An analysis of French Revolution and Beyond
The French Revolution (1789-1799) and the period following is an important era, in which France –previously a monarchy rule– under went radical changes and became a republic. First of all, one of the most important causes to the Revolution is the Enlightment. Enlightment. The grim grim economic and political state of France also combined with the incompetent rule of King Louis XVI are also one of the things that triggered the French Revolution. People were hungry, shortage of basic food such as wheat and potatoes lead to famine. The immense amount of debt King Louis took from the nobles drove the state to bankruptcy. The King’s indifference and excessive luxurious spending did not help the situation.
People demanded change and to be represented. Demands of the people of France forced King Louis XVI to give into their demands and gather an assembly – a sort of parliment – where people were represented to a degree. Still, the commoners were not happy and gathered in an indoor tennis court to write a new constitution for the government. The Tennis Court Oath is considered the start of the Revolution. The King was afraid of these changes and called his guard regiment to protect him but the commoners thought this regiment would massacre them. An angry mob stormed the prison of Bastille, set the prisoners free and seized the guns and weaponary within. Paris went into anarchy and people (mostly women) marched to the palace of the King in Versailles to take him back to Paris. They did so and radical revolutionaries beheaded King Louis XVI there. Government collapsed with the death of the King and there was quite a chaos. Eventually Maximillian Robespierre took power and a period called ‘Reign of Terror’ started, where thousands of aristocrats and nobles were executed. Eventually, Napoleon Bonaparte – a brilliant tactician and leader – took control of the army and with a coup d’état,
proclaimed himself Emperor. Napoleon was indeed a brilliant and an agressive leader. He invaded and controlled almost all of the European continent along with vast colonies in Africa and Indochina.
Technologically, the French Revolution and the following era marks advances that are fitting to the characteristics of the revolution and beyond. Some of the major technological advances that were made during this period are: Inventing of chemically manifactured saltpeter. Saltpeter is actually Sodium Nitrade and it is the main component of gunpowder. This was used widely for production of gunpowder for the revolution and for the wars that were fought afterwards. Also this chemical was used in fields of medicine. Manifacturing of this material reduced France’s dependance on imports – a much needed feature at the time. Invention and usage of balloons. Making of Balloons using heated air helped French armies get beter reconnaissance and enabled them to fight more aggressively. Invention and development of the early telegraph, which greatly improved communications all over the country. This was no doubt an important technological advance, widely used by the central government in Paris and the army. Steam Engines and Railroads were invented and used during this period of advancing steel industry. I think this is also very important advance for a central government to transport materials and men across great distances with speed. Building of mass railroad Networks improved the infastructure. This also was of great help to the French armies for their aggressive tactics of invasions. The cumulative effects of these technological advances seem to be urging Napoleon for massive invasions with speed
and improving the French aggressiveness, something that is also featured in their Emperor Napoleon. It is without doubt that these advances made it easy for Napoleon’s Empire to maintain control of the conquered lands.
If we look at the social points of view of the French Revolution, we see that the commoners, the people who used to be ignorant and obedient, became more aware of politics and state of the country. They started to look for their own rights and they sought to be represented in the governing of the country. In the end when they were not satisfied, they took what they wanted with bloodshed: the French Revolution.
Women who were passive citizens played a very important role during and after the revolution. They too fought for what they believed in and showed that they made patriots as much as men did. Women played an aggressive and sometimes violent role within the revolution, they requested and then did bore arms fort he revolution. Women writers supported the revolution and also began to speak of their rights to be equal with men in multiple aspects, which they recieved to some degree at the time.
I think an obvious connection can be made between the political arena of France and the leaders. Under the reign of King Louis XVI the country was poor and hungry, while aristocrates lived in luxury. I think this resembles to the incompetence of the King and the selfishness of the nobility. After the revolution, the leaders of the revolutionaries fought
each other for power. They executed aristocrats, nobles and often each other, for their greed for power. Of course, this was the reign of Terror and chaos ruled. Finally the Napoleonic era, when France was ruled by a republic first, which was denounced shortly afterwards for its failure. A time of glory for France followed under Napoleon’s Empire. Aggressive expansion of French borders is a direct connection to Napoleon’s character. But the fall of Napoleon’s empire was also becouse of Napoleon’s own greed.
Brief Brief Respon Res ponse se: According to McClellan in Chapter 13, what contributions did France make to cartography?
-French Kingdom started a project to map the details of the Kingdom and Europe in 1669. The project was conducted by Cassini family from Paris. This project was underfunded at times, but after about a century of studies in cooperation with the Observatory and the Navy, it produced a series of highly accurate detailed maps. These maps apparently showed France, Europe and overseas colonies of France. Also we can say that such advances in cartography helped develop cartography as an independent science which helped Europe develop in economic aspects.
