1. The Beginnings of Revolution, 1775-1789
   The spread of Enlightenment philosophy resulted in a cosmopolitan, international culture embracing rational principles of just government and liberal reform.
   1. Revolutionary Movements in Europe
      Reform movements in Poland, Ireland, and the Netherlands unexpectedly fostered popular demands for selfdetermination and liberty.
   2. The American Revolution and the Kingdom of France
      AngloFrench rivalry won Americans the monetary and military support of France for their selfconsciously Enlightened new nation.
   3. The Crisis of the Old Regime
      Outdated governmental structures, financial crises, and elite criticism forced Louis XVI to summon the Estates General.
   4. 1789: A Revolution Begins
      The Third Estate seized control of the political agenda, spearheading the creation of a National Assembly, while popular unrest culminated in the storming of the Bastille.
2. Phases of the Revolution, 1789-1799
   Driven by complex interactions of class, philosophical, regional, and international interests, the French Revolution sparked continuing change and challenge.
   1. The First Phase Completed, 1789-1791
      Elites directed constitutional change, reduced royal power, and then were supplanted by a fragile and divided Legislative Assembly.
   2. The Second Phase and Foreign War, 1791-1793
      Attacked by royalist allies outside of France and undermined by republican resistance, a Parisiandominated Convention assumed power and sentenced Louis to death.
   3. The Faltering Republic and the Terror, 1793-1794
      Faced with widespread external and internal resistance, the beseiged republic empowered a small group of extreme Jacobins, including Robespierre, who governed the nation through reason and terror.
   4. Thermidorian Reaction and the Directory, 1794-1799
      Abandoning the excesses of the Terror, the executive council of the Directory continually faced royalist and Jacobin resistance.
3. The Napoleonic Era and the Legacy of Revolution, 1799-1815
   France's new leader brought stability at home while his military conquests exported important political and social developments of the Revolution across Europe.
   1. Napoleon: From Soldier to Emperor, 1799-1804
      Building upon his personal charisma, military prowess, and political acumen, Napoleon brought sweeping constitutional changes after his rise to power.
   2. Conquering Europe, 1805-1810
      Napoleon's army proved almost unstoppable as most of Europe either allied with France or became part of the emperor's Continental System.
   3. Defeat and Abdication, 1812-1815
      Continuing opposition from rivals such as Britain and Russia forced Napoleon out of power and into exile.
   4. The Legacy of Revolution for France and the World
      A revolutionary legacy of political principles and reforms found positive and negative expressions overseas and in post-Napoleonic France.
   5. The View from Britain
      Naval supremacy allowed Britain to expand and exploit her trading, industrial, and colonial resources.