Start of the French Revolution

By melanieruiz

  • Louis XVI calls for the Estates General to meet.

    There was a problem in the political and financial situation in France. This event forced Louis XVI to call the Estates General to approve new taxes to enable the state to pay its debts.

  • Louis XVI has the Third Estate locked out of the Estates General meeting

    Louis XIV locked the third estate out of the meeting between the first and second state because they were demanding more power.

  • Representatives from the three Estates meet at Versailles

    The first and second state meet with Louis XVI to suggest solutions to France's financial problems.

  • Third Estate takes the Tennis Court Oath

    The third estate makes its meeting in a nearby tennis court and took a promise to force a new constitution on the king called the national assembly.

  • Louis XVI calls for the National Assembly to meet to create a constitution

    King Louis XIV ordered the three estates to meet together as the National Assembly and vote by population on a constitution for France.

  • The people of Paris storm the Bastille

    A angry French citizens stormed the Bastille in Paris releasing its seven prisoners and destroying everything.

  • The women of Paris arrest Louis XVI and take him back to Paris

    Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette were unable to escape and were apprehended at Varennes, France, and carried back to Paris. There, Louis was forced to accept the constitution of 1791

  • King Louis XIV is convicted

    The National Convention had convicted King Louis XIV for treason. They condemned him to death by a simple majority of votes.

  • The execution of Louis XIV

    King Louis XVI is executed by guillotine in the Place de la Revolution in Paris.

  • The execution of Marie Antoinette

    Marie Antoinette was accused of treachery, squandering National Funds. Her final words were “I did not do it on purpose" before losing her head in Place de la Concorde.