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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. The 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 Response: 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.

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