French Revolution/Age of Napoleon

  • May 5, 1789 meeting with the Estates-General

    May 5, 1789 meeting with the Estates-General

    Representatives of French estates gathered to propose a solution to King Louis XVI's government's financial problems. The third estate created the National Assembly and invited the other estates to join. The Estates-General was discarded and the National Assembly took place instead.
  • Tennis Court Oath

    Tennis Court Oath

    The people of France went to go to the meeting place for the National Assembly, but the doors were locked. tennis court oath was an oath made by the Third Estate to the Estates-general, which told that they would not cease the Estates-general until a constitution was made.
  • Storming of the Bastilles

    Storming of the Bastilles

    The inequality between estates was found unfair by the third estate, so they decided to attack the higher estates. There was ammunition and weaponry within the bastille, so the third estate stormed it and took any weapons found.
  • Declaration of the Rights of Man

    Declaration of the Rights of Man

    The Declaration served as a preamble to the French Constitution, which created a constitutional monarchy. The declaration helped create equality across the French citizens through the rights of resistance to oppression, inviolability of person, liberty, and private property.
  • Women's March on Versailles

    Women's March on Versailles

    Scarcity and price inflation of bread lead to concern from women from Paris marketplaces, leading to the women's march on Versailles. Mary Antoinette and King Louis XVI moved to Austria to evade the many problems of France.
  • Execution of King Louis XVI

    Execution of King Louis XVI

    King Louis XVI was seen as a tyrant by the majority of the third estate, but decisions that would help the third estate would most likely upset members of the second and third estate, who could probably strip him of his power, so King Louis was kinda checkmated. The third estate eventually dragged him from his home and executed him in the street by means of the chiropractic equipment known as a guillotine.
  • The Reign of Terror

    The Reign of Terror

    The reign of terror was a period of violence between two political groups, the girondins and jacobins. The jacobins were lead by Robespierre, who was put into a position of power. Very many people died.
  • End of Robespierre's Reign of Terror

    End of Robespierre's Reign of Terror

    The many enemies of Robespierre and his followers eventually overthrew him. He was taken out of power.
  • Robespierre's Execution

    Robespierre's Execution

    Robespierre was caught in Paris by some who wished him dead. They dragged him to the Place de la Révolution, where he was executed by means of guillotine.
  • Establishment of Napoleonic Code

    Establishment of Napoleonic Code

    The Napoleonic code preserved the rights of citizens and principles that the people of France fought for, such as choice of profession, religious toleration, and equality.
  • Napoleon Crowns Himself Emperor

    Napoleon Crowns Himself Emperor

    The official ceremony took place on December 2, 1804. Napoleon had declared himself emperor. The ceremony took place at the Notre-Dame cathedral.
  • The Peninsular War.

    The Peninsular War.

    The Peninsular war was the battle fought between France and Spain, the UK, and Portugal. These countries got a bit tired of Napoleon's crap with all the invading and decided to put an end to it.
  • Napoleon and his Men March on Russia

    Napoleon and his Men March on Russia

    Napoleon gathered an army of 500,000 troops to invade Russia. They crossed the Neman River and were horribly prepared. Russian armies refused to engage in combat and just retreated instead, but the French didn't have good supplies. During the six-month invasion, Napoleon lost about 100,000 more men than Russia and the French, believe it or not, retreated and went home.
  • Napoleon gets Exiled

    Napoleon gets Exiled

    Napoleon, after screwing up the march on Russia, was forced to be exiled to the island of Elba by Russia, Prussia, Austria, and England.
  • End of the Peninsular War

    End of the Peninsular War

    Oh, look at that! France retreated as usual! The Peninsular war officially ended. It was a big win for the other European countries in the battle.
  • Death of Napoleon

    Death of Napoleon

    Napoleon died in May of 1812. Many believe it was from stomach cancer, but there are other theories that he may have died from arsenic poisoning or even been killed by toxic fumes from a prison wallpaper. Being killed by wallpaper is a really anticlimactic end for such a widely renowned figure.