French Revolution
A period of radical political and social upheaval in France that overthrew the monarchy, established a republic, experienced the Reign of Terror, and culminated in Napoleon's seizure of power.
Preceding Causes
French government bankruptcy (exacerbated by support for the American Revolution), rigid social inequality between the three estates, Enlightenment ideas challenging divine-right monarchy, severe bread shortages from poor harvests, and the example of the American Revolution.
Historical Consequences
Spread of liberal, republican, and nationalist ideas across Europe; the Napoleonic Wars that reshaped the continent; the Napoleonic Code's lasting legal influence; modern concepts of citizenship and human rights (Declaration of the Rights of Man); and the template for revolutionary movements worldwide.