Described as the "mother of the political culture into which all of us are born, " the French Revolution continues to fascinate those interested in social equality, political liberty, and revolutionary fraternity. This course examines this starting point of modernity, tracing its effects both internally (in France) and externally (in Europe and the Caribbean), from the calling of the Estates General in 1788 to the defeat of Napoleon in 1815. Topics include social history and popular revolts; the effect of the Enlightenment on the Revolution; the counter-revolution; the Church and the Civil Constitution of the Clergy; war the revolutionary armies and the transformation of Europe; the status of Blacks Jews and women in the new nation; and the sticky problem of sugar and slavery in Saint Domingue (Haiti). By placing the Revolution in the context of global politics, this course will attempt to shed light on the highly-debated issues of the autonomy of the Haitian Revolution and its legacy of racial equality in the New World and Old. Evaluation will be based on class participation, two 10-page papers, and a self-scheduled final exam. Groups B and D