1. Modern European Revolutions/What you need to know: (1) Chronology (2) Key Categories of Analysis: Ideology, Gender, Class (3) Interpretation
What is a revolution?
Revolutionary tradition in Europe: (1)From Absolutism to Liberalism, (2) From Absolutism and Liberalism to Socialism, (3) From Socialism to Liberalism.

2. Revolutionary time-lines
Chronology: When do revolutions begin? When do they end? How does the timing of revolutions reflect the general and prevailing historical conditions of the contexts in which they develop?
French Revolution = Enlightment of 17th and 18th centuries. Stages of F.R. ? E.g., …
1848 Revolutions = (Legitimacy/Conservatism, Liberalism, Socialism.)
– Revolutionary events of this year?

3. Key Concepts:
Ideology: what makes a set of ideas ideological? Why are ideologies associated with revolution?
French Revolution = Monarchism, Absolutism, Liberalism; 1848 Revolutions = Monarchism, Liberalism, Socialism, Nationalism
Class: What constitutes a class of individuals? (Economic, political, cultural attributes of a specific class…)
French Revolution = First, Second, Third Estates
1848 Revolutions = Ruling classes (aristocracy), middle classes, working classes/peasantry.

4. Key Concepts
Gender: What roles do men and women play in revolutionary processes?
French Revolution = examples of prominent women, e.g., Olympe de Gouges, Mary Wollstonecraft.
1848 Revolutions?

5. Revolutions: An explanatory model
Main features of revolutions:
French Revolution:- Economy – Existing types of economic relations. Old vs. New economic ideas and practices (e.g., mercantilism vs. laissez-faire). National resources (taxes, potential for economic growth/decline, etc. Population numbers and demographic patterns.
1848 Revolutions:- Liberalism vs. Semi-feudal economy (serfdom, protectionism, etc.)

6. Explanatory model, cont.
Social classes (estates): relations within and between these groupings. Gender status; dominant vs. up-and- coming, vs. downtrodden.
Political: Ruling factions; disenfranchised (but potentially powerful) elements (middle-classes, workers, peasants…) Forms of political rule (monarchy, republic, dictatorship)

7. Explanatory model, cont.
Ideological: Arguments for and against prevailing system. Types of political arguments (Divine rights; Social contract; sovereignty of the individual, historical processes, etc.)
Subjective factors: Major actors (politicians, statesmen, political bosses, writers (men and women). Crowds and public pressures (actions taken spontaneously and via social/political organizations.)

8. Citing examples from texts/lectures
Review lecture notes and notes taken during assigned readings. Use specific events/personalities, etc. to illustrate the points you want to make.
Review chronology of events so that you know the contextual relationship they hold to one another.
e.g., First stage of French Revolution vs. “Reign of Terror” (Contrast/Compare the features of these phases.)

9. Emphasis on Assigned Readings/Lectures
Familiarize yourself with the main arguments of the different authors of the texts that have been assigned for the course.
What are they stressing in their studies? How do they interpret the events under review? What sorts of questions do they raise in their narratives?
In these, review footnotes and/or bibliographies to gain a greater sense of the literature produced in each subject area.
What topics were emphasized in class lectures? According to the lectures, what were the main features of the liberal revolutions in (1) France, and (2) in Europe generally after 1815?

10. Conclusion
Review notes taken from lectures and assigned readings. Compare terms and topics emphasized in both cases.
Draw up a chronology of events.
Summarize the main features of both revolutionary periods.