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Meeting of the Estates-General
France was near bankruptcy, bread riots were numerous, and nobles were fearful of taxes. Louis XVI had no idea how to combat this problem, finally caving in and calling a meeting between the Estates-General. He had each class prepare a notebook of grievances to bring up at the meeting. They met not only to solve the financial problem, but also to demand reform. It was deadlocked from the very beginning. Traditionly, each class has one vote. As such, the First and Second outvoted the Third. -
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National Assembly
The weary Third Estate, tired of the mockery of democracy that was being entailed by the Estates General, broke off from them and created their own type of government. -
Tennis Court Oath
After weeks of stalemate in the Estates General, the fed-up Third Estate decided to make their own government. Thus formed the National Assembly. However, a few days after its formation, they found their planned meeting hall locked and guarded, forcing them to meet at a nearby indoor tennis court. As such, they took the Tennis Court Oath, stating that they would "never seperate, and meet wherever the circumstances might require until they have established a sound and just constitution.". -
Storming of the Bastille
Over 800 Parisians had assembled outside the Bastille, a Mideval fortress used as a prison. They demanded the weapons and gunpowder that they believed was being stored there. The commander refused them, then told his soldiers to open fire on the crowd. Finally, after a bloody battle that left many dead, the crowd broke through their defenses, killed the commander and five of his guards, released several of the prisoners, but found no weapons. This served as a wake up call for King Louis XVI. -
March on Versailles
Hungry, poor, and tired suspicious that the royal family was hording food, a multitude of people, primarily female, gathered in Paris and marched to The Palace of Versailles. Once there, they barged into the Queen's quarters, demanding bread and that the King return to Paris to live among the people. -
Flight to Varennes
The Royal Family attempted to flee their house arrest by dressing up as servants and their servants as nobles. The King, however, was recognized and arrested, he and the queen kept under armed guard until his execution. -
National Assembly dissolved
After France's new constitution was written and passed, the National Assembly was dissolved and replaced by the Legislative Assembly. No member of the National Assembly was allowed to hold a seat in this new government. This meant that no one with any useful political experience was in in the new government. -
Declaring a Republic
After the KIng and Queen were arrested, the Legislative Assembly was dissolved and replaced by the National Convention. It's very first act was to declare France a Republic. After, King Louis XVI was unanimously voted guilty of treaty and sentenced to death by guilliotine on January 21 1793. Marie was tried and executed that October. -
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Reign of Terror
Those who were arrested, and eventually beheaded by guilliotine, during this time were usually political rivals of the Radicals, or really anyone who annoyed the government officials. This time frame was brought about by The Committee of Public Safety, led by Robspierre. Estimated 16,000 people were killed during this time. Robespierre was arrested 27 July 1794, his execution by guilliotine and the end of the Reign of Terror both occuring the previous day. -
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The Directory
The new governing body over France after the Committee of Public Safety, it was composed of five membors, nearly completely corrupt right from the start. It was overthrown in 1799 by Napoleon, who then declared himself First Consul for the new Consulate.
