of the French Revolution

Description

A Short History of the French Revolution is an up-to-date survey of the French Revolution and Napoleonic era that introduces readers to the origins and events of this turbulent period in French history, and historians' interpretations of these events. The book covers all aspects of the Revolution, including the political, social, and cultural origins of the Revolution, and its causes, events, and aftermath, to provide readers with a full, and yet concise, overview of the Revolution that helps them easily understand the key elements of the subject. Fully updated and revised, this new edition allows students to engage with the most current work on the subject with increased attention given to women's role in the Revolution, full coverage of the struggles over race and slavery, a new emphasis on the populist element in revolutionary politics, and an expanded discussion of the historiography of the era. Supported by learning objectives, critical thinking questions, and suggestions for further reading, this is the perfect introduction to the French Revolution for students of French and European History in the late eighteenth century. Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents List of Images List of Figures List of Documents Preface to the Seventh Edition 1 The Origins of the French Revolution The Problems of the Monarchy The Failure of Reform Social Structure and Social Crisis The Third Estate The Lower Classes New Ideas and New Ways of Living The Growth of Public Opinion Critical Thinking Questions 2 The Collapse of the Absolute Monarchy, 1787–1789 The Prerevolution The Assembly of Notables From Failed Reforms to Revolutionary Crisis The Meeting of the Estates-General The Parliamentary Revolution The Storming of the Bastille Critical Thinking Questions 3 The Revolutionary Rupture, 1789–1790 The Experience of Revolution The “Abolition of Feudalism” and the Declaration of Rights The Constitutional Debates The October Days The Expropriation of Church Lands and the Assignats The Civil Constitution of the Clergy Critical Thinking Questions 4 The Defeat of the Liberal Revolution, 1790–1792 The New Political Culture The King’s Flight and the Crisis of 1791 The End of the National Assembly The Legislative Assembly The Revolt in Saint-Domingue and Unrest at Home The Move toward War The Impact of War The Overthrow of the Monarchy Emergency Measures and Revolutionary Government The Failure of the Liberal Revolution Critical Thinking Questions 5 The Convention and the Radical Republic, 1792–1794 The Trial of the King Mounting Tensions The Victory of the Montagnards Terror Becomes the Order of the Day The Dictatorship of the Committee of Public Safety Revolutionary Culture The Radical Revolution and the Social Order The Great Terror and Thermidor The Revolution Victorious Thermidor Critical Thinking Questions 6 The Return to Order, 1794–1799 The “Bourgeois Republic” and the Search for Order The Thermidorian Reaction The Defeat of the Sans-Culottes Counterrevolution and the Constitution of 1795 The Directory The Directory, Europe, and the Colonies The “Politics of the Balance” The “Second Directory” The Fall of the Directory Critical Thinking Questions 7 The Napoleonic Consulate, 1799–1804 The Consul and the Consulate Napoleon’s Career The Institutions of the Consulate Consolidation of Power The Peace of Amiens and the Concordat Elements of Opposition Critical Thinking Questions 8 The Napoleonic Empire, 1804–1815 The Resumption of War From Ulm to Tilsit The Continental System The Empire at Home The Social Bases of the Empire Culture under the Empire The Decline of the Empire The Invasion of Russia The Hundred Days Critical Thinking Questions 9 The Revolutionary Heritage The Postrevolutionary Settlement State and Nation The Revolution’s Impact in the World The French Revolution as History The Jacobin Historical Synthesis The Revisionist Critique Postrevisionist Studies of the Revolution Critical Thinking Questions Appendix: Chronology of Principal Events During the French Revolution Prerevolutionary Crisis (January 1, 1787–May 5, 1789) The Liberal Revolution (May 5, 1789–August 10, 1792) The Radical Revolution (August 10, 1792–July 27, 1794) The Thermidorian and Directory Periods (July 27, 1794–November 9, 1799) The Napoleonic Period (November 9, 1799–June 18, 1815) Suggestions for Further Reading Journals and Reference Works Specialized Titles: Select Bibliography Index