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- Agricultural recession forces landowners to increase their sources of revenue: lower class works harder but is taxed more.
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France supports the Patriots in the American Revolution, leading to more national debt.
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Charles Alexandre de calonne, national director of finances, called an assembly of notables to help the upper class share in the national debt by paying tax. They refused in an effort to protect economic privileges.
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The harvest fails and the winter is fairly extreme, further angering and hunting the poor. Food becomes even more scarce and expensive.
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The third estate is kicked and meet on the tennis court. A few of the liberal nobles and many clergy join them and swear the tennis court oath : "We won't separate until constitutional regime was established." On June 27 the King agrees to their demands but also surrounds his palace with guards.
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The storming and fall of the Bastille.
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The period of the Grande Peur. Peasants start robbing and burning some of the chateaux of the rich and burn records of money owned.
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The Declaration of the rights of man was issued by the national assembly.
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France declared war on Austria. It is believed that Austria ( where the Queen is from) is intending to invade to help the King regain the monarchy.
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The first meeting of the national convention was held. A republic established.
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A national draft was issued calling for all able-bodied men to enlist in the army.
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Known as the Thermidorian reaction, anarchy and inflation almost overwhelmed the country.
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A new constitution was adopted and it took affect after a reactionary rising in Vendemiare was suppressed by general Napolian Bonaparte.
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The parliament is purged ruthlessly. Many debuted were labeled as royalists and sent to the penal colony of French guinea - called the dry Guillotine.
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The fall of the directory heralds the end of the French revolution.