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First and Second Estates join the Third Estate in the newly formed National Assembly
In early 1789, Emmanuel Sieyes publishes his famous pamphlet titled "What is the Third Estate?" This pamphlet emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation between the social classes of France. In June of that same year, Sieyes invites members from the First and Second Estates to join the Third Estate to form the National Assembly. Three days after the assembly is formed, the delegates take the famous "Tennis Court Oath". -
Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath was a pact that all members of the newly formed National Assembly took. They all promised to remain united until a Constitution was passed. The reason the oath was taken in a tennis court was because some members of the First and Second Estate locked the Third Estate out of their typical meeting place. After the Oath was taken, the King delivered a speech in attempts to break up the Assembly, but it failed and the Oath stood firm. -
Storming of the Bastille
The Storming of the Bastille was originally caused by King Louis XVI firing his finance minister, Jacques Necker. This event caused a major insurrection in Paris, as the people feared a coup by the Royal family would occur. Revolutionaries besieged the Bastille. a major prison, and armory in Paris. Many important French officials were murdered in the riot. The result was that Louis XVI withdrew his troops from Paris, and reappoints Necker. -
The National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was the constitution that the National Assembly created for France. The document was inspired by American and British articles such as the Magna Carta, and the Bill of RIghts. There was a lot of debate within the assembly between radicals, moderates and conservatives. The Constitution led to a constitutional monarchy being created in France. -
Women's march on Versailles
In October 1789, thousands of Parisian women, and others, began a 12-mile march to Versailles, the home of the Royal Family, and the National Assembly. The march was primarily motivated by the widespread hunger in Paris at the time. Another reason Versailles was the target for the march was that it was a symbol of absolutism. Louis XIV built the palace to show off, and the people didn't agree with that. The result of the march was that the Royal Family moved back to Paris. -
The Legislative Assembly declares war on Austria
In 1792, the Legislative Assembly was asked by the King to declare war on Austria and Prussia. This was in response to constant Austrian aggression and Austrian soldiers moving toward their border. The war started off poorly, and the government was forced to gain emergency powers in order to prevent the advancing Prussians. The French Revolutionary Wars resulted in the French people being pitted again the other European Powers, bringing a large sense of nationalism to the public. -
Louis XVI is executed at the guillotine
In September of 1792, the Legislative Assembly was replaced by the National Convention, and one of their first actions was to abolish the monarchy. In January of the following year, the National Convention found the king guilty, and sentenced him to death. Louis XVI is executed publically in Paris. Legend says that Louis XVI delivered one of the greatest speeches ever, but no one heard it because of the crowd's loud booing and cheering. -
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Robespierre's Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was the government's response to the civil war, and being surrounded by harmful armies. They decided to take harsh measures against any suspected enemies of the Revolution. Thus, 17000 executions in Paris followed, and paranoia and fear filled the streets. The Reign of Terror ultimately ended with Robespierre's death, because people thought the executions were an abuse of his power. -
Napolon's coup d'etat, overthrowing the Directory
After Napoleon's successes as a general in the French Revolutionary Wars, he is made the leader of a plot to overthrow the Directory. The coup is successful and Napoleon is elected leader of France. This event signified the end of the French Revolution because it is the beginning of another absolute ruler after multiple failed attempts at a republic. Napoleon effectively used nationalism to justify his military ambitions in Europe. -
Napoleon is declared First Consul
In 1802, Napoleon declares himself first consul for life. This meant that France was officially not a democracy again, and therefore all of the progress from the Revolution was lost. Napoleon also declared his son (who didn't exist) to be his successor, which showed his ambitions for his regime. This move led to a decade of military dictatorship in France. -
The Continental System is implemented
During the Napoleonic Wars, the French knew they had a weaker navy than the British (Battle of Trafalgar)so they decided to keep their physical battles on land. However, they still tried to harm the British, but through economic means. Napoleon wanted to halt British industry by setting up a blockade leading to the island. The plan worked for a while, but eventually, both the land campaign and naval campaign proved too much for the French. -
Napoleon is defeated at Leipzig
After Napoleon was pushed back from Russia in 1812, the battle of Leipzig would be crucial for Napoleon to hold what was left of his eastern power. The battle involved a huge 560,000 soldiers total. It resulted in Napoleon's defeat. This caused France to lose all of its territories east of the Rhine river. -
Napoleon is exiled to Elba
Following the defeat at Leipzig, Napoleon is continuously chased back to Paris by allied forces. On March 30, 1814, the Allies take Paris. This forces Napoleon to abdicate, and he is then exiled to Elba, a small island off of the coast of Italy. This exile wouldn't be enough to stop Napoleon however... -
Napoleon is defeated at Waterloo
After the Allies took Paris, Napoleon was exiled to the small island of Elba. In March of 1815 however, he returned to power in France during the Hundred Days, and picked up back where he left off. The Allies responded to this by attacking Napoleon at Waterloo, in which they won. This would be the final battle of Napoleon's conquests. -
Napoleon is exiled to St. Helena
Following his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon is forced to abdicate from the throne a second time. He is then boarded on a prisoner ship destined for St. Helena, a small, British island in the South Atlantic. This time, he is unable to escape, and he dies in 1821. Following Napoleon's abdication, Louis XVIII is reinstated as kind as a part of the second Bourbon Restoration.