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Estates General Meeting
The second estate urged Louis XVI to call a meeting of the Estates General to approve solutions for the country's debt. This was the first Estates general meeting in 175 years. -
National Assembly formed
The National Assembly was the name given to the third estates delegates at the Estates General meeting. The National Assembly was to pass laws and reform the name of the French people -
Tennis Court Oath
The third estates delegates found themselves in an indoor tennis court after they were locked out of their meeting room. They then pledged in that court to not stop until a new constitution was written. -
The Great Fear
After rumors circled France that the nobles were going to attack peasants, the country was engulfed in panic. Peasants grabbed their pitchforks and broke into Nobles' houses. -
Storming the Bastille
The fall of the Bastille was the beginning of the French Revolution ; the Bastille was in the center of Paris and was a representation of royal authority which, the Revolutionaries were fighting against. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens
The Declaration of the Rights of Man was influenced by the Declaration of Independence. Equal justice, freedom of speech,and freedom of religion were also assured in the document. -
Women's march on Versailles
The price of bread was too high to feed the families so women stormed Versailles. They demanded Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette return to Paris. -
Abolition of the nobility and title
The law officially abolished nobility and all of its privileges. This was a big step towards the equality the National Assembly worked for. -
Royal family attempts to flee France
Since the Royal family knew they were in danger they decided to attempt to escape to Austria where Marie's brother was waiting. However, the family never made it into Austria due to being spotted and sent back to Paris. -
Legislative Assmebly
This body of government had the authority to create laws and decided whether or not to approve declarations of war. This legislative body was a part of the new constitution created by the National Assembly. -
France declares war on Austria
Frightened that Austria might try and restore Louis XVI's throne, France declared war in Austria. Just when it looked like France had been beaten the tide of the war changed when they won at Valmy, and then later France one the war. -
September Massacres
Due to rumors about how supporters of the kind were going to breakout of jail and takeover Paris, citizens raided prisons. Over 1,000 prisoners were murdered during the massacres that occurred for several days. -
Louis XVI is killed
Louis was tried for treason and was found guilty by the National Convention. He was later sentenced to death by a very close vote from the Convention. -
Robespierre takes power
He erased every trace from France's past to create a "republic virtue". He soon became a dictator and his rule is known as the "Reign of Terror". -
Marie Antoinette executed
Marie Antoinette was accused of many things she did not do but was found guilty for them all. She was sentenced to death by the guillotine and the citizens of France celebrated after she was beheaded. -
France abolishes slavery
The National a Convention abolished slavery in all of France's colonies due to how slavery and the revolution interacted. Since France truly wanted equality for everyone they could not discrimate towards slaves, no matter how much money the country made from the islands. -
Robespierre executed
The National Convention demanded his arrest and execution out of fear for their safety. When Robespierre was sent to the guillotine the Reign of Terror was finally over for France. -
New constitution
The National Convnetion established and bicameral legislature and a Directory in the new constitution. The new constitution held similar aspects to France's earlier constitutions -
Napoleon returns to France
Napoleon returns from war in Egypt. He quickly seizes power of France. -
Napoleon overthrows Directory
Napoleon seizes political power when the Directory lost all control of it. He got France back up and running with better control of the economy due to his new banking method.