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Meeting of the Estates-General
General assembly of first, second, third estates. Summoned by King Louis XVI to propose solutions to financial problems. -
Storming of the Bastille
The Bastille was a prison containing guns that the revolts wanted. It was overtaken by riots and its fall was a catalyst of the French Revolution. Began the tradition of heads on pikes. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
Defined a set of individual rights and collective rights of all of the estates as one. Influenced by the doctrine of natural rights, these rights are universal: they are supposed to be valid in all times and places, pertaining to human nature itself. -
Women March on Versailles
Angry mob of 70,000 working women assaulted and broke through guards and into the Palace of Versailles crying for bread, Their targets were King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinnette as she was infamous for lavishly and obliviously spending money for her own pleasure. Again with the heads on pikes. -
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
King Louis XVI was forced to accept this legislation that basically made the Church a department of the state. Bishops were to be chosen by assemblies of parish priests, who themselves were to be elected by their parishioners. -
War is Declared by France on Austria
French revolutionaries declare war on Austria. Austria allied with Prussia to attempt to restore the monarchy. France was doing poor in war at first and then the battle of Valmy was their turning point. -
King Louis XVI executed
Louis XVI was convicted of treason after attempting to flee France during Robespierre's Reign of Terror and was sentenced to death. Was beheaded by guillotine on January 17 of 1793. -
Beginning of the Reign of Terror
Period of violence began after French Revolution lead by Robbespiere, mass amount of executions with the guillotine. -
Maximilien Robspierre executed
Robespierre's Reign of Terror was punctuated with his execution by his own systems established during his reign. He was beheaded by guillotine. -
France Sells the United States the Louisiana Territory
The U.S., under President Thomas Jefferson, bought the Louisiana territory from France, under the rule of Napoleon, in 1803. The U.S. paid $15 million for the Louisiana Purchase, and Napoleon gave up his empire in North America. Napoleon did this because France had a significant lack of funds after the fiasco in Haiti. -
Napoleon crowns himself Emperor
Napoleon was a military and political leader who lead the French Revolution, Napolean thought it time to take the throne and lead France back to its glory, but also to try to restore some calamity and peace in post-revolution France. -
Congress of Vienna
Held in Vienna until June 1815. European state ambassadors called to Conference, with a goal find a way to remain in peace. They came up with a system of checks and balances where small branches with limited power exist simultaneously, making sure none get more powerful than the others. -
Battle of Waterloo / Napoleon’s 2nd Abdication and Exile
French army led by Napoleon defeated by the allied forces of the English, Dutch and Prussian armies under command of the Duke of Wellington and Blucher. After this battle, Napoleon abdicated as emperor of France and was exiled, marking the beginning his hundred days' return from exile.
