-
Accession of Louis XVI
Louis XVI ascended to the throne with the death of his grandfather, Louis XV. The man proved to be incapable of leading and his powers were soon limited by the National Assembly. -
American Declaration of Independence
The American colonies united against Britain, who was currently being ruled by George III. The Declaration of Independence was what started this revolution when George III refused to acknowledge it and war was declared. -
Period: to
Sans-culottes
The Sans-culottes were the radical lower-class of France who drove the revolution forwards. They pushed for economic equality, and a majority of them made up the Paris Commune (who stormed Tuleries). -
Period: to
Estates General
Louis XVI called the Estates General, which represented the 3 estates (clergy, nobility, and peasants), to raise taxes. When the assembly failed to come to an agreement, the Third Estate broke away from the General and created the National Assembly. -
Period: to
National Assembly
Otherwise known as the Constituent Assembly, this revolutionary assembly was made up of the Third Estate, who swore by the Tennis Court Oath to not disband until they created a new constitution. The assembly restricted the monarchical power of Louis XVI through constitutions and pursued economic reforms that benefited the Third Estate. -
Tennis Court Oath
The representatives of the Third Estate broke away from the Estates General and created the National assembly through this oath. It swore that the members would not disband until the creation of a new constitution and is considered the 1st act of the French Revolution. -
Storming of the Bastille
The Bastille, a prison, was stormed by the members of the Permanent Committee of the common people. Seven prisoners were freed and led to the confirmation of the National Guard by Louis XVI. It's considered a symbol of national triumph in the French Revolution. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
A constitution created by the National Assembly that limited the power of the monarchy. It guaranteed freedom of speech, religion, among other things. It led to the establishment of the Legislative Assembly. -
March on Versailles
A mob of armed Parisian woman marched to Versailles to demand lower prices for bread. It forced the royals to return to Paris and accept the decrees of the National Assembly. In the end, wagons filled with flour were brought to the women. -
Declaration of Pillnitz
Prussia and Austria issued a statement that urged the powers of Europe to restore the French monarchy. The European powers supported the emigres, whom the Legislative Assembly wanted expelled from foreign countries, which led to the War of the 1st Coalition. -
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Mary Wollstonecraft and Olympe de Gouges, a french women, issued the Vindication of the Rights of Woman that advocated for equality. Olympe was executed during the reign of terror for challenging tradition views and the Vindication was not acknowledged by the National Assembly. -
Period: to
Paris Commune
A collective group of radical Parisian political groups who took power from the Legislative Assembly. It forced the Legislative Assembly to suspend the monarchy and called for a National Convention. During the brief time they were in power they executed the leading Girondins and "traitors." -
September Massacres
A mob in Paris began killing thousands of prisoners after the overthrow of the monarchy. The ruling National Convention and the leading Girondins blamed radicals like Robespierre and Danton for the massacre, -
Creation of the Republic
The National Convention was created after the Paris Commune, and it's first meeting determined the fate of the king, Louis XVI. The republic lasted until 1804, when Napoleon overthrew the Directory. -
Jacobins vs. Girondins
The Jacobins were a radical political group that advocated for the execution of Louis XVI. The Girondins were originally a subdivision of the Jacobins, however, they advocated for keeping the king alive. The Jacobins won and Louis XVI was executed. -
Execution of Louis XVI
The National Convention met to determine the fate of the king, the political group called the Jacobins voted for his beheading. So, in 1793, he was beheaded and the monarchy was no more, instead a republic would rule until 1804. -
Period: to
Committee of Public Safety
The Committee of Public Safety's members were elected by the National Convention to protect the nation from foreign powers and oversee executions. It was ruled by Georges Danton until 1793, then it was taken over by Robespierre. During this time it oversaw the Reign of Terror and lost its power when Robespierre was executed. -
Period: to
Reign of Terror/Robespierre
The Committee of Public Safety took it into their power to execute suspected enemies of the republic. This movement became known as the Reign of Terror and was ruled by Robespierre. Among these execution were Olympe de Gouges and Marie Antoinette. -
Execution of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette was the queen of France and wife of Louis XVI, she was executed for her involvement with the monarchy. During the Reign of Terror, the dethroned queen and others who spoke against the republic, were executed through the use of the guillotine. -
Execution of Robespierre
Robespierre was declared an outlaw by the National Convention and was executed at the Place de la Revolution for his participation in the Reign of Terror. This concluded the Committee of Public Safety and the Reign of Terror, which eventually led to the establishment of the Directory. -
Period: to
Thermidorian Reaction
The period between the execution of Robespierre and the creation of the Directions in which some of the previous values of 1789 were restored. During this time the Terror resided, the Jacobin club was shut down, Girondins were reinstated, and a new constitution called the Constitution of the Year III was created. -
Period: to
War of the Second Coalition
After French lose at the Battle of the Nile, the Second Coalition formed. It consisted of an alliance between Turkey, England, Austria, and Russia against France and only ended with the Peace of Amiens. -
Coup'd'etat
Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the Directory with the help of Abbe Sieyes and others. Napoleon eventually demolished the republic and declared himself emperor of France. -
Concordat of 1801
The Concordat of 1801 was a negotiation between Pope Pius VII and Napoleon to restore the Catholic Church in France. This meant that the church was no longer an enemy of France's government and wouldn't oppose Napoleon's reforms. -
Napoleonic Code
The Napoleonic code was a set of laws created by Napoleon Bonaparte that provided France with a uniform legal system. It provided religious toleration and equality, abolished serfdom, introduced property rights, and undid radical divorce laws/proclaimed women as less equal than men. -
Period: to
Continental System
Napoleon Bonaparte attempted to prevent British goods from reaching the European continent with the Berlin Decree. Britain responded with the Order in Council (which led to the War of 1812) and the Continental System failed. -
Period: to
Confederation of the Rhine
The Confederation of the Rhine was an organization of states that formed the First French Empire. It originally started with sixteen German states after the Battle of Austerlitz. When Napoleon began losing power, the Confederation disbanded. -
Treaty of Tilsit
Two treaties signed by France, Prussia, and Russia after the battles of Jena and Auerstad. The treaty made France and Russia allies and forced Russia and Prussia into the Continental System. When Russia found that this treaty hurt trade, they backed out of it and Napoleon declared war. -
Period: to
Russian Campaign
After Russia refused to be a part of the Continental System, Napoleon crossed the river of Niemen and invaded. Russian forces refused to engage, retreating and burning villages to leave no supplies for the French. Napoleon's forces entered Moscow to find the city in flames and, realizing his army wouldn't survive, retreated. -
Waterloo
A combined English and Prussian force led by the Duke of Wellington (Arthur Wellesley) defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. The former emperor of France was exiled to St. Helena, where he later died. This battle also led to the Treaty of Paris, which limited France's power.
