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The Tennis Court Oath
The third Estate, which included the common people, was tired of being out-voted by the First and Second Estates. They vowed that they would meet every day at the Tennis Court until a new Constitution was written. This made progress towards securing better rights for the people. -
Storming of The Bastille
About 900 citizens of paris stormed the guards at the Bastille, an old fortress used as a prison and armory. This made progress toward overthrowing the Monarch because Paris was no longer under the control of Louis XVI. -
Declaration of The Rights of Man
This declaration proclaimed that all men are free and equal before the law. This gave men basic rights that could not be taken away. This showed progress towards securing the rights of the people. -
Civil Constitution of The Clergy
This limited the power of the Clergy and the Church. This made progress towards the people having the power and not a Monarch or Pope. -
The New Constitution
The new Constitution of 1791 created a limited monarchy. There was still a king, but the people would make the laws. This was progress because there was no more absolute Monarch. -
War With Austria
European leaders feared that revolution would spread to their countries and they did not want this.They threatened to use force to stop the revolution and restore King Louis to full power. This was a roadblock because it threatened to stop the revolutionary effort. -
The National Convention
In September 1792, the National Convention started meeting. The Convention had been called to write a new constitution, but it was also the government of France.This was even more progress because it limited the Monarchs power evan more until Louis was executed. -
Goodbye King Louis XVI
King Louis was sent to the guillotine. This was progress because there was no Monarch anymore. -
Reign Of Terror
Austria, Prussia, Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Dutch Republic threatened to demolish France so Jacobin Maximilien Robespierre decided to prosecute counterrevolutionaries and traitors. This ended when he was fed to his own guillotine in July of 1794. This was a roadblock because it did not enforce peoples rights, but it demolished the person instead. -
The Directory
After Robespierre was executed, a new constitution was created, again. The Constitution of 1795 set up two legislative houses. The Council of 500, wrote laws. An upper house of 250, the Council of Elders, accepted or rejected proposed laws. The executive was a committee of five called the Directory, chosen by the Council of Elders. They eventually became corrupt. This was progress because they gave more rights and had a stronger government. This was also a roadblock because it became corrupted.
