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Storming of the Bastille
Royal prison in Paris that was destroyed by the peasants as a symbol of the corruption of the monarchy. The peasants wanted the gunpowder in the prison. -
Meeting of the Estates General
The Third Estate breaks away from the Assembly and forms the National Constituent Assembly. The Third Estate wanted a constitutional monarchy. Adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
Passed by France's National Constituent Assembly and went much further than the Bill of Rights. This was a fundamental document of the French Revolution and the history of human and civil rights. -
Women March on Versailles
One of the earliest and most significat events of the French Revolution. The march began among women in the marketplace who were rioting over the high price and scarcity of bread. The mob grew into a group of thousands as they marched to the Palace of Versailles. -
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
This Constitution allowed the state to confiscate church's property. It made priests into agents of the government. It misread most of the countries temper, as most citizens were good Catholics. The Pope condemned the Costitution, and began a counterrevolution. -
Attempted Escape to Austria by Royal Family
King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were captured by the people during the French Revolution. Eventually, they decided to try to escape to Austria. Their attempt failed, and they were once again captured. This led to the execution of both the King and his wife. -
King Louis XIV Executed
King Louis was put on trial and found guilty of treason against the government for attempting to flee France and for his bad leadership. He was a terrible leader because he drove France deeper into debt and didn't care about his people. -
Beginning of the Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was instituted by Maximilien Robespierre, who was the leader of the Jacobins. This was a threat against all enemies of the Jacobins. They wanted to institute the Republic of Virtue, which had the correct values, such as equality, but was forced upon the people in a violent way. -
Maximilien Robespierre executed
Maximilien Robespierre was the leader of the Jacobins, but went too far in enforcing the new republic. His peers disagreed with his ways of going about the revolution, and overthrew him at a convention. He was sentenced to death for his behavior. -
France sells the United States the Louisiana Territory
The U.S. paid fifty million francs, (11,250,000 USD), to France for this well sought after territory. It included land from 15 present U.S. states, and almost doubled the size of the U.S. -
Napoleon crowns himself Emperor
This was in his effort to form the Bonaparte Dynasty. He was very much well liked because of his successes as a general and his series of acts called the Napoleoic Settlement. -
Congress of Vienna
This was a conference of ambassadors of European countries that met to provide a long-term peace plan for Europe. They wanted to settle critical issues resulting from the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. -
Battle of Waterloo / Napoleon's 2nd abdication and exile.
Napoleon's French army was defeated by the two armies of the seventh coalition. Paris became occupied, which forced Napoleon to give up the thrown.
