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The Estates-General meeting
Louis XVI held the Estates-General meeting at the Palace of Versailles in an attempt to increase taxes on the third estate as the government's financial crisis was very serious. The third estates representatives demanded the formulation of a constitution to restrict on royal power, and launch more reforms. Louis XVI tried to hold a national meeting to vote. In a result, the third estates won with a slight advantage of 17 votes. However, Louis XVI broke his word and forced a tax increase. -
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The third estate established the National Assembly
The third estate representatives announced that they represented 96% of the nation and then established the National Assembly. In other words, they announced the formation of the country's highest representative body and legislature. The history of the Estates-General meeting is over. -
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Tennis Court Oath
The venue of the National Assembly was locked. Angry delegates gathered at an indoor tennis court and drafted the "Tennis Court Oath." All the delegates in the conference swear unanimously: if a constitution is not drawn up and implemented, the conference will never be dissolved. This is the famous "Tennis Court Oath". -
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An armed uprising
Louis XVI surrendered to the National Assembly but secretly planned an armed suppression. He transferred more than 30,000 mercenaries to Paris. In addition, he fired Jacques Necker again. The news of Necker’s dismissal spread to Paris and aroused the anger of the masses. They walked the streets spontaneously, looking for weapons everywhere, preparing for an armed uprising; the third estate representatives in the Paris City Hall established the National Self-Defense Force. -
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The fall of the Bastille
The masses conquered the Bastille, a symbol of absolute monarchy. Parisians armed with weapons captured one position after another. By the morning of the 14th, the rioters had captured the entire Paris except the the Bastille remained under control of the king's army. The Paris citizens chanted the slogan "Go to the Bastille." After more than four hours of fierce fighting, they captured the Bastille where seven prisoners were released and took control of all of Paris. -
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Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizens
The "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizens" adopted by the National Assembly. It is not only the first declaration of human rights in French history, but also the first formal declaration in the history. The declaration declares: "Men are born, and always continue, free and equal in respect of their rights.". Liberty, property, security, and resistance of oppression is "the natural and imprescriptible rights of man", The aim of all political associations is to protect those right. -
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Louis XVI failed to escape from France
Louis XVI failed to escape from France. Louis XVI publicly swore to uphold the Constitution. The vast majority of the French people believed that he sincerely supported the revolution, loved him heartily regarding him as the king of the France. However, Louis XVI was not happy to be deprived of his royal power. Radicals and Moderates debated fiercely on how to deal with Louis XVI, which caused a complete split between the two parts and drove the French Revolution into a chaotic state. -
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Louis XVI's death
T he National Convention decided to execute Louis XVI for treason after trial. Louis XVI was executed by a guillotine designed by himself in Paris' Revolution Square. However, it is worth noting that when he was sent to the guillotine, Louis XVI showed the majesty of being a king, not the usual cowardly appearance. -
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The Thermidor reaction
Robespierre and other 22 people were sent to guillotine. At the moment Robespierre was cut off, the crowds who watched expressed their joy and applauded for 15 minutes. After the Jacobins were executed more than a hundred people. The Thermidor reaction overthrew the rule of Jacobins. In the coup, a regime represented by the Reign of Terror was established. France entered a period of safeguarding the achievements of the Great Revolution. -
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Coup of 18 Brumaire
Napoleon launched a Coup of 18 Brumaire under the pretext of lifting the Jacobin’s overthinking of the French First Republic, and took control of the governorate. He took over all affairs of the revolutionary government and began a 15-year dictatorship. Since then, he has continuously taken military actions, decisively attacking several counterattacks by European old orders against France. It was the end of the French Revolution.