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What were the long term causes of the French Revolution?
To what extent did the ideas of the Enlightenment bring into question the notion of the divine right of kings?
To what extent did the ideas of the American Revolution of 1776 influence French notions about the role of government and the rights of man?
Could Louis the XIVth have acted in differently, or responded differently to the forces calling for change? Was it destiny for the Revolution to take such a radical course? Could a constitutional monarchy have been established along the lines of the English model?
What accounts for the reaction of the other monarchs in Europe? What did they hope to gain by engaging France in a war?
What was the Tennis Court Oath? Why did the people of Paris storm the Bastille on July the 14th?
What was the reign of terror? What accounts for the radicalism of the French Revolution? What internal and external threats were the "people" of France reacting to?
To what extent does the phrase "liberty, equality, fraternity" symbolize the ideals of the French Revolution? To what extent were these ideas achieved?
What was the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen"? Why is this document important? What fundamental rights are spelled out in this document?
What were the revolutionaries attitude toward the Catholic Church? What accounts for the attacks against the Church?
To what extent was the French Revolution a turning point in the history of mankind? Did it truly mark a transfer of power from the hands of the nobility (landed aristocracy) to the "bourgeoisie" (entrepreneurial middle or upper middle class)?
Is Napoleon to be regarded today as hero or villain?
To what extend did Napoleon spread "liberal" ideas of the French Revolution across Europe?
What was the Civil Code of France, and why is it regarded today as an important accomplishment?
What was the "Continental System"?
What reforms did Napoleon bring to the peoples of Central and Eastern Europe whom he conquered?
What changes were brought about for the Jewish population in Europe?
To what extent were the promises of the French Revolution kept during the "reign" of Napoleon?
To what extent were the promises of the French Revolution forsaken during the "reign" of Napoleon?
Which country was the first to industrialize?
What were the effects of industrialization upon:
i. class structure in England
ii. the life of the common person
iii. the military
Describe the progress of the industrial revolution as it spreads from England to America and then across Europe from west to East.
What were the benefits of industrialization and what were the terrible consequences? (You may want to read carefully , "Discipline in the New Factories" and, "Child labor:The Mines."
How is the development of the steam engine connected with industrialization?
How is the development of the "Cotton Gin" related to the spread of slavery in the South of the United States?
How would industrialization affect the course of warfare in the 19th century, and more importantly in the 20th?
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Stephen Ross Levitt Updated: October 4, 2000 Copyright Stephen Ross Levitt and Liberal Arts Department |