The late 18th century brought the Age of Revolutions in both Europe and the New World. The American Revolution was followed by the French Revolution and a number of other uprisings on both sides of the Atlantic. This turbulent era lasted until the late 19th century. In this book we'll explore the early decades of the Age of Revolutions in Europe - from the French Revolution through the rise and fall of Napoleon.
This book follows the old-fashioned, story-based, traditional route of teaching history - presenting biographies of historical figures through engaging narrative sprinkled with memorable historical anecdotes.
We start with biographical sketches of Voltaire and Rousseau, exploring the ideological roots of revolution in the philosophy and political thinking of the Enlightenment. We touch on the stark contrast between the lofty ideas preached by these Enlightenment intellectuals and the ethical vacuum of their private lives: Voltaire spies on his benefactor for the French government... madly jealous of Rousseau, he attacks his rival with anonymous pamphlets ... Meanwhile, Rousseau, the creator of progressive education, gives up for adoption his own 5 kids because their mom is "uneducated"...
Our stories of revolutionary leaders focus on their personal transformations. Robespierre, a follower of Rousseau opposed to capital punishment, turns into a bloodthirsty dictator sending hundreds to the guillotine... Marat, a failed scientist, morphs into a bitter journalist-agitator driving desperately poor crowds to 'revolutionary' violence - which he uses to settle his own personal scores... An artist-turned-propagandist, Jacques-Louis David, changes colors three times! From a spoiled artist enjoying the patronage of King Louis XVI, he evolves into a vengeful heavy-hitter of the revolution, dealing out hundreds of death sentences...then U-turns to glorify absolute monarchy under Napoleon as his court painter.
The talentless and misguided royals, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, contrast sharply with the purposeful and unflinching rise of Napoleon. Additional biographical vignettes from the revolutionary era include Marat's assassin, Charlotte Corday, and Marquis de Lafayette, the French hero of the American Revolution, who ended up a 'traitor' in France.
And don't forget Admiral Nelson and Lady Hamilton - the media darlings of their day, generating scandals to stay in the public eye, and eventually facing the fallout of this classic cel