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The Creation of the National Assembly
The 1st and 2nd Estates were very corrupt and always voted against the 3rd Estate, who made up 97% of the whole population of France. Knowing the 1st and 2nd Estates couldn't be un-corrupted, the 3rd Estate declared themselves the National Assembly and vowed to treat everyone equal and fairly, no matter your rank. -
The Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath was an oath made by the National Assembly in Versailles' handball court. The National Assembly had to resort to a handball court because King Louis XVI locked all other doors in the palace to keep from facing the National Assembly. This is when the National Assembly vowed to treat everyone equal. -
Storming of the Bastille
The Storming of the Bastille was an act of mob violence and revolt. Wanting change, people from all over France marched to the Bastille, a political prison, and demanded to be heard. At this, cannons were shot into the crowd, killing crowd members. The mob was furious and somehow managed to get into the prison, despite lack of an organized army. They massacred the people inside and let out the prisoners. -
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The Great Fear
The Great Fear was a series of violent riots and attacks by 3rd Estate mobs, due to the belief that the king would try to wipe out the 3rd Estate or stop the revolt. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man
The Declaration of the Right of Man was a series of laws, declaring equal rights of all. The document was created and signed by members of the National Assembly. -
The Women's March on Versailles
The Women's March on Versailles was when a mob of angry women furiously marched to Versailles, demanding to be heard due to the mistreatment and starvation of the 3rd Estate. This is also when Marie Antoinette was rumored to have said, "Let them eat cake." -
The Flight to Varennes
After being ripped from their home in Versailles, King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were being held prisoner in Paris by the revolutionaries. They had a plan to escape to Austria in the night, since Marie Antoinette's family ruled there. They disguised themselves as peasants and went off. They almost made it, but were stopped at the border. When the people of France found out, they were furious and considered Louis and Marie traitors. They were then sent back to Paris and imprisoned again. -
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The September Massacres
The September Massacres were killings that took place in Paris after radical revolutionaries feared that royalists and those in support of the monarchy would free Paris' prisoners and overthrow the revolution. Because of this, radicals executed prisoners all over Paris. -
The Execution of King Louis XVI
People all over France had mixed feeling about executing Louis XVI, but most revolutionaries saw his execution as mandatory for the revolution to thrive and continue. They though that with the death of Louis XVI, would come the death of the monarchy. -
The Creation of the Committee of Public Safety
The Committee of Public Safety was formed by the National Assembly in April of 1793 and then reconstructed as an executive form of government, during the Reign of Terror, in 1793. Their goal was to protect the newly founded republic from anything and/or anyone who might try to damage it in any way. -
The Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat
Jean-Paul Marat was a very extreme and radical journalist. He talked about executing people so much in his work that it turned the people of Paris into believing that execution would solve everyone's issues. Because of his harsh views, Charlotte Corday stabbed him in the chest, thinking it would bring peace back to France. -
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The Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a period of executions lasting a little less than a year. The Reign of Terror came to an end when Robespierre was executed in 1794. The whole purpose of the Reign of Terror was to execute any enemies of the revolution and any foreign forces that would want to stop what was happening in France. Terror was seen as a necessary tactic in order to keep everyone in line. -
The Execution of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette was tried for high treason. The court also accused her of raping her son, but then realized they were treating her too harshly. Because of them feeling sorrowful for accusing her of raping her son, she thought the court would go easy on her and just deport her back to her home country of Austria, but because of her acts of treason, she was guillotined just like her husband. -
The Execution of Georges-Jacques Danton
George-Jacques Danton was a political leader. He was a friend of Robespierre, but disagreed on a few things. Robespierre thought terror was completely necessary, while Danton though terror was necessary for a little bit, but then needed to be stopped. Danton developed a following and before it grew any larger, Robespierre guillotined him and his followers. -
The Thermidorian Reaction
The Thermidorian Reaction was a political revolt against the Jacobins, who were the most radical political faction and who ruled the Committee of Public Safety. The people were tired of the Jacobins extremist views and violent ways, so they acted with violence against them. -
The Execution of Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre was the head revolutionary, head National Assembly Member, and head Jacobin for a long time. He was a long-time supporter of the monarchy and even Louis XVI, until the mistreatment of the 3rd Estate. He had very radical views and people were tired of his methods. He was imprisoned and awaiting trial when he tried to blow his head off with a gun. He did not succeed, however, and was guillotined the next day. His death also brought an end to the Reign of Terror. -
The Creation of the Directory
The Directory was a 5-person ran assembly. It took over France after the Committee of Public Safety fell. Their goal was to govern France in a fair and equal way. The Directory fell when Napoleon Bonaparte took power. -
Napoleon Bonaparte Gains Control
After Being a lead military general in the French Revolutionary Wars, Napoleon rapidly rose through the ranks and gained recognition for his work as general. He soon seized political power and became the first consul of France. Just 5 years later in 1804, he declared himself emperor. Some believed Napoleon's rise to power closed out the French Revolution and started a new era, while other believe the French Revolution continued all the way through his reign.
