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Meeting of the Estates-General
Louis XVI called the three estates to come together, however he wanted the estates to vote as a block meaning the first and second estates could outvote the third estate. The third estate refused to meet with the other two. -
Tennis Court Oath
After being left out of votes for too long, the third estate declared themselves the National Assembly, in which they represent all French citizens and other estates were welcome to join them.They promised to meet until they had drafted a constitution that would reframe France's government. -
Bastille Day
Peasants stormed the prison to collect weapons for the National Assembly. They thought they were holding political prisoners, however when they broke in there was only seven inmates. They ended up killing the guards and parading their heads on stakes. It's a symbol of the Revolution because Bastille represented the royal abuse of power. It's still a holiday today in France - July 14th. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Expressed the goals of the Revolution which had a list of rights and liberties which the Assembly wanted to protect. -
October Days (March of the Women)
Women left Paris for the King's palace in Versailles in order to protest bread shortages. It involved 7000 women and some men.They were carrying weapons and threatening to kill. The king agreed to be brought back to Paris in order to protect him and his family. However, a group of women had broken in and killed the guards trying to get to Marie Antoinette. The King was still captured and at that, the Revolution took a new turn. -
National Assembly & The Church
The national assembly decided to sell the Church property to pay France's debts. -
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy is Passed
Puts the church under government control -
Initial Rise of Robespierre
A political group from the assembly, the Jacobins, established a new leader, Maximilien Robespierre who was a lot more radical then they expected. -
Constitution of 1791
Encouraged free trade -
Royal Family Tries to Flee
As the Revolution became more and more violent, the royal family, still in captivity, feared for their lives. They attempted to flee after a year and a half after being escorted from their palace.They were recognized by a person in a neighboring town and arrested. They no longer had the support of their country. -
National Assembly Disbands
The National Assembly decided to dissolve themselves from being a political unit because they had lived up to their promise during the Tennis Court Oath. The revolution appeared to be over. -
Legislative Assembly Meets for the First Time
New challenges regarding the Revolution came into light, making a new assembly necessary. The former members of the National Assembly couldn't join the new assembly so they made seperate poltiical units: Girondins & Jacobins. -
War is Declared on Austria
The king eventually agreed to declare war on Austria because he hoped that those would didn't agree with the Revolution would support his decision and make him a powerful monarch again. -
Revolution of August 10th
The sans-culottes (without knee breeches meaning the working class) went to Paris threatening the king to support the Revolution. The guards sympathetic to the men turned their cannons on the king and his family, who had to flee. On this day, the Legislative Assembly surrendered to the more radical political groups and they agreed to execute the king. -
France Becomes a Republic
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New Calendar & Seasons
Robespierre created a new calendar that wouldn't measure time after Christ's death. The months were based on the seasons and the week became 10 days. Other changes: languages references (citizen and citizeness), clothing styles & he tried to create a new religion free of the clergy. -
Execution of Louis XVI
The King was executed by the guillotine on the accusation of treason. -
Period: to
Reign of Terror
Robespierre was responsible for the Reign of Terror because of his leadership in the radical group, the Jacobins. The Convention passed an order called the Law of Suspects which allowed prosecution of anyone suspected to be against the Revolution. Approximately 40,000 people were killed, around 16 000 just from the guillotine. Others were drowned or shot. Ironically, 70% were peasants, fewer than 1/10 were of the nobility. -
Execution of Marie Antoinette
At the peak of the Reign of Terror, Marie was charged of treason, on the basis of no substantial evidence but was still beheaded. -
Execution of Danton
The former leader of the Jacobins, Danton, was behaded along with other Jacobin members after they requested that the executions be stopped. -
Robespierre Arrested
Everybody was fed up with Robespierre's blood shed in the name of the Revolution and they saw him as a tyrant and blood-thirsty dictator. -
Execution of Robespierre
After trying to kill himself from a bullet to his chin, he was sent to the guillotine. It ended his life and marked the end of the Reign of Terror. -
Period: to
Napoleon's Egyptian campaign
Napoleon is unsuccessful in the military but discovers the Rosetta Stone. -
Napoleon gains power by a coup d'etat
Overthrows the Committee of Public Safety to end the French Revolution. -
Code Napoleon
The Code Napoleon is declared which is based on ideas of the Enlightenment. It made all of the laws very clear and equal. Napoleon also declares him emperor. -
Joseph Bonaparte becomes King of Naples
Napoleon pulls some strings and makes his brother a King -
Invasion of Spain
Costed France 300 000 lives -
Invasion of Russia
Invaded Russia with 500 000 troops -
Congress of Vienna
Ends the Revolution and restores the European monarchies. -
Napleon Exiled for the Second Time
He's exiled to St. Helena where he dies
