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On July 14th, French people thought that they were going to be attacked due to recent government decisions. They began to gather weapons to defend themselves. A mob took advantage of this and attacked the Bastille, a Paris prison, in an attempt to get gunpowder and guns. They brutally murders some of the guards, and then placed their heads on pikes and marched around the city with them on display. This day was very impactful, as it now represents the freedom of France as a national holiday. -
A declaration of revolutionary ideas, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, was adopted by the National Assembly three weeks after the fall of the Old Regime. The Declaration of Independence's influence was seen in its assertion that "men are born and remain free and equal in rights." The constitution guaranteed residents' freedom of speech, religion, and equal justice, and is still used today. -
Peasants revolted against the government by breaking into nobles homes and destroying legal papers that connected them to the old feudal dues. They started to demand things from the National Assembly and the king and queen. They suggested that Louis and Marie Antoinette should go back to Paris, and Louis, fed up, agreed. He packed up and never came back. -
Louis XVI considered his future as a king while the National Assembly organized the relationship between church and state. He was informed by few advisors that he was in danger. Subsequently, the royal family attempted to flee France to the Austrian Netherlands in June 1791. But as they got closer to the border, they taken back to Paris under security. Louis's attempt to flee influenced his extreme opponents to have more clout in the administration, leading to more change within the revolution. -
The Legislative Assembly declared war in response to other European leaders making comments urging them to get their controller in a more stable place. They feared that this revolution would cause other revolutions. Prussian forces massacred many and also captured the Royal family. French citizens were under pressure from the war, and therefore started robbing prisons and murdering prisoners. The beginning of this war was very influential, as it led to a change in government. -
The Legislative Assembly repealed the 1791 Constitution in response to radicals in the streets and among its members. It called for the election of a new legislative, dissolved the assembly, and declared the king to be overthrown. The National Convention, the new governing body, commenced its duties on September 21. It swiftly proclaimed France a republic and ended the monarchy. This created a huge shift in power, and had one of the biggest impacts on the future of the revolution. -
The change in government to the National Convention left Louis to be a citizen and imprisoned. This meant that he was able to be tried for treason for his actions during his ruling. The Convention found Louis guilty and sentenced him to death. This created an uproar with the citizens, as they were loyal to their past leader, and felt the National Convention should have been checked before executing him. This lead to even more separation of French citizens, making it harder to unite the country. -
A Jacobin leader, Maximilien Robespierre, gained power overtime, and then eventually took over all powers. His group changed the calendar to exclude Sundays so that religion was not present in Paris. In July, he became the leader of the Committee of Public Safety, providing him with more power, leading him to rule as a dictator for the next year. He killed rampantly, and worked to implement a terror into his citizens. This led to major executions and further division of the country. -
The National Convention turned on Robespierre, demanding his execution. This ended Robespierre's "Reign of Terror", which shifted the public opinion dramatically. The third new constitution was drafted in 1795 by National Convention leaders. It made a two-house legislature known as the Directory, composed of five men, and put power in the hands of the upper middle class. This calmed the nation. Napoleon Bonaparte was the ideal general to lead France's armed forces. -
A chance for glory was presented to the young officer by fate in October of 1795. An official in the government ordered Napoleon to defend the delegates when royalist rebels marched on the National Convention. Napoleon and his artillerymen presented a cannonade to the thousands of royalists. The attackers quickly left in a state of confusion and terror. Napoleon Bonaparte rose to prominence as the French republic's savior, winning hearts and admiration all around Paris.