TedTest

From the Ted Talk by Alex Gendler: History vs. Napoleon Bonaparte

Unscramble the Blue Letters

After the French Revolution erupted in 1789, erupoe was thrown into cohas. Neighboring countries' monarchs feared they would share the fate of luois XVI, and attacked the New Republic, while at home, extremism and mistrust between fiantcos lead to bloodshed. In the midst of all this colincft, a powerful figure emerged to take charge of France. But did he save the revolution or destroy it? "Order, order, who's the defendnat today? I don't see anyone." "Your hoonr, this is Napoléon Bonaparte, the tyrant who invaded nearly all of Europe to compensate for his psrnoael stature-based insecurities." "Actually, Napoléon was at least avreage height for his time. The idea that he was short comes only from British wartime propaganda. And he was no tyrant. He was sairgnafdeug the young Republic from being crushed by the eruapeon monarchies." "By overthrowing its government and seizing power himself?" "Your Honor, as a young and successful military officer, Napoléon fully supported the French ritluooven, and its ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. But the rnooluetriivaes were incapable of real leadership. Robespierre and the Jacobins who first came to poewr unleashed a reign of terror on the population, with their anti-Catholic extremism and nonstop etonecuixs of everyone who disagreed with them. And The dticreory that replaced them was an unstable and imcnonepett oligarchy. They needed a strong laeder who could govern wisely and justly." "So, fcanre went through that whole revolution just to end up with another all-powerful ruler?" "Not quite. Napoléon's new powers were derived from the constitution that was approved by a popular vote in the Consulate." "Ha! The constitution was practically dettciad at gnpnoiut in a military coup, and the public only accepted the tyrant because they were tired of cnstoant civil war." "Be that as it may, Napoléon iunctroded a new constitution and a legal code that kept some of the most important achievements of the revolution in tact: freedom of religion abolition of hiartedrey privilege, and equality before the law for all men." "All men, indeed. He deprived weomn of the rights that the revolution had given them and even reinstated slavery in the French colonies. Haiti is still recovering from the consequences centuries later. What kind of equality is that?" "The only kind that could be stably maintained at the time, and still far ahead of France's neighbors." "Speaking of neighbors, what was with all the invasions?" "Great quesiotn, Your Honor." "Which invasions are we talking about? It was the neighboring eemiprs who had invaded France trying to restore the monarchy, and prevent the spread of lreibty across Europe, twice by the time Napoléon took cgahre. Having defended France as a soldier and a general in those wars, he knew that the best desnefe is a good offense." "An offense against the entire continent? Peace was secured by 1802, and other European pweros recognized the new French Regime. But Bonaparte couldn't rest unless he had ctnoorl of the whole continent, and all he knew was fighting. He tried to encfroe a European-wide blockade of Britain, idnaved any cutnroy that didn't comply, and launched more wars to hold onto his gains. And what was the result? Millions dead all over the continent, and the whole international order shattered." "You foorgt the other result: the spread of democratic and liberal ideals across Europe. It was thanks to Napoléon that the continent was reshaped from a chaotic patchwork of fragmented feudal and religious toeirtreris into efficient, modern, and sacleur nation states where the people held more power and rights than ever before." "Should we also thank him for the rise of nationalism and the msisvae increase in army sizes? You can see how well that turned out a century later." "So what would European history have been like if it weren't for Napoléon?" "Unimaginably better/worse." Napoléon seemingly unstoppable momentum would die in the Russian winter snows, along with most of his army. But even after being deposed and exiled, he refused to give up, escaping from his prison and lnnahicug a bold attempt at rieonsrtg his empire before being defeated for the second and fnail time. Bonaparte was a ruler full of contradictions, defending a popular revolution by imposing absolute dictatorship, and snriepadg liberal ideals through imperial wars, and though he never achieved his dream of conquering Europe, he undoubtedly left his mark on it, for better or for worse.

Open Cloze

After the French Revolution erupted in 1789, ______ was thrown into _____. Neighboring countries' monarchs feared they would share the fate of _____ XVI, and attacked the New Republic, while at home, extremism and mistrust between ________ lead to bloodshed. In the midst of all this ________, a powerful figure emerged to take charge of France. But did he save the revolution or destroy it? "Order, order, who's the _________ today? I don't see anyone." "Your _____, this is Napoléon Bonaparte, the tyrant who invaded nearly all of Europe to compensate for his ________ stature-based insecurities." "Actually, Napoléon was at least _______ height for his time. The idea that he was short comes only from British wartime propaganda. And he was no tyrant. He was ____________ the young Republic from being crushed by the ________ monarchies." "By overthrowing its government and seizing power himself?" "Your Honor, as a young and successful military officer, Napoléon fully supported the French __________, and its ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. But the _______________ were incapable of real leadership. Robespierre and the Jacobins who first came to _____ unleashed a reign of terror on the population, with their anti-Catholic extremism and nonstop __________ of everyone who disagreed with them. And The _________ that replaced them was an unstable and ___________ oligarchy. They needed a strong ______ who could govern wisely and justly." "So, ______ went through that whole revolution just to end up with another all-powerful ruler?" "Not quite. Napoléon's new powers were derived from the constitution that was approved by a popular vote in the Consulate." "Ha! The constitution was practically ________ at ________ in a military coup, and the public only accepted the tyrant because they were tired of ________ civil war." "Be that as it may, Napoléon __________ a new constitution and a legal code that kept some of the most important achievements of the revolution in tact: freedom of religion abolition of __________ privilege, and equality before the law for all men." "All men, indeed. He deprived _____ of the rights that the revolution had given them and even reinstated slavery in the French colonies. Haiti is still recovering from the consequences centuries later. What kind of equality is that?" "The only kind that could be stably maintained at the time, and still far ahead of France's neighbors." "Speaking of neighbors, what was with all the invasions?" "Great ________, Your Honor." "Which invasions are we talking about? It was the neighboring _______ who had invaded France trying to restore the monarchy, and prevent the spread of _______ across Europe, twice by the time Napoléon took ______. Having defended France as a soldier and a general in those wars, he knew that the best _______ is a good offense." "An offense against the entire continent? Peace was secured by 1802, and other European ______ recognized the new French Regime. But Bonaparte couldn't rest unless he had _______ of the whole continent, and all he knew was fighting. He tried to _______ a European-wide blockade of Britain, _______ any _______ that didn't comply, and launched more wars to hold onto his gains. And what was the result? Millions dead all over the continent, and the whole international order shattered." "You ______ the other result: the spread of democratic and liberal ideals across Europe. It was thanks to Napoléon that the continent was reshaped from a chaotic patchwork of fragmented feudal and religious ___________ into efficient, modern, and _______ nation states where the people held more power and rights than ever before." "Should we also thank him for the rise of nationalism and the _______ increase in army sizes? You can see how well that turned out a century later." "So what would European history have been like if it weren't for Napoléon?" "Unimaginably better/worse." Napoléon seemingly unstoppable momentum would die in the Russian winter snows, along with most of his army. But even after being deposed and exiled, he refused to give up, escaping from his prison and _________ a bold attempt at _________ his empire before being defeated for the second and _____ time. Bonaparte was a ruler full of contradictions, defending a popular revolution by imposing absolute dictatorship, and _________ liberal ideals through imperial wars, and though he never achieved his dream of conquering Europe, he undoubtedly left his mark on it, for better or for worse.

Solution

average
safeguarding
personal
dictated
secular
factions
european
leader
women
directory
final
introduced
power
france
restoring
invaded
empires
conflict
spreading
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control
chaos
defendant
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hereditary
liberty
charge
honor
revolution
massive
executions
revolutionaries
question
louis
constant
europe
enforce
powers
launching
gunpoint
incompetent
defense
country

Original Text

After the French Revolution erupted in 1789, Europe was thrown into chaos. Neighboring countries' monarchs feared they would share the fate of Louis XVI, and attacked the New Republic, while at home, extremism and mistrust between factions lead to bloodshed. In the midst of all this conflict, a powerful figure emerged to take charge of France. But did he save the revolution or destroy it? "Order, order, who's the defendant today? I don't see anyone." "Your Honor, this is Napoléon Bonaparte, the tyrant who invaded nearly all of Europe to compensate for his personal stature-based insecurities." "Actually, Napoléon was at least average height for his time. The idea that he was short comes only from British wartime propaganda. And he was no tyrant. He was safeguarding the young Republic from being crushed by the European monarchies." "By overthrowing its government and seizing power himself?" "Your Honor, as a young and successful military officer, Napoléon fully supported the French Revolution, and its ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. But the revolutionaries were incapable of real leadership. Robespierre and the Jacobins who first came to power unleashed a reign of terror on the population, with their anti-Catholic extremism and nonstop executions of everyone who disagreed with them. And The Directory that replaced them was an unstable and incompetent oligarchy. They needed a strong leader who could govern wisely and justly." "So, France went through that whole revolution just to end up with another all-powerful ruler?" "Not quite. Napoléon's new powers were derived from the constitution that was approved by a popular vote in the Consulate." "Ha! The constitution was practically dictated at gunpoint in a military coup, and the public only accepted the tyrant because they were tired of constant civil war." "Be that as it may, Napoléon introduced a new constitution and a legal code that kept some of the most important achievements of the revolution in tact: freedom of religion abolition of hereditary privilege, and equality before the law for all men." "All men, indeed. He deprived women of the rights that the revolution had given them and even reinstated slavery in the French colonies. Haiti is still recovering from the consequences centuries later. What kind of equality is that?" "The only kind that could be stably maintained at the time, and still far ahead of France's neighbors." "Speaking of neighbors, what was with all the invasions?" "Great question, Your Honor." "Which invasions are we talking about? It was the neighboring empires who had invaded France trying to restore the monarchy, and prevent the spread of liberty across Europe, twice by the time Napoléon took charge. Having defended France as a soldier and a general in those wars, he knew that the best defense is a good offense." "An offense against the entire continent? Peace was secured by 1802, and other European powers recognized the new French Regime. But Bonaparte couldn't rest unless he had control of the whole continent, and all he knew was fighting. He tried to enforce a European-wide blockade of Britain, invaded any country that didn't comply, and launched more wars to hold onto his gains. And what was the result? Millions dead all over the continent, and the whole international order shattered." "You forgot the other result: the spread of democratic and liberal ideals across Europe. It was thanks to Napoléon that the continent was reshaped from a chaotic patchwork of fragmented feudal and religious territories into efficient, modern, and secular nation states where the people held more power and rights than ever before." "Should we also thank him for the rise of nationalism and the massive increase in army sizes? You can see how well that turned out a century later." "So what would European history have been like if it weren't for Napoléon?" "Unimaginably better/worse." Napoléon seemingly unstoppable momentum would die in the Russian winter snows, along with most of his army. But even after being deposed and exiled, he refused to give up, escaping from his prison and launching a bold attempt at restoring his empire before being defeated for the second and final time. Bonaparte was a ruler full of contradictions, defending a popular revolution by imposing absolute dictatorship, and spreading liberal ideals through imperial wars, and though he never achieved his dream of conquering Europe, he undoubtedly left his mark on it, for better or for worse.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations

ngrams of length 2

collocation	frequency
liberal ideals	2

Important Words

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