Final answer:
The French Revolution profoundly impacted global societies by ending traditional European monarchies, inspiring independence movements, and shaping modern national identities, while also revealing contradictions in its own policies on slavery and colonial exploitation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lasting impact of the French Revolution was profound and far-reaching. It not only reshaped the political landscape of Europe, ending traditional monarchies and heralding the rise of a society where status was not predefined by birth, but its influence spread across the globe catalyzing movements for independence and democratic reforms in various regions including Haiti, Latin America, and beyond. The principles of the Enlightenment that had fueled both the American and French revolutions inspired populations to challenge colonial rule and the established social orders.
In Europe, Napoleon's campaigns dissolved feudal structures and triggered modern nation-state formations, creating new allegiances to the idea of a nation rather than a ruling dynasty. Despite its transformative nature, however, the French Revolution had its contradictions, notably in maintaining slavery and colonial exploitation in its overseas territories, such as Saint-Domingue, which would later experience its own radical and unique revolution, leading to the birth of Haiti.
Overall, the French Revolution and its aftermath set the stage for modern political thought and social structures, ultimately impacting how societies across the world conceive national identity, citizenship, and human rights.