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Drought Struck France
In 1788, a drought struck France which led to poor harvests and famine. It didn’t have much impact on the First and Second Estates, since they had plenty of bread, which further caused wealth inequality and unrest in the Third Estate. -
Louis XVI Summons Estates General
This marked the French Revolution. The Estates General consisted of 3 Estates: first the clergy, second the clergy, and third the commoners. Because of the financial crisis, Lois XVI needed to change the taxes system. -
Women's March on Versailles
In October, a group of women stormed Versailles and demanded the King and Queen provide bread. Later, they demanded they return to Paris and Louis agreed and they returned. This showed the shifts in power and how the people are coming to revolt. -
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French Revolution
The French revolution was a major revolutionary movement in France. Caused by the ever-increasing gap between the rich and poor, the period of social unrest caused many changes in French Society. -
Establishment of the National Assembly
Since they had no control over the Estates-General, the Third Estate decided to create their own government to pay laws and make reforms. They wanted to make many reforms, which were heavily influenced by the government. They were the majority of the population, 97% in fact, so they ought to be the power that controls. -
Tennis Court Oath
Three days after the creation of the National Assembly, the nobilities locked the delegates from their meeting room. So, they broke into an indoor tennis court and made an oath to stay until they have drawn a new constitution. This has become one of the most iconic scenes in the French Revolution and showed the determination of the Third Estate to change social structure. -
Dismissal of Jacques Necker
Jaques Necker was dismissed by King Louis because of his support for the Third Estate. This shows Louis’s neglect for the Third estates, consequently the inequality in France, and his weak rule. His dismissal also contributed to the storming of the Bastille. -
Storming of the Bastille
Fears and rumors stated that Louis would use force to stop the National Assembly. Thus, the people started to find ways to get their hands on weapons. They had enough guns, but not gunpowder. So on July 14, 1789, a mob stormed a Paris prison, Bastille, and seized control. This became a symbol of royal Tyranny and also became a national French holiday. -
Declaration of Rights of Man
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Of the Citizen was a document made by the National Assembly to state the rights of every citizen in France. This document was influenced heavily by the American Constitution and John Locke’s ideas, with the document stating the rights of “liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression”. This showed what the French people wanted in contrast to the society under monarch rule. -
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Reign of Terror 1793 - 1794
The Reign of Terror was a period in the French revolution where there were numerous executions in fear of counter-revolution. Maximilien Robespierre had taken control and led a “Committee of Public Safety” to change everything about France's past. He ruled as a dictator, embodying a form of a monarch that the revolution was trying to get rid of. This ended with Robeipherre being sent to the guillotine. This period of time ironically went against the ideas of the Third Estate. -
King Executed
On 21 January 1793, Louis XVI, the king of France, was executed by guillotine. This symbolized the end of the monarchy in France.