Important Events of the French Revolution

  • Execution of a Monarch

    The execution of Charles I of England, caused by people believing him to be a tyrannical absolute monarch.
  • The Royal Escape

    Charles II decides to disguise himself as a peasant and leave England for France so he can free his realm when the right time comes because of his fear of the english commonwealth.
  • Fall of Bastille

    A Parisian mob broke down the gates of the Bastille, marking a big statement at the beginning of the French Revolution.
  • Great fear

    A time of panic and riot by the third estate who was being carried through the winds of change of the revolution, and was angered by the "aristocratic conspiracy".
  • Tennis Court Oath

    People were literally assembled in an indoor tennis court, and told to swear "not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established".
  • Women March on Versailles

    Woman marched to Versailles demanding to see the king, queen, and their son because of their starvation, and deprevation of bread, which was essential to the daily diet of the french.
  • Civil Constitution of Clergy

    Subordinated the Roman Catholic Church in France to the French government
  • Declaration of Pilnitz

    This declaration was intended to serve as a warning to the French revolutionaries not to infringe further on the rights of Louis XVI and to allow his restoration to power, but the French took this as a threat, and launched warfare.
  • Constitution of 1791

    This was the first written constitution of France, but it was short-lived. It enveloped the basic ideas of the ongoing revolution.
  • Creation of Nation Convention

    Comprised the constitutional and legislative assembly.
  • Reign of Terror

    A period of vicious violence caused by the conflict of rival political factors.
  • The Declaration of the Rights of Man

    A document stating the individual and collective rights of all the men in any estate.
  • Constitution of 1795

    A national constitution of France ratified by the National Convention to slow down the legislative process; and a five-man Director.
  • The Directory

    France's executive powers, consisting of five men elected by the Council of Ancients. This is later replaced by the Consulate, due to it failing because of corruption.
  • Napoleon Becomes Consulate

    Napoleon becomes one of three, in a strong executive branch in government.
  • Concordat of 1801

    an agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII, signed on 15 July 1801 that annouced Catholicism the religious majority of France, but still maintained religious freedom.
  • Coronation of an Emperor

    Napoleon assumes power, and becomes emperor of France, even though France had gone through their revolution to abolish total monarchy.
  • Battle of Trafalgar

    A battle at sea fought between the British Navy and the French and Spanish Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
  • Battle of Austerlitz

    One of Napoleon's greatest victories, thought of as a tactical masterpiece.
  • Invasion of Spain

    A war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars.
  • Invasion of Russia

    A turning point of the Napoleonic Wars, that reduced the French's allied forces. Most of Napoleon's soldiers will die due to this invasion.
  • Exhile to Elba

    Napoleon was exiled to Elba after his forced abdication in 1814 to be exhiled. He was allowed to keep personal guard of Elba, and soon after being exhiled to here, he escapes back to paris.
  • Congress of Vienna

    The idea of this congress was to to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars and create a peaceful balance of power in government.
  • A Hundred Days

    This event lasted exactly 111 days, and marked the time period between the emporer Napoleon's return from exhile from the island of Elba to Paris, and the second restoration of King Louis
  • Battle of Waterloo

    A battle that marked Napoleon's defeat, and caused the end to his rule as emperor of the French, and also marked the end of his "hundred days" return from exhile.