-
Period: to
French Revolution
-
Louis calls the Estates-General
King Louis called the Estates-General to adress the topic of taxing the first and second estate in order to fund the national debt of France. This was not likely to hapen, as the wealthy first and second estated were always able to outvote the poorer third estate. Eventually, the third estate would form the National Assembly, where the representatives of the third estate made reforms themselves. -
Storming of the Bastille
The storming of the Bastille was an attack on a prison of Paris that was carries out by the parisian peasants that were furious that Necker had been removed from his position. The goals of this attack were to gain gunpowder and weapons and to free prisoners. the mob attacked several guards and dismembered one, Staking his head on a post. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was written by The Marquis de Lafayette. It was based off enlightenment ideas and the United States Declaration of Independence. The National Assembly of France approved it. This document lead to the Revolution in France, which soon followed. -
Womens March on Versailles
At this time in France, prices of bread were rising rapidly. Peasants were unable to feed their families. On october 5th, a mob of angry peasant women marched to versailles to protest and to attack the royal family for their outrageous spending and lack of support for the people of the third estate. Louis gave into the demands of the crowd and he later was moved to Paris. -
September Massacres
The September Massacres were a wave of killings in Paris and other cities in late summer 1792, during the French Revolution. There was a fear that foreign armies would attack Paris and that the inmates of the city's prisons would revolt and massacre the people. -
Trial and Execution of Louis XVI
On December 11th, Louis was brought to court and accused of 33 charges. He was sentenced to death and on January the 21st, he was beheaded. -
The Terror
Reign of Terror lasted from September 1793 to the death of Robespierre in 1794. Its purpose was to remove enemies of the Revolution and protect the country from foreign invaders. In the course of nine months 16,000 people were guillotined. -
Execution of Robespierre
On July 27, 1794, Robespierre and his allies were placed under arrest by the National Assembly. He was taken to the Luxembourg prison in Paris but escaped to a hotel. Troops of the assembly soon arises him. The next evening, Robespierre and 21 others were guillotined without a trial. This marked the end of the terror.
