Republic, Empire and Belle Epoque
Napoleon Bonaparte and the Aftermath of the Revolution
Napoleon 1 (youtube)
France's Regimes in the Nineteenth Century
10th anniversary bringing together 17 singers from all over the world who have sung the role of Jean Valjean: here"
Excerpt from the 2012 movie of "Les Miserables": here
The Role of Economics and Empire in the Building of French National Identity
Video Clips
- The Metro
The Metro 2 - for text about the Metro go to Wikipedia's concise overview
The Arch of Triumph; The Eiffel Tower
These two clips are taken from Engineering An Empire: Napoleon: Steel Monster: the site introduces the documentarylike this:
"Centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, French kings struggled for control against the church and the aristocracy. Chaos and bloody warfare rampaged and France stood on the edge of utter disaster as the French Revolution turned into a period of brutal repression. From the ashes emerged one of the greatest military strategists in history, Napoleon. Throughout his reign, France built brilliantly innovative, widely influential masterpieces that have given the world some of its greatest feats of engineering. They include: The massive and majestic Notre Dame de Paris, the Canal du Midi, The Eiffel Tower, and The Arc de Triomphe, an enduring monument to the glory of France under Napoleon. Peter Weller hosts."
- The Louvre
- Universal Exposition - The footage in front of the Paris Opera House was taken by Thomas Edison at the Universal Exposition of 1900. This footage is slow and gentle in pace capturing the city at the time of the 1900 Exposition.
- The Phantom of the Opera
- Musee d'Orsay
- The Moulin Rouge: watch a critique of EITHER Baz Luhrmann's 2001 version OR the John Houston 1952 version.
Question 1
What is the "good news" AND "bad news" in the French newspaper business.
c.
a.
Less the 20% of French citizens take a daily newspaper
b.
"Le Figaro" and "Le Monde" are France's biggest selling national papers
c.
Sales for national newspapers are in decline but regional newspapers are doing very well, for example "Ouest-France" has a daily circulation of over 760,000
Question 2
Match the newspaper with the description
This is France's biggest selling regional newspaper
B
France's oldest daily national newspaper
D
France's newspaper dedicated to sports
C
When it began in 1973 everybody from cleaning staff to writers and editors received the same wage
E
A center-left daily with worldwide renown and respect.
A
Answer
A.
"Le Monde"
B.
"Ouest-France"
C.
"L'Equipe"
D.
"Le Figaro"
E.
"Liberation"
Question 3
This is France's best-know satirical newspaper - its name translates as "The Chained-Up Duck."
c. "Le Canard Enchaine"
a.
"Le Figaro"
b.
"L'Express"
c.
"Le Canard Enchaine"
Question 4
"Paris Match," "Elle," "Marie Claire" are France's best known magazines. Match the description with the magazine title. Which answer identifies all three correctly?
The first answer
"Paris Match" carries major national and international stories, but also is famous for its paparazzi photos; "Elle" has been influencing women's fashion since 1945; "Marie-Claire" has been publishing fashion-oriented news and reports since 1937
"Elle" carries major national and international stories, but also is famous for its paparazzi photos; "Paris Match" has been influencing women's fashion since 1945; "Marie-Claire" has been publishing fashion-oriented news and reports since 1937.
"Paris Match" carries major national and international stories, but also is famous for its paparazzi photos; "Marie-Claire" has been influencing women's fashion since 1945; "Elle" has been publishing fashion-oriented news and reports since 1937.
Question 5
In French TV, there is a good deal of control of appropriate levels of language and content, there are restrictions on showing films on Saturdays, and there is a greater acceptance of adult content on TV.
True
True
False
Question 6
In France, there are a number of shows that resemble TV shows in the U.S.A. Match the French show with the show it is like in the U.S. Pick out the answer that correctly identifies all three French shows with their U.S. version.
"Big Brother" is like "Loft Story"; "American Idol" is like "Star Academy"; "The Office" is like "Le Bureau."
"The Office" is like "Loft Story"; "Big Brother" is like "Star Academy"; "American Idol" is like "Le Bureau."
"American Idol" is like "Loft Story";"Big Brother" is like "Star Academy"; "The Office" is like "Le Bureau."
"Big Brother" is like "Loft Story"; "American Idol" is like "Star Academy"; "The Office" is like "Le Bureau."
Question 7
French listen to radio on average how many hours per day
a.
three
b.
one
c.
two
Question 8
Radio-France Internationale is a "radio libre"?
True
True
False
Question 9
In 1996 a new law was voted in to ensure that a large portion of music broadcast on French radio had to be in French. It also dictated that what percentage of the French music broadcast on the radio be by new artists or be less than six months old?
40% - at least 20% of which should be by new artists or new productions
However, over the last few years, gossip magazines like "Closer," "Voci" and "Public" have become very popular.
true
True
False
Question 11
In the 1980s, France had a communications system that was somewhat similar to the Internet where the computers allowed users to search for telephone numbers, book tickets, and check the stock market. What was the name of this communication system, which was rudimentary by today's standards but a revolutionary system in its time?
Minitel
a.
PTT
b.
c.
Minitel
Question 12
The Internet is not used much in France?
False
True
False
Question 13
The French have gotten into using blogs. Some commentators feel that blogs have taken on the role of what other type of culture that France is known for?
Cafe culture
a.
Cabarets
b.
Painting
c.
Cafe culture
Question 14
If you wanted to post a letter in France where could you go?
La Poste and Cyberposte (Electronically Registered Letter)
a.
La poste
b.
France Telecom
c.
Cyberposte
Question 15
France got its first telephone in what year?
a.
1998
b.
In the 1970s
c.
Question 16
The French continue to write as many letters as before and do not use email or cell phones that much.
False
True
False
Question 17
The two underground rail systems in Paris - what you would call the subway in New York - are known as:
RER and Metro
a.
RER
b.
Moulin Rouge
c.
TGV
d.
Metro
Question 18
Four of the following companies are leaders in the French telephone industry. Pick them out from the list.
France Telecom, Bouyges Telecom, Orange
Neuf Cogetel became a subsidiary of SFR in 2008
a.
Bouyges Telecom
b.
SNCF
c.
Neuf Cegetel
d.
La Poste
e.
Orange
f.
France Telecom
Question 19
What are the TGV and the SNCF?
The TGV is the high speed train and the SNCF is the French National Railroad.
TGV is another name for the Paris subway and the SNCF is a TV company.
The TGV is the French National Railroad and the SNCF is the high speed train.
The TGV is the high speed train and the SNCF is the French National Railroad.
Question 20
The freeways in France are known as "autoroutes" and they are not free since you have to pay a toll to use them.
true
True
False
Question 1
Video Clips - The End of the French Revolution and the Rise of Napoleon
Question 1
How would you characterize the political situation in which Napoleon comes to power? Given his humble beginnings, do you think that he can be viewed as a self-made man or a romantic hero?
First, Napoleon appears as a self-made man who rose from the common ground to become a successful general, on the background of a still struggling constitutional republic that had replaced the universal male suffrage with one based on ownership. Second, Napoleon goes beyond what could be called a self-made man. He becomes a romantic figure, sparking the public imagination with his hero like figure. He crowns himself emperor in Notre-Dame, in 1804 and goes on conquering the world, reigning over the biggest empire of his time.
Question 2
Question 2 - Portraits of Napoleon
On slides 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, what images of power do these portraits of Napoleon convey? What aspects of French history does he incorporate into representations of himself?
Before you write you answer, read these ideas: One of the more important aspects of Napoleon's legacy is how, even though he is a hero of the French Revolution, he reasserts many of the traits that the Ancien Regime (the Bourbons from Henri IV to Louis XVI) established. He centralizes power in the capital and he makes sure he has control of education and culture (see notes on Education on the "Napoleon" document). He is one man who is in charge -- much like a King. He is also a multi-faceted character: on the one hand very organized and thus of the Enlightenment, but as an individualistic, passion-driven self-made man he is also a romantic hero.
Question 3
Delacroix's "Liberty Leading the People"
Question 3
Delacroix's depiction of the July uprising What impression do you think that Delacroix is attempting to give of the July 1830 uprising in his painting "Liberty Leading the People"?
Could we call this painting a romantic portrait of the people -- why or why not?
Is the artist with the people or against them? What aspects of the people's uprising does he pay attention to? Examine the details of the painting, its colors, and the emblems and monuments it includes, and give examples to back up your ideas.
In his painting dedicated to the three days of Parisians fighting in the streets to overthrow the king, Delacroix works with vibrant brushstrokes. He intends to leave a powerful impression of the onlooker. The painter relies on contrast in almost every aspect of his work. Liberty itself is depicted as a bare breasted woman with a gun in one hand and the flag in the…
