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Meeting of the Estates General
There was a large economical chaos in the 1780's. There were a lot of heavy expenses due to so much war and France was almost bankrupt. King Louis XVI was a terrible leader, and his idea to gain money, was by raising taxes but the idea was declined by the noblemen. King Louis called a meeting to the Estates General for the first time in a long time. -
National Assembly Was Formed
People that were part of the third estate, wanted equality from the other estates, they wanted to change they system and create a constitution that that made everyone equal. They made themselves the National Assembly and wanted to be the only group to represent the nation but it wasn't formed an estate it was formed by "the people". -
Tennis Court Oath
This event was the first time that the Third Estate stood against King Louis. They citizens went to the meeting hall but the door was locked. They found an indoor tennis court where they created and oath (Tennis Court Oath) that made them stay there until they got a constitution that mede them equal to the other estates. -
The Storming of the Bastille
600 angry citizens attacked successfully the Bastille and took control. This caused even more chaos and also inspired other French people to revolt against the king and join arms to fight him and the nobility. -
Abolition of Feudalism
During a meeting of the assembly, a group of deputies prepared a smart move against the king. The group of noblemen rose and surrendered to their manors, properties, feudal and seigneurial privileges, and hunting rights. This created legal equality instead of legal privilege. -
Women March to Versailles
This event was also known as The Bread March of Women. Even though the people had already taken the Bastille and created the Tennis Court Oath, the women believed there was very few bread and that the prices had gone too high since they had doubled in a very short time, and rumors said that the nobles were holding it all back from them. A huge group of 7000 armed women marched on the Versailles and created and outbreak of the Paris mobs. -
King Louis XVI Accepted the Constitution
For two entire years the National Assembly had discussed a new constitution for France and by 1791, the people had made very big changes in Frances government. In September 1791 the National Assembly finished the new constitution that King Louis had approved although it took a lot of its authority and created a Legislative Assembly to create laws and approve or reject war. -
King Louis XVI gets Guillotined
The country put King Louis on trial for betrayal and was later pronounced guilty on a very close vote. In January 21st of 1793, he rose to the machine, and was guillotined. -
The Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror began in September 5 1793. It was an era were the guillotine was used as a form of terror. Robespierre had enemies in the morning and guillotined at night. It was a time of a lot of death sentences at the guillotine. -
Robespierre Was Guillotined and Reign of Terror Ended
Some members of the National Convention turned against Robespierre. They wanted him arrested and executed. The reign of terror ended July 28 1794 the day Robespierre was killed in the guillotine.
