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On March 27, 1802, the Treaty of Amiens, named for a town in northern France, brought hostilities between Britain and France to an halt, but as it turned out, the halt would only be only too brief.

A Moment in Time is a brief, exciting and compelling journey into the past. Created to excite and enlighten the public about the past, its relevance to the present and its impact on the future, A Moment In Time is a captivating historical narrative that is currently broadcast worldwide.

Transcript

Lead: On March 27, 1802, the Treaty of Amiens, named for a town in northern France, brought hostilities between Britain and France to an halt, but as it turned out, the halt would only be only too brief.

Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts.

Content: The French Revolution kicked off a series of military conflicts between France and most other European states that lasted over 23 years from 1792 to 1815. During the first part, the French Revolutionary Wars, 1792-1799, the rest of Europe tried to stamp out what they considered to be the poison of the Revolution. 1799-1815 marked the Napoleonic Wars.

France was the largest nation in Europe, exceeding in population all others, and in physical size was second only to Russia; therefore, any war in which France was involved would be sure to attract a coalition of enemies. As the French defended the ideals and accomplishments of the 1789 Revolution, it found itself at war with everybody else. All governments in Europe were dominated by aristocrats and most were ruled by absolute monarchs who were petrified that the Revolution would spread.

With the coming of Napoleon Bonaparte, the character of these wars changed from defending the Revolution and French territory into a war of French conquest. Napoleon was determined not only to absorb territory, but was also inspired to establish French law, customs and the French language in those lands he conquered.

For a brief time in 1802, however, all parties agreed to take a breather in reality to build up their resources so as renew the fighting. France and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Amiens in which Great Britain recognized the French Republic and both sides promised to usher in, rather hypocritically, a period of “peace, friendship and good understanding.”

The respite did not last very long (only one year) but during that time, curious and fascinated British tourists, mostly upper class in that era, began a habit that lasts to this day. They converged on Paris. This time they came for the French Exposition of 1802 and Napoleon was delighted. He was eager to show off French industry and ingenuity. Soon the fighting returned and did not end until he was defeated absolutely in 1815.

Research by Ann Johnson. At the University of Richmond, this is Dan Roberts.

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