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Estates General convened by King
This is the first time the estates general has been summoned since 1614. They were summoned to propose solutions to King Louis XVI's financial problems. -
Tennis Court Oath
The National Assembly (composed of the 3rd estate) found themselves locked out of their regular meeting place and decided to meet at an indoor tennis court where they vowed to meet until their new constitution was created. -
Storming of the Bastille
A huge mob searching for gunpowder and prisoners taken by King Louis XVI marched to the Bastille. The Bastille was a symbol of the King's absolute and unlimited power so the mob decided to attack it. They also killed many people as they paraded the streets. -
National Assembly Decrees Abolition of Feudalism
The National assembly abolishes feudalism which took away the seignuerial rights of the second estate and the taxes gathered by the first estates. A document was produced with 19 articles that stated reasons for the abolition of feudalism and laws that would replace them. -
National Assembly decrees Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
The National Assembly creates the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen which is a document similar to the declaration of independence with many ideas promoting equality among all citizens within France regardless of class. This document guaranteed that "men are born and remain free and equal in rights" and that "property being an inviolable and sacred right, no one may be deprived of it except for an obvious requirement of public necessity, certified by law.." -
Women's March for Bread to Versailles
Women in the marketplaces of Paris grew angry due to the high prices for bread which they depended on to feed their families. This high priced bread caused woman to form a mob to march to the Palace of Versailles where King Louis XVI resided because Versailles was a symbol of the excessive luxuries available only to the king and his family. -
Abolition of nobility and titles
In order to attain equality within society, the revolutionaries abolished the nobility and titles causing the second estate to lose a lot of their power and status. -
Black citizens of French colonies granted equal rights
The society of the Friends of the Blacks (French: Societe des amis des Noirs or Amis des Noirs) was a group of French men and women, mostly white, who were abolitionists. In February 1794, the National Assembly legislated the Universal Emancipation decree, which effectively freed all colonial slaves. -
Beginning of legislative Assembly
The legislative Assembly consisted of two groups; the Feuillants who were favored of a constitutional monarchy meaning they wanted to limit the powers of the king, while the Jacobins focused their goals were on completely eliminating the king and his monarchy, and create a government where people rule themselves. -
Execution of King Louis XVI
King Louis XVI was driven through the public street and beheaded with the guillotine at the Place de la Révolution. The vote was unanimous and he was voted guilty with a total of 693 votes against him. -
Jacobin masses storm the Tuileries Palace
About 30,000 French citizens stormed the Tuileries Palace in search of the king but to their dismay he fled with his family and went into hiding. The mob killed everyone in the palance and ended up going to the National Assembly building where the king was located. The king and his family were imprisoned. -
Committee of Public Safety established
The Committee of Public Safety was a revolutionary government that would supervise and accelerate ministerial power. The CPS consisted of 25 members and ultimately ended up being a dictatorship after being taken over by the radical Jacobins and Maximillien Robespierre. -
Beginning of fthe Reign of Terror
A period of terror that began when the French revolution entered the phase of political conflict namely between the political factions of the Girondins and Jacoobins. The guillotine became the method of settling disputes. The Law of Suspects allowed the creation of tribunals to try and execute anyone who disagreed with the French Republic. -
End of the Reign of Terror
Robespierre is arrested and executed ending the phase known as The Terror. The radical Jacobins, the supporters of Robespierre felt that the Terror must be stopped. Danton rose in the Convention calling for an end to the Terror. The National Convention ultimately turned on Robespierre and sentenced him to the guillotine. -
Creation of the Directorate
The ideas of the French Directorate became more popular than the 1793 constitution during the start of the drafting of a new constitution. The Directory became the new government of France between 1795 and 1799.There were five members, and each was elected by the Council of Ancients. -
Napoleon Bonaparte named "First Consul," now the effective dictator
Napoleon could now rule France as a dictator. He sought peace and proved to be a superb civil administrator and his greatest achievement was revision of the French Constition in 1802. -
Napoleon consecrated as Emperor
Napoleon was crowned as Emperor of France in Notre-Dame de Paris. It made Napoleon the most powerful man in France. He removed most local authority to a federal level. Napoleons central government did have some positive effects. It helped complete the national unity of France, which would last over a century, through WWII.
