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Excessive spending and poor harvests lead to a financial crisis in France
Under Louis XVI’s reign, French citizens were once again subject to inflation and tyranny within the government. Additionally, the government taxed the poor heavily in order to pay for military endeavors, which threw France into a state of crisis. -
King Louis XVI calls the Estates General
This event was significant because it was the first time a meeting of the Estates General had been called in 175 years. The meeting was called because of the financial problems occurring within the French government. -
First and Second Estates join the Third Estate in the newly formed National Assembly
The merging of the three estates shifted the weight of the French governmental power into the people’s hands. The goal was to limit the power of the monarchy and to unite the French once again. -
The Tennis Court Oath
This oath was taken by members of the Estates General who wanted to revolt against Louis XVI’s tyrannical rule. It promised that the French government would take more steps towards limiting the power of the monarchy and establishing a constitution. -
The Storming of the Bastille
Peasants in Paris had been subject to years of tyranny and extremely high taxes and decided to storm the Bastille, a military castle. This marked the beginning of the French revolution as anti-government acts became increasingly common. Louis XVI had turned down their platform for equality with the National Assembly, and the poor took their anger out in a show of revolutionary force. -
The Great Fear in the Countryside
This refers to peasant rebellions that took place throughout the French countryside. The rebellions were fueled by constant mistreatment of peasants, overwhelming inflation, and absolutism that consistently hurt those in the lower classes. This did much to raise the level of panic and violence during the French Revolution. -
The National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
The adoption of this declaration created a major emphasis on equal human rights in the Revolution. The basic idea of the Declaration of the Rights of Man was that all citizens were equal and had the right to participate in the law, whether directly or indirectly. -
The Women's March on Versailles
The ever increasing bread prices sparked the Women’s March on Versailles. Women were not only outraged about the bread shortages and inflation, but also wanted to act out against the tyrannical French government, whose nobility lived lives of luxury while peasants struggled to find their next meal. -
The Constitution of 1791 sets up a constitutional monarchy in France
The Constitution of 1791 established France as a constitutional monarchy that included a legislative body with lots of power. This legislative branch was elected by citizens, who were white and landowning. The king became more of a figure than someone who was actively involved in politics, but this new system was abolished under the Reign of Terror years later. -
The Legislative Assembly declares war on Austria
Due to Austrian military presence in France, the French government declared war on Austria. Austria allied with Prussia in an attempt to take over France. The decision to go to war ended up being one that was detrimental to France, as it depleted their already decreasing resources, and threw the French into a greater state of mass panic. -
Louis XVI is executed at guillotine
Louis XVI was executed for shows of tyranny and limiting the freedom of the French. This furthered mass panic and overall political instability and led to Robespierre taking over, which began the Reign of Terror in France. -
Robespierre's Reign of Terror
The reign of terror refers to the period during the French Revolution in which enemies of the revolution were subject to persecution and execution by the revolutionary-led government. Robespierre was the leader of the dictatorial control over the French government. -
The Directory is Installed
The Directory was a five-person committee that governed France until it was overthrown by Napoleon four years later. This came in place of Robespierre’s Reign of Terror and worked towards stabilizing the shaky French government. It was successful in uniting the French by using a bicameral system.