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Louis XVI calls for the Estates General to meet
In 1789, Louis XVI, the King of France, called for a meeting of the Estates General in an attempt to address the country's financial crisis. The Estates General was a legislative body composed of representatives from the three estates of French society: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners. -
Representatives from the three Estates meet at Versailles
In 1789, representatives from the three estates of French society, the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners, met at Versailles in response to Louis XVI's call for the Estates General. The purpose of the meeting was to address the country's financial crisis, which had been brought about in part by France's involvement in the American Revolution and years of lavish spending by the royal court. -
Louis XVI calls for the National Assembly to meet to create a constitution
In 1789, after the Third Estate had taken the Tennis Court Oath and tensions in France continued to escalate, King Louis XVI called for the National Assembly to meet and create a new constitution. The National Assembly was a group made up of representatives from all three estates of French society, and its formation had been spurred on by the Third Estate's demands for greater representation and a more democratic government. -
Louis XVI has the Third Estate locked out of the Estates General meeting
In 1789, Louis XVI, the King of France, ordered that the Third Estate be locked out of the Estates General meeting, in an attempt to maintain the power of the clergy and nobility. The Third Estate, which represented the commoners, had been demanding greater representation and more power within the government, but were met with resistance from the other two estates. This move by Louis XVI was seen as a major insult to the Third Estate and only further inflamed tensions between the different group -
Third Estate takes the Tennis Court Oath
In 1789, members of the Third Estate, who were frustrated with their lack of representation in the French government, took the Tennis Court Oath. This oath was a pledge to not disband until they had drafted a new constitution for France that ensured equal representation and a more democratic system of government. The oath was taken on a tennis court in Versailles after the Third Estate was locked out of the Estates General meeting by King Louis XVI. -
The people of Paris storm the Bastille
In 1789, the people of Paris were growing increasingly discontent with the monarchy and the government's failure to address their concerns. They were also facing significant economic hardships and food shortages, which only served to exacerbate the situation. The Bastille, a medieval fortress that had been converted into a prison, was seen as a symbol of the monarchy's power and oppression. So they stormed the bastille and stole the gunpowder and guns to protect themselves -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen and its legacy.
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was a fundamental document of the French Revolution, adopted by the National Assembly in 1789. It enshrined the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity, and established the rights of citizens to be protected by law. The Declaration drew inspiration from the Enlightenment, which emphasized reason and individual rights, and was influenced by the American Declaration of Independence. -
The women of Paris arrest Louis XVI and take him back to Paris
In 1791, the women of Paris, The lack of progress in the French Revolution, decided to take matters into their own hands. They organized a march to Versailles to demand bread and other basic necessities from the king. The march turned violent when the women, joined by other revolutionaries, stormed the palace and arrested Louis XVI. The king was forced to return with them to Paris, where he was kept under guard and eventually put on trial. -
The Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a period of violence and political repression during the French Revolution that lasted from 1793 to 1794. It was characterized by the mass execution of perceived enemies of the Revolution, including those who were suspected of being counter-revolutionaries, royalists, or opponents of the radical Jacobin government. The Reign of Terror was led by the Committee of Public Safety, which wielded extraordinary power and authorized thousands of executions. -
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The Napoleonic Era
The Napoleonic Era refers to the period of French history between the end of the French Revolution and the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815. It was characterized by Napoleon's rise to power, expansion of the French Empire, and a series of military campaigns and conquests in Europe. The era also saw the implementation of significant reforms and the spread of nationalism and romanticism.