The French Revolution has fascinated, perplexed, and inspired people for more than two centuries. It was a seismic historical event that radically transformed France and launched shock waves across the world. Examine the revolution's origins, dramas, complexity, and ultimate significance. Topics will include the key revolutionary events that unfolded in Paris in the 1780s; the fall of the Monarchy; the birth of the Republic amidst war and murderous Terror; ending with the victory of counter-revolution and the rise of Napoleon. With reference to a wide range of historical materials which illuminate the personal, social, and cultural world of the 18th century we will examine both the experience and the legacy of France's transformative age of revolution and its legacies for the modern world. Lecture style with question and answer time.