French Revolution

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    The French Revolution

  • Louis the XVI calls a meeting of the Estates General

    The Second Estate forced the king to call a meeting of the Estates General, which is an assembly of representatives from all three states, to approve his new tax.
  • Creation of the National Assembly

    In a speech, Sieyes' suggested that the Third Estate delegates name themsleves the National Assembly and to pass laws and reforms in the name of the French people.
  • The Tennis Court Oath

    The Tennis Court Oath
    The third estate delegates found themslevs locked out of their meeting area so they broke down the door into a tennis court and pledged to stay until they had made a new constitution. Soon after this nobles and some clergy favored to join the Third Estate delegates.
  • The storming of Bastille

    The storming of Bastille
    The peasants of Paris were afraid Louis was going to use the military to end the Revolution before it started, so they gathered weapons and stormed the Bastille stronghold. They murdered several people in Paris starting the Revolution.
  • National Assembly established

    National Assembly established
    laws and reforms were passed in the name of the French people
  • The creation of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

    The National Assembly adopted this revolutionary idea reflecting the influence of the Declaration of Independence. This document guaranteed citizens equal justice, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion.
  • The Great Fear

    There were many rumors going around that the nobles were hiring outlaws to terrorize the peasants and then they soon became outlaws themsleves. They were armed with pitchforks and other farm tools and started attacking. Then their were many fights and riots about the rising prices of bread.
  • The Great Fear

    The Great Fear
    Thousands of different woman from Paris rioted rsing the prices for bread and brandishing the use of other weapons and demanding the National Assembly take action to provide bread.
  • Thermidorian Reaction

    They turned to Robespierre for help and ordered an execution. The Reign of Terror ended when Robespierre went to the guillotine.
  • Execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

    They were both sentenced to death because they put Paris at war and kept France in debt because the queen didn't do much and Louis used all his money spending.
  • Creation of the Directory

    Many educated leaders in the National Convention made a new plan of the government. The plan placed power firmly in hands of the upper class and called for two house legislature and an executive body of five men which was the Directory.