Before the start of the French Colonial Empire, France was recognized as

one of the major powers in Europe with a successful economy and strong
military. It was a feudal monarchy, with the king or queen being at the top of
the hierarchy, followed by the nobility, clergy, and the commoners.

France was already a strong power, but the control that they had wasn’t
enough for them. In the year 1535, they decided to venture out on ships,
along with other European explorers, to find new land and conquer. Thus,
they conquered many overseas territories, and in the early 15th century, the
French Colonial Empire had began.

When the French Colonial Empire began in 1534, it started

out as an absolute monarchy. For the next few hundred years,
the absolute monarchy would be sustained, and the first
constitution was established near the end of the monarchy.
During this period, the government was focused on making
changes for its own purposes, not the civilian population. The
rights that the civilians had under the monarchy were
unequal, and human rights were abused in the form of
slavery, forced labor, etc. However, the French Revolution
would change this (Courses, 2020).

The first constitution was written in the year 1791, thus

dethroning king Louis XVI, ending the monarchy, and
establishing a republic. In 1795, Napoleon led the army, and
he would gradually gain power until he appointed himself as
the ‘First Consul’ in the year 1799, and ended the republic.
When Napoleon became emperor in the year 1804, he returned
the government back to the style of an absolute monarchy, and
the government became an autocracy. After the end of the
Napoleonic era, France returned back to a republic. However,
the French Colonial Empire would then come its end in the
Second World War (Getty, 2004).

In the era which France was an absolute monarchy, it was predominantly

Catholic. The Catholic Church during this time had significant power and
influence over the French Empire. There would however be some tension
between the Catholic majority and Protestant minority groups, which led
to several conflict and eventually ended with the revocation of the Edict of
Nantes in 1685. A hundred years later, the French Revolution would shift
the focus away from religion and secularize the French people. This had
many impacts of society, one of them being the separation of the Church
and the state. The new policies that were put in place had effectively
ended Catholicism as the state religion. Additionally, the secularization of
France promoted republican ideas and individual liberty. During the
Napoleonic era, Catholicism was reintegrated into France and was
recognized as the main religion by the concordat of 1801 (Piedra, 2018).

The French Colonial Empire was one of the largest empires and most
significant in history. It extended across parts of Africa, Asia, and the
Americas. Within this great empire, there were multiple industrial
hubs, trading hubs, and military hubs that were crucial. Some of the
major industrial hubs in the French Empire include Dakar (present-
day Senegal) and Hanoi. Dakar served as a center for agriculture, and
Hanoi provided textile mills, alcohol distilleries, and metallurgical
industries. When it comes to trading hubs, there are a few notable
areas which come to mind. One of these hubs include the city of
Marseille, which served as a port city on the Mediterranean. It was
the most important trading centre in that region and the main
commercial port of France. Another important trading hub in the
French Empire was Saint-Denis, which served as a center for the
plantation economy. Lastly, the military hubs within the empire were
located strategic purpose, wherein they would be able to control and
protect French territory. An example of these military hubs was the
capital of French Algeria, known as Algiers. The well fortified
military infrastructure had a very important role in protecting
French territory (Ehrlich et al., 2023).

The French Colonial Empire’s art and culture was very colorful and alive, and
explored many new realms of creativity. There were many writers during the time of
the empire. Here are some of these famous writers and their works: Jean Racine
(“Andromaque”), Voltaire (“Micromégas”), Denis Diderot (“Encyclopédie”), Marquis
de Sade (“Juliette”), etc (Cooke, 1971).

The architecture during the time of the French Empire was a blend of
French and indigenous styles. Famous examples of this architecture include the
Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles, the Pantheon, and
the Statue of Liberty (Fiona, n.d.).

Seeing as the French Empire was so vast, the French had taken many
artifacts from the different territories that they controlled. Perhaps one of the
most notable artifacts that they had taken according to “The New York Times”
(2021) was the Rosetta Stone, which was discovered by French soldiers during
Napoleon Bonaparte’s Egyptian campaign. Other artifacts include the Koh-i-
Noor Diamond, the Benin Bronzes, the Elgin Marbles, and many other
artifacts. These artifacts can be observed by today in museums such as Musée de
l'Homme, Musée des Colonies, Musée d'Afrique et d'Océanie, Musée Indochine,
Musée de L'armée, and many others (National Gallery of Victoria, n.d.).

The French Empire was definitely not in shortage of inventions,

and had made many important technological advancements. We could
not imagine life without some of these inventions. Some of the French
inventions that lists are the pressure cooker, the parachute, the
stethoscope, the gyroscope, bleach, matches, the lightning rod,
medical bandages, and many more (Mataillet, 2022).

Science was used in the French Empire to improve itself in all facets,
including its military, society, and territory. Military science was used
it massively improve the army, and both scientists and engineers
developed weapons, fortifications, and technology that would help
the military adapt. The invention of medical bandages also played a
crucial role in not just keeping soldiers alive, but also saving many
civilians’ lives. The French had also made agricultural developments,
which improved crops and helped kill dangerous bacteria on crops
and combat diseases. This would not only enhance the economy, but
also the overall health of the French people. As for territorial gains,
the increase in knowledge of geography played a crucial role in the
conquering of many territories (Nietsreuef, 2022).
The French Empire's extensive colonial territories, including Algeria,
Tunisia, Dominica, Guadeloupe, and others, possessed a wide range of
natural resources that significantly contributed to the French economy.
In Algeria and Tunisia, fertile lands and favorable climates facilitated
the cultivation of crops such as wheat, barley, grapes, citrus fruits, and
olives. These agricultural products were exported on ships to France and
other European markets, bolstering economic growth (Nietsreuef, 2022).

During the period from the 1600s to the 1900s, the French Empire had
various trade partners that contributed to its economic growth. The
colonial territories, such as Algeria, Tunisia, Dominica, Guadeloupe,
Madagascar, Indochina, and West Africa, played a significant role in
this regard. These colonies provided valuable resources, including
agricultural products, minerals, and timber, which were exported to
France and other European markets. France also engaged in trade with
other European powers, such as Britain, Spain, and the Netherlands, as
well as with countries in the Americas and Asia. These trade partnerships
helped diversify the French Empire's sources of income and fostered
economic interdependence (Tunisia | History, Map, Flag, Population, &
Facts, 2023).

The social hierarchy of the French Empire changed as it went

from being an absolute monarchy, then a republic, then an
autocracy, and finally returned to a republic. Ancien Regime,
also known as old order, was the way that the French society
was organized before the French Revolution. In this
hierarchy, the top of the pyramid was the king, which had
complete divine control as an absolute monarch. Below the
king was the Catholic clergy, which was very important in
French society. Then there was the nobility, which were
aristocrats who also had some influence alongside the king.
The bottom of the hierarchy included everyone else, which
ranged from wealthy businessmen to peasants (Campbell,
2023).
When the French Empire became a republic in the French
Revolution, the old order was challenged, which led to
significant changes in the social structure of France. The
revolution aimed to eradicate some the privileges that were
enjoyed by the clergy and the nobility, and to distribute
rights across all citizens equally. However, this organization
of France’s society would come to an end in the Napoleonic
era, where elements of the old order had returned. After
Napoleon Bonaparte was dethroned, the French Empire
became a republic once again until it had ended in the Second
World War (Natalie, 2017).