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Noblity forces King to call for Estates General
The king was in trouble. The nobility was not happy with his attempt to tax their estate. Nobility wanted to pass the cost once again on the Third Estate. -
Estate-General meets in Paris
King Louis XVI calls body into session to approve a new tax on the third Estate. The Estates General had not met in 175 years. -
The Storming of the Bastille
A mob of rebels stormed the French military fort in search of weapons to fuel the revolution. The storming of the Bastille served as a symbol for the revolution. -
3rd Estate refused to abide by King's voting orders
The educated bourgeoisie were influenced by Enlightenment thinkers. They wanted change in the government, and declared themselves the National Assembly. -
The Great Fear begins
After the initial violence of the Bastille, the French people were afraid that the king would punish everyone. Rumors spread of massacres, yet the peasant violence continued, -
Tennis Court Oath
The members of the third estate refused to leave the court until they had drafted a new constitution for France. -
National Assembly abolishes Feudalism with August Decrees
Peasant dues to their landlords were cleared. Changes were made so that the First Estate could not bypass laws. People began drafting a new government. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
The Declaration of the Rights of Man laid the principles of the French revolution, focusing on Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. Inspired from the English Bill of Rights and the American Declaration of Independence, it used many ideas from Enlightenment thinkers. -
Women of Paris March to Versailles for Bread
7,000 women walked from Paris to Versailles. They demanded bread, and broke into the palace, forcing the King to leave and return to Paris. -
Royal Family's Flight from Varennes
The King and Queen attempted to flee Paris because they were worried of their safety. They were recognized soon after, and were returned to the Tuileries Palace. -
New Constitution Adopted
The new constitution changed the government. Although it kept the monarchy intact, the new constitution severely limited the power of the king. -
Beginning of Legislative Assembly
The new Legislative Assembly gave citizens broad voting rights. Taxpayers over the age of 25 were allowed to vote. -
Brunswick Manifesto
The Brunswick Manifesto warned against the harming of the Royal family, and declared that any harm would start a war. Austria sent 50,000 troops to the French border, which resulted in a war, and a defeat for France. -
Storming of the Tuileries Palace
A mob of peasants stormed Tuileries Palace and killed the guards. The King and Queen were captured, demoted to commoners, and were sent to prison. -
French Monarchy is Abolished
Revolutionary Government votes to abolish the monarchy and establish the first Republic. The Royal Family is imprisoned. -
French Defeat Foreign Monarchy Supporters
France turns the tide of war and takes the offensive against the foreign invaders: Austria and Prussia, who are aiming to protect the monarchy. -
King Louis XVI Executed
The king was placed on trial, and condemned to death. He was placed on a guillotine after an attempt to prove his innocence, and executed. -
Committee of Public Safety Established
As an attempt to tighten its grip over France, the National Convention tried to set up the Committee of Public Safety to manage the French military. It immediately drafted able men aged 18-45 -
Law of Suspects: Beginning of the Reign of Terror
Under this law, anyone who doubted or opposed the Revolution was arrested and promptly executed. -
Execution of Robespierre: End of the Reign of Terror
Robespierre, one of the starters of the Reign of Terror, was captured along with many of his supporters, and was executed, ending the Reign of Terror. -
National Convention is dissolved, forming the Directorate
The Constitution was written where voting rights were restricted, The government body called the Directors, made up of 5 people, was created, but proved ineffective. -
Napoleon is named the First Consul
Napoleon Bonaparte, a national war hero, created a coup d'etat and overthrew the Directory in order to take power of France forcefully. -
Coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emporer of France
Napoleon used a plebiscite to find oput that French voters wanted him to be the emporer of the French Empire.
