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Convening of the Estates General
The Estates General reconvened after 150 years under Louis XVI. This was the beginning of the Revolution. The estates were called to figure out how to sort out the economical crisis. The Third Estate was against the introduction of new taxes to the poor while the two higher classes were for it. This picture was painted by Isidore-Stanislaus Helman at the time. -
Tennis Court Oath
After the initial meeting of the Estates General, the third Estate had found its voice had been silenced. Gathering in a nearby royal gym, they swore to continue meeting until a new government was formed. They called themselves the National Convention and created a document called the Rights of Man, which was essential to them. This was the beginning of the political revolution. This move by the Third Estate angered the king and he had to cooperate with them. -
Storming of the Bastille
The citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille, a medieval castle used as a prison. They slayed the guards and freed all the prisons. This was a metaphorical victory against the monarchy for the people because the Bastille was a symbol of feudal rule. -
King Louis moves to Paris
The women of Paris marched to Versailles, where the king used to live. They forced him to leave his palace and live in Paris, among the citizens. -
The king tries to leave France
King Louis XVI and his family tried to leave under the cover of darkness. They tried to escape to Austria but was caught 100 km from the border. To the people of France, this was seen as the king train to abandon them at the worst time. After this incident, he was placed under armed guard to make sure he didn't attempt to escape again. -
Execution of Louis XVI
King Louis was executed under the guillotine, after being on trial and being convicted of treason. -
Death of Jean-Paul Marat
Marat, a radical newspaper author, shared his views and ideas using the newspaper. This became the fastest way to share ideas and plans among revolutionaries. He had proposed multiple schemes but his voice was finally silenced by a young lady, Charlotte Corday, who wanted to stop the flow of radicals ideas. -
The Thermidorian Reaction & beginning of the White Terror
The Thermidorian Reaction was a outbreak of Girondists who had survived the Terror. They brought about the execution of Robespierre, and banned all Jacobins from the National Assembly. The White Terror was a period where all from the Jacobin political club were tried and executed for their harsh ways. -
Execution of Robespierre
Robespierre was a young lawyer and politician during the Revolution. Because of his stance against the death penalty and rights for the poor, he was called "The Incorruptable". But further on, where the National Assembly was in full power, he turned on his former nature and was actually one of the actuators of the Terror, as well as calling for the execution of the his political opponents. -
Period: to
French Revolution
