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Excessive spending and poor harvests lead to a financial crisis in France
After France had supported the United States in the American Revolution, debt rose considerably. Havest failures and extravagent spending of the aristocrats (who didn't share with the poor) didn't help, and without a central bank, money could not be printed to cover the expenses. With the poor being so heavily taxed, it caused a lot of tension between the aristocrats and commoners. -
Louis XVI calls the Estates General
To solve the financial crisis, Louis XVI calls upon the Estates General for the first time in over a century. -
First and Second Estates join the Third Estate in the newly formed National Assembly
To work toward a common goal of fixing France's problems, all three Estates combined to make the Nationally Assembly. This brought more unity into France. -
The Tennis Court Oath
Due to "repairs" in the Hall (King Louis XVI actually closed it), the National Assembly met in an indoor tennis court and swore not to disband until a constitution was approved. -
The storming of the Bastille
Angry about the taxation and political crisis in France, many commoners stood up, seized weapons, and went to the Bastille for more weapons and ammunition. When turned down, fighting began and the prison surrendered. -
The Great Fear in the countryside
The Great Fear was revolts in the countryside of peasants. Unstable food (bread) prices and complications between the National Assembly contributed to these revolts. -
The National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
This document stated that "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights" and listed natural rights of people. This boosted the fight for democracy. -
The Women’s March on Versailles
To demand action of the nobles to fix food prices and unemployment, thousands of women marched to Versailles. This forced the royal family back to Paris. -
The Constitution of 1791 sets up a constitutional monarchy in France
This document gave a structure for a new government and a constitutional monarchy is set up. Most of the power was given to the Legislative Assembly, making the king more of a symbol. -
The Legislative Assembly declares war on Austria
Austria sided with Prussia, and defeated the French. The damages and costs of the war led to the fall of the Legislative Assembly and to a rise of the Reign of Terror. -
Louis XVI is executed at the guillotine
After being convicted of crimes of tyranny by the National Convention, Louis XVI was sentenced to death. After this, France's politics became even more unstable. -
Robespierre's Reign of Terror
After the death of the king, Robespierre gained power and used it to get rid of any resistance to the revolution. About 40,000 people either died in prison or were executed, while another 300,000 were imprisoned. This lowered France's stability even further. -
The Directory is installed
The Directory overthrew Robespierre rule, ending the Reign of Terror, and worked on creating a more stable and unified France. They were later overthrown by Napoleon.