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After bad harvests and costly wars, King Louis XVI is forced to convene the Estates General assembly (meeting of representatives of the Three Estates) in order to raise taxes.
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National Assembly government (June 13, 1789-July 9, 1789) - Revolutionary government led by the Third Estate
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The National Assembly resolves not to disband until it has written a constitution.
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The specific goal of storming the Bastille was to take its stash of gunpowder. The storming of the Bastille, however, has come to represent the revolt against the French monarchy. The storming of the Bastille is regarded as the beginning of the French Revolution.
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Great Fear - peasants attack noble manors.
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Nobles in National Assembly renounce feudal rights; Jacobin Club formed. Noblemen made grand speeches, declaring their love of liberty and equality. They joined with other members of the National assembly in changing the feudal privileges making everyone equal no matter which state you were in. The Old Regime no longer exists.
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Assembly issues Declaration of the Rights of Man.
The basic principle of the Declaration was that all “men are born and remain free and equal in rights”, which were specified as the rights of liberty, private property, the inviolability of the person, and resistance to oppression. -
King Louis brought from Versailles to Tuileries palace in Paris.
The march began among women in the marketplaces of Paris who, on the morning of 5 October 1789, were near rioting over the high price and scarcity of bread and they demanded the King be moved from Versailles to Paris. -
King flees to Austria, is caught at Varennes. The royal Flight to Varennes during the night of 20–21 June 1791 was a significant episode in the French Revolution in which King Louis XVI of France, his queen Marie Antoinette, and their immediate family attempted unsuccessfully to escape from Paris in order to initiate a counter-revolution
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Legislative Assembly government (October 1, 1791-September 20, 1792) - Constitutional Government by elected officials
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Paris mob storms royal palace; Legislative Assembly government collapse. Minister of Justice Danton purges (kills) thousands of presumed traitors (enemies of the state).
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National Convention government (September 20, 1792-October 26, 1795) - elected by universal male suffrage to rewrite constitution
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National Convention (new gov’t) abolishes monarchy and declares France a republic.
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Revolutionary calendar introduced with new day and month names.
Sept. 22, 1792 = Day 1 of new Revolutionary calendar -
National Convention condemns and executes the King.
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Counter-revolutionary revolt in the Vendee region begins.
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"Reign of Terror" by Committee of Public Safety (Robespierre) begins.
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Price controls put into place by the government, dechristianization (ex. saints names removed from street names), administrative reform (i.e. changes in how the government operates)
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In the month of “Thermidor", Robespierre is executed; Reign of Terror ends.
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Churches reopen
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New constitution is adopted, forming a new government called the Directory.
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The Directory government (November 1795-November 8, 1799) - New constitution has 2 houses: Council of Ancients and Council of 500
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Coup d'état (government takeover) removes royalists (those faithful to the monarchy) from Directory.
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Napoleon's coup d'état abolishes Directory and establishes Consulate government; end of French Revolution
