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Period: to
Divided French Society/ Financial Troubles
France was divided into the three estates. The first estate was spoiled of wealth and privilege and only provided some services like churches and hospitals. The second estate consisted of all the nobles, and military. Louis took the nobles' military power but gave them top jobs in government like the army, courts, and churches. The third estate was the vast and consisted of everyone else that wasnt important. The bulk of this estate were only peasants. This estate lacked of any power. -
Louis XVI Calls the Estates - General
Louis had estates prepare lists for their complaints. Estates complained of the high taxes, and wanted freedom. The third estate wanted to meet to but only some were allowed to be included. In June the third estate declared themselves to be the National Assembly and claimed to represent the people of France. They feared the king would dismiss them so they moved to an indoor tennis court, and this is where they took their famous Tennis Court Oath. They swore to establish a just constitution. -
Storming the Bastille
More than 800 Parisians assembled outside the Bastille. They beleived there were weapons and gunpowder stored in the prison, so they attacked and pretty soon they broke through their defenses and killed the comander and released the prisoners, but found no weapons inside. The Bastille was a symbol to the people of France representing the years of abuse from the monarchy. -
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Revolt/ National Assembly Act
The Assembly begins a constitution by issueing the Declaration of the Rights of Man. This document announced that all were born and remain free and all men have equal rights. The church is also placed under state control while the absolute monarchy is replaced with a limited monarchy system which was ran by a Legislative Assembly to make laws, collect taxes, and rid of any issues to arise. -
Threats from abroad
The king of Prussia and the emperor of Austria issued the Declaration of Pilnitz. In the declaration the two monarchs threatened to fight back to protect the French monarchy. Revolutionaries in France took the threat seriously and began to prepare for war. -
Civil War
European rulers feared the french revolution and increase all border patrols around france. French Radicals were fighting for power and in April the Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria first and then Prussia, Britain, and other states. -
Monarchy is abolished
A crowd of Parisians stormed the royal palace and slaughtered the king's guards. The royal family fled to the Legislative Assembly. Then in September the Convention, a more radical body, met and voted to abolish the monarchy and establish the French Republic. Louis XVI was put on trial as a traitor to France. The king was convicted and sentenced to death in a single vote. January 1793, the king was executed. -
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Robespierre and the Reign of Terror