HIST. 524: French Revolution

The French Revolution 

It would be difficult to overstate the importance of the French Revolution of 1789 in modern history. The Revolution overthrew not only the French monarchy, but the entire social and political order of the Old Regime. In the process, it gave rise to new conceptions of democracy and human rights as well as modern political violence, dictatorship, and nationalism. This research seminar explores how France fundamentally remade itself, Europe, and the world in the years between 1789 and 1815. After a brief study of the Old Regime, we will examine the Revolution phase by phase, from the storming of the Bastille to the Reign of Terror to the rise and fall of Napoleon. We will also consider how the effects of the Revolution reverberated in France’s overseas colonies, giving rise to the Haitian Revolution and the abolition and eventual reinstitution of slavery. The final unit of the course will provide an overview of how generations of historians have interpreted and debated the Revolution’s causes and legacies.

Students will learn through a combination of primary and secondary source readings, discussion, and mini-lectures. Course materials will introduce students to the Revolution’s political and social effects as well as revolutionary art, fashion, and material culture. Throughout the semester, students will research and write a ten-page paper on a topic of their choice.