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Olympe de Gouges
Olympe de Gouges was a French playwright. She became a political activist who wrote about abolitionism and women's rights. Her writings were popular across several countries. She is important because her writings informed many women of the fact that they deserved the same rights as men and encouraged them to fight for those rights. She was an early advocate for women's rights, which later became a huge movement due to her and people like her. -
Louis XVI
Louis XVI was King of France from 1774-1792. He was the last king of France before the monarchy fell during the French Revolution. He was married to Marie Antoinette and was executed via guillotine in 1993 for treason. He is important because he called upon the estates general in order to solve his debt problems, but in doing so he caused the French Revolution to occur. -
Marie Antionette
Marie Antonette was the queen of France from 1774 to 1792. She was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was the archduchess of Austria before she married Louis XVI and became Queen of France in 1774. She spent money frivolously. She is important because she was the cause of much civil unrest which led to the French Revolution. -
Marquis de Lafayette
Marquis de Lafayette was a French military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He joined the French army at the age of 14. He commanded American troops in several battles including the Siege of Yorktown. He volunteered his own money to help the Americans. He is important because he helped the Americans win the war and gain their independence. He has become a symbol of friendship between the United States and France. -
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre was a French statesman and lawyer. He is important because he became the architect of the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. He was the leading member of the Committee of Public Safety. He used this position to cause the execution of more than 17000 enemies of the Revolution via guillotine. -
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military general and statesman. He is known for revolutionizing military training and organization. He also reorganized education and sponsored the Napoleonic Code, which is the official civil code of France. He is important because in1804 he became the first French emperor. His becoming Emperor marked the end of the French Revolution. -
Jacques Necker
Jacques Necker was a Genevan banker. He was Louis XVI’s finance minister. He tried to compromise with the Estates General but he was not successful. He wrote several books. He is important because he financed French aid to the American colonies in their Revolutionary War. His loans caused the public debt of France to greatly increase. This debt is what led to the French Revolution starting. -
Calling of the Estates General
On May 5th, 1789 Louis XVI called the Estates General to help him find a solution to France’s financial debt. This was unprecedented, as monarchs almost never called upon to the Estates General. This event is important because it caused the third estate to form the National Assembly. This National Assembly sparked the outbreak of the French Revolution. -
Tennis Court Oath
On June 20th, 1789 the French Third Estate found themselves to be locked out of their meeting hall. They moved their gathering to a nearby indoor tennis court. It was here that they swore the Tennis Court Oath. This oath stated that they would not disband until France had a written constitution. This event is important because it laid the foundation for future constitutional breakthroughs in the French government. It also ensured that France would have a constitution. -
Attack on the Bastille
On July 14th, 1789 a group of French revolutionaries stormed the Bastille. Their goal in doing so was to procure the weapons stored inside it. This event is important because the Bastille was a political prison that represented royal authority. By taking it over the revolutionaries showed they were done having a dictator. This event also raised morale in the revolutionaries, as they had defeated something of the King and proven to themselves that they could. -
Women's March to Versailies 10/05/1789
On October 5th, 1789 women in the Paris marketplace were upset about how scarce and expensive bread was. A crowd of over 7000 people marched to Versailles to confront the King and Queen with their grievances. They refused to leave until they got an audience with the royals and forced them to return to Paris. This event is important because it occurred at the beginning of the French revolution and it gave revolutionaries confidence in their power as people to control the King and make change. -
National Convention is Formed
The National Convention was formed on September 21st, 1792. It was a parliament that was active during the French Revolution and came after the National Constituent Assembly and the Legislative Assembly. This event is important because it was the first French government that was arranged as a republic. It was the first time that France had eliminated a monarchy completely. -
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a period of time during the French Revolution. It was led by Maximilien Robespierre. It is called The Reign of Terror due to a series of massacres and public executions via guillotine. Around 17000 people were executed during this time period. The Reign of Terror is important because it instituted the conscripted army. This spared France from foreign invasions, and thus preserved the Revolution -
Napoleon Invades Russia
The French invasion of Russia began on June 24th, 1812 when Napoleon Bonaparte’s army crossed the Neman River to engage in battle with the Russian Army. The invasion lasted until December 14th, 1812. The invasion resulted in over 500,000 French casualties. This event is important because it resulted in the halting of Napoleon's march across Europe, and in his first exile. After his exile, France became a constitutional monarchy. -
Execution of Louis XVI
Louis XVI was executed on January 21st, 1973 via guillotine. He was convicted of conspiracy with foreign powers. He was sentenced to death by the French National Convention. Before his execution, he was forced to accept the constitution of 1791. This event is important because it marked the end of Bourbon monarchs in France. It was also the death of the last Bourbon king France ever had. It shows the power the people now had over the king.
