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Background
The upper class controlled 30% of the land and claimed most of the other 70%. Wealthy people owned about 33% of the nation's land. The Church owned 10% of the nation's land, and they were exempted from taxes. In 1774, the bourgeoisie grew three-fold from the population in 1715. Peasants made up 80% of the society. The expenses of the War of Austrian Succession started the French Revolution. -
Louis XVI becomes King of France
22-year-old Louis XVI becomes King of France. He brings back members of the Parlement of Paris that were exiled by his father's government. Though in lots of debt, he supported the American Revolution. His solution for the high debt in France: new taxes and fiscal reforms. He created the Assembly of Notables, but they questioned his plans. -
Start of Economic Depression
A succession of bad harvests in early 1785 caused increased the price of bread, which sent France into economic depression. -
Attack on the Bastille
A crowd searching for military supplies attacked the Bastille, a fortress that was also used as a prison. Ninety-eight people were killed before the troops surrendered. The attackers killed the commander and beheaded him, then paraded with his head throughout the city. This fueled many other peasant-backed uprisings against upper classes. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
Popular peasant uprisings caused the French government to publish the "Declaration of the Rights of Man." This document was very similar to the Declaration of Independence because Thomas Jefferson had close ties to the French government. -
Women's March to Versailles
French market women marched twelve miles to Versailles, and they forced their way into the National Assembly to tell representatives that, "the point is, we want bread." After killing the king's guards, they demanded the royalty to return to Paris and stole their flour. The French government passed laws that limited monarch and noble power. -
Louis XVI is Killed
King Louis XVI of France is convicted of treason, and is sentenced to death. This would proclaim France a republic.
Fun fact: Louis XVI was killed by a guillotine. -
The National Convention
The National Convention stepped in and became the new legislature of the new republic of France. Nearly all representatives were Jacobins, who were very uncompromising. At the highest level of the assembly was a group of radicals known as "the Mountain." -
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The Terror & Rise of Robespierre
The French Revolution's most radical phase is known as "The Reign of Terror. Led by Maximillien Robespierre and his allies, this period of repression in France caused 40,000 deaths and 300,000 imprisonments. -
Death of Robespierre
The National Convention finally felt safe enough to arrest Robespierre without negative impacts. Within two days, Robespierre and his hundreds of allies were executed by guillotine. -
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Napoleonic Rule
After a failure to install a republic in France, Napoleon Bonaparte seized rule of the country through "moving up the ranks" in the army. His rule marked the start of authoritarianism. -
Concordat of 1801
The Concordat of 1801 was an agreement that gave French Catholics the right to practice their religion. -
Napoleon Gains Support
Written by Napoleon, the Civil Code of 1804 secured equality of law and protection of property, in which he gained support of the peasants and the middle class. However, women were denied basic political rights. Though helpful politically, the system denied/restricted many individual rights. -
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Napoleon's Fall
After trying to invade Moscow five weeks earlier, Napoleon is forced to retreat. The cold winter and attacks by Russian forces caused his army to become destroyed. After this event, Austria and Prussia (allies of France) deserted Napoleon and allied with England and Russia. Unable to defend Paris, he was exiled to an island off of Italy. He returned to Paris, but he was defeated and exiled again.