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The Enlightment
The Enlightment was between 1650 and 1700.It was a time when people challlenged "Divine Right" and overall athority of the church. It also challenged the Absolute Monarchy. The Enlightment influenced the Decleration of Rights of Man, the way Napoleon ruled, and other things in the French Revolution. Some Enlightment thinkers are Baruch Spinoza, John Locke, and Pierre Bayle. -
Marrige
There marrige started in 1770. At the age of 15, future King Louis XVI married Marie Antoinette, age 14. He ws the first French king in 200 years not to have a royal mistress. The French people came to dislike her because she was from Austria. It ends when King Louis was executed in January 21, 1793. -
King Louis XV dies
King Louis XV dies May 10, 1774. He had died of smallpox. This virus attacked the skin cells. It killed an estimated 400,000 people in Europe during the 18th century, including four other monarchs. After he died, King Louis XVI took his place. -
King Louis XVI becomes king
King Louis XVI became king sometime in 1774. He was not yet 20 years old. The date is actully the same date of King Louis XV's death. After he died, Louis XVI succeded Louis XV. King Louis XVI felt unqualified for the job. -
National assembly created
The people representing the 3rd estate were angry. There representation ment nothing. It ment nothing because the 1st and 2nd estate always overruled the 3rd estate. So they started meeting seperately. This new seperate meeting was called the national assembly. -
Tennis court oath
The Tennis court oath was a pledge signed by 576 out of 577 members from the 3rd estate. They pledged, "not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established". They did this after they went to their conference room and they had been locked out. It is called the Tennis court oath because they met at a tennis court. The only person that did not sign the oath was Joseph Martin-Dauch. -
Storming the Bastille
On July 13, the people of France looted gunstores. The next day, 900 people gathered outside the Bastille demanding gunpowder. At around 1:30 PM, chaos broke out. The impatiant and angry crowd stormed the outer cortyard, pushing for the main entrance of the Bastille. The valuble powder and guns were seized. This was the start of the French Revolution. -
The Decleration of Rights of Man (DRM)
The DRM was influenced by the ideas of the Enlightment. Ideas like Social contract, individualism, and seperation of powers. It also had similar ideas to The Decleration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson, writer of the DOI, was in correspondence with members of the national assembly. The DRM is writin in the spirit of, "natural law" which is not based on religion or authority. -
Woman's march to Versailles
Around this date, crowds of woman assembled around Parisian markets. They demanded an end on royal efforts to block the national assembly. They also demanded for the king to move to Paris as a sign of good faith in addressing the poverty. Getting bad responses from city officials, over 7,000 woman joined the march to Versailles, armed with cannons and smaller weapons. Several gaurds were killed, and the king moved to Paris under the protection of the National gaurd. -
Royal flight to Varennes
On this date, the royal family fled to Varennes. They dressed as servants. The next day the king was reconized. They were broght back, still dressed as servants. Paris greeted them with silence. They were kept under gaurd. -
War against Austria
The king thought war would increase his personal popularity. Leopold II, Austrian Emperor, disagreed about war. He died March 1, 1792. So France went to war with Austria on April 20, 1792. Prussia later joined in. -
Swiss gaurd massacre
On August 10, 1792, insurgents and popular militias massacred swiss gaurds. The gaurds were protecting the king. The royal family were prisoners. On September 21, the monarchy was replaced with a republic. This date was Year 1 in the French Republican calender. -
Execution of King Louis XVI
King Louis XVI had appeared to be conspiring with the enemies of France. This caused Louis to be charged with, "conspiracy against the public liberty and the general safety". 361 people voted to execute the king. 288 voted against. Citoyen Louis Capet (King Louis XVI, now Citizen Louis Capet) was executed by guillotine on January 21,1793. -
Reign of Terror
The Reign of terror was a time period where up to 40,000 people were executed. At least 16,594 people died under the guillotine. They were accused of counter-revolutionary activity. Many of these people were executed without a trial. While doing this, they called for a low fixed price on bread. -
Marie Antoinette is executed
After the death of King Louis XVI, Marie deeply mourned. She stoped eating and had very poor health. She even had cancer. Most of the charges she had were based on rumors. The biggest charge was sexually abusing her son. She was sentenced to death. Her last words were, "Pardon me sir, I meant not to do it" after she stepped on the executors foot. -
Thermidorian reaction
This led to the arrest and execution of Robespierre, Louis de Saint-Just, and other leading Jacobins. The new govornment had took revenge. They did so by banning the Jacobins club and executing many of its former members. It was known as "White terror". The Convention approved the new "Constitution of the Year III" August 22,1795. -
Napoleon becomes ruler of France
He becomes ruler in 1799. He created the Napoleonic code. It was based off of the ideas of the Enlightment. He is remembered most for his "Napoleonic Wars". He spred the ideas of the French revolution through those wars.
