The French Revolution happened.
The French Revolution ( Révolution française [ ʁevɔlysjɔ̃ fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ) was a period of far-reaching social and political upheaval in France that lasted from 1789 until 1799 , and was partially carried forward by Napoleon during the later expansion of the French Empire . Through the Revolutionary Wars , it unleashed a wave of global conflicts that extended from the Caribbean to the Middle East . The French Revolution differed from other revolutions in being not merely national , for it aimed at benefiting all humanity .