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Estates General Convened by the King
On this day the first meeting since 1614 of the Estates General was called into order by the King. The meeting was intended to discuss taxes, dissapointing the Third Estate for they desired to discuss the issue of representation which was conveniently ignored by not only the Second and First estate, but by the King as well. However, when brought up, the Third Estate was actually locked out of the meeting because they refused to conform to old ways of voting (which meant unfair representation) -
Tennis Court Oath
Meanwhile, whilst locked out of the meeting, the Third Estate assembles in a tennis court. Outraged by the king's negligence of the issue of representation, the Third Estate continues to constitute themselves as the National Assembly-- drafting a new constitution for France. The king had no choice but to acknowledge this assembly for they made up too large of a portion of the population to be ignored -
Storming of the Bastille
Bastille was a prison housing less than a dozen prisoners at the time-- it was a symbol of the king's tyranny. On this day, a mob gathered around Bastille and attacked. The warden drew back his forces once soldiers started to get hurt. This marked the radical and more violent stage of the revolution. -
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National Assembly Decrees Abolition of Feudalism
The abolition of the feudal system in France was precipitated by the reading of a report on the complaints (and misery) in the provinces-- voting was extremely enthusiastic on this issue. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
A document is issued by the National assembly that guarantees fair government and an extablished sovereignty among the French people. Basically this defined everyone as equal. Lots of French people embraced this new 'constitution', but a fair amount of the nobles and clergy did not. Their request, in a sense, was ignored by higher powers. -
Women's March For Bread
In response to the growing food crisis, French women took up arms (after raiding city hall in Paris), marched to Versailles, followed by the National Ground-- king was forced to sanction the Declaration of the Rights of Man -
Abolition of Nobility and Titles
The church's land was confiscated and was used as a backing for the new French currency. A national system of clergy was established-- one in which the members were systematically elected. -
Black Citizens of French Colonies Granted Equal Rights
The Society of the Friends of the Blacks was a group which consisted of French men and women, mostly white, who were abolitionists. In Feb of 1794, the National Assembly legislated the Universal Emancipation decree, which effectively freed all colonial slaves -
Beginning of Legislative Assembly
A legislative assembly is formed that focuses on political debate and revolutionary law making-- driven by bourgeoisie, who favored a constitutional monarchy, as well as the Jacobin Club, who were a far more radical party who supported the revolution and wanted a centralized Republic. -
Execution of King Louis XVI
The King is executed by the guillotine-- making him the first victim of the Reign of Terror -
Jacobin Masses Storm the Tuileries Palace
The Jacobin Club heads to Tuileries palace where the King and his family were. The royal family fled and placed themselves under the protection of the Legislative Assembly which proceeded to arrest them. -
Committee of Public Safety Established
The Committee of Public Safety is formed as an administrative body to supervise the work of the executive bodies of the convention -
Beginning of the Reign of Terror
A period of terror that began when the French revolution entered a phase of political conflict between the political factions of the Girodins and Jacobins. The guillotine (in other words, death) became the bethod in which disputes were settled. The Law of Suspects allowed the creation of tribunals to try and execute anyone who disagreed with the French Republic -
End of the Reign of Terror
Robespierre (the representative of the Third Estate) is arrested and executed, ending the Reign of Terror -
Creation of the Directorate
Became France's executive power and consisted of 5 members picked by the Council of Ancients -
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Napolean Bonaparte named effective Dictator and later Emperor
French General, Napolean (who actually wasn't raised or born in France), leads French army against the Austrians and is later named dictator. On December 2nd, he is consecrated as Emperor of France.
