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May 5, 1789 Meeting With Estates-General
The meeting of the Estates-General was held at the Menus-Plaisirs building in Versailles, France. The meeting was called by King Louis XVI to address the political conflict and weaknesses in the kingdom. The Estates-General consisted of representatives of the three orders of the French society (the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners). -
Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath was an oath taken by Third Estate delegates to "not separate and to reassemble wherever necessary until the Constitution of the kingdom is established." This pledge was taken on a tennis court; specifically the Royal Tennis Court in Versailles, France. The Tennis Court Oath was taken on the initiative of Jean Joseph Mounier, a French politician and judge. -
Storming of the Bastille
The Storming of the Bastille occurred in Paris, France when revolutionists attempted to storm and take control of the Bastille. The Bastille was a medieval armoury, fortress and political prison. After four hours of battle and 94 deaths, the revolutionists were able to get into the fortress. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
The Declaration of the Rights of Man is a human civil rights document from the French Revolution. Similar to the American Declaration of Indepence, the Declaration of the Rights of Man proclaims individual inalienable rights and freedoms. This document established a new government for France, and impacted later human rights movements around the world. -
Women's March on Versailles
The Women's March on Versailles was one of the most impactful and significant events of the French Revolution. Women in the marketplaces of Paris began rioting over the high price of bread. The crowd of women eventually grew into a crowd of thousands. They raided the city armory for weapons and marched on the Palace of Versailles. These events resulted in the end of the king's independence and indicated a new balance of power known as the Third Estate. -
Execution of King Louis XVI
King Louis XVI was beheaded by a guillotine during the French Revolution at the Place de la Révolution in Paris. He was convicted of high treason in a near-unanimous vote. The execution was performed by Charles-Henri Sanson. -
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Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a period of the French Revolution when a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place. The term "Terror" used to describe the time period was introduced by the Thermidorian Reaction to discredit Maximilien Robespierre and justify its own actions. 16,594 official death sentences had been dispensed throughout France during the French Revolution. -
Maximilien Robespierre's Execution
On July 27, 1794, Maximilien Robespierre and a number of his followers were arrested, and the next day they were executed at the Place de la Révolution by a guillotine before a cheering crowd. The executioner of Robespierre and his followers was Charles-Henri Sanson. Following his beheading, the crowd cheered and applauded for around fifteen minutes straight. -
Napoleonic Code is Established
The Napoleonic Code was a civil code established in France. The code was the result of Napoleon Bonaparte's project to update the country's laws and legal system. This code gave Napoleon Bonaparte a boost in reputation and support, and he was credited with bringing the French Revolution to a peaceful end. -
Napoleon Crowns Himself Emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of the French at Notre Dame de Paris. The ceremony was known as the "Sacre" and broke from tradition in many different ways. There are historical legends and accounts stating that Napoleon seized the crown from Pope Pious VII and crowned himself. -
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Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was the state of war fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom against the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. Britain's Spanish and Portuguese allies helped Britain hold off a great amount of French numbers before winning a series of battles and driving them out. Napoleon and the French lost the Peninsular War and this resulted in Napoleon abdicating (stepping down from) his throne and the fall of the First French Empire.