The French Revolution
The French Revolution (1789-1799) was a period of radical political and social upheaval in France that overthrew the monarchy and reshaped ideas of citizenship and democracy across the Western world.
The revolution began amid widespread economic hardship, food shortages, and resentment toward the privileges of the monarchy and aristocracy, culminating in the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789.
The revolution radicalized over the following years, leading to the execution of King Louis XVI in 1793 and a period known as the Reign of Terror, during which thousands were executed by guillotine amid intense political purges.
The instability ultimately paved the way for Napoleon Bonaparte to seize power in 1799. The revolution's ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity influenced democratic and nationalist movements across the world for centuries afterward.