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France Joins American Revolution
February 6th,1788 France and the American Colonies formed an alliance and confirmed it with the document known as The Treaty of Alliance. King Louis the XVI wanted to help out the colonists in their war against Britain to avenge his grandfather, King Louis theXIV, who had lost in to Britain in the French & Indian war. During a time when the population grew from 20 million to 26 million, France could hardly afford to help the colonists. It was the start of financial colapse. -
Meeting Of Estates General
France was suffering from a great economical crisis. France had the coldest winter they had had in 90 years from the summer of 1788 to the spring of 1789. It resulted in bad harvests and the prices of crops were being raised. The price of flour and bread was increasing. In May 1789 King Louis XVI called a meeting of the estates generals. The 1st estate being clergy, the 2nd estate being nobility and the 3rd estate being commoners and peasants which made up 97% of the population. -
Tennis Court Oath
The 3rd estate wanted things to change. The members of the 3rd estate wanted to vote by person instead of by estate. It was unfair the 1st & 2nd estate could always overthrow the 3rd estate in voting. When the 3rd estate showed up at the meeting hall to discuss their demands, doors reamained locked. With the Prime Minister, the members of the 3rd estate moved outside and promised to stay strong until a new constitution was written. The Tennis Court Oath was signed, forming the National Assembly. -
The Storming of the Bastille
Troops were surrounding Paris. The people of the revolution needed to band together and fight. The people of the revolution were in need of gun powder for their weapons so they stormed the Bastille. The Bastille was known as the "Den of Torture." By tearing down the Bastille, the people of the revolution symbolized that they were not going to be stopped. It showed there was no revolt coming, there was a revolution forming. -
Decleration of Rights of Man
The National Assembly passed laws stated in the Decleration of Rights of Man in August of 1789. It stated the laws and rules of the revolution which states men are born equal, everyone has a right to liberty, you can think and have your own opinion, and everyone has the right to property and safety. -
March of Versailles
On October 5th, 1789 women gathered in the market place to protest the rising cost of bread. The women picked up weapons and marched to the palace. The women were hungry for the blood of Queen Marie Antoinette. The women broke into the palace and killed guards. The fearless women captured the King and Queen and took them back to Paris as prisoners. In Paris the King and Queen were forced to do whatever they were told to do by the people of the revolution. -
National Assembly Declares War With Austria
France declared war agaisnt Austria in 1792. A lot of Europe was threatened by the fact there was a revolution forming in France. Enemies of the revolution wanted to help King Louis XVI gain back power. Marie Antoinette's family in Austria threatened that if the people of France hurt the royal couple, then the people of France would get hurt in return. -
King Louis XVI Beheaded
King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette tried to escape to Austria from Paris for safety. He had hopes of someone finding him and protecting him from the revolution. He was found before reaching the border and then arrested. He was put to trial anf found guilty of treason. The people of France lost trust in their King, believing he was abondoning his country during a war. People of the revolution believed, the only way for the republic to live, was if the King died. -
Committee of Public Safety
The Committe of Public Safety was formed on April 7th in 1793. 9 members of the Committe of Public Safety was made up to govern the new laws of France. Robespierre took a major role in the committee. The Committe of Public Safety had many ways to follow out new laws, one way being controlled by terror. -
The Last Queen of France Murdered
Marie Antoinette was the last queen of France. She married when she was just a girl. She became a queen when she was so very young. The stress of being hated by her people and being scared for her life truly aged her. She was put in jail and heart broken because her children were taken from her. She was put on trial for committing incest with her son and being guilty of treason. She defended herself against the accusations and it was the last time the women of France sympathized for their queen. -
Jean Paul Marat Murdered
Jean Paul Marat was famous for writing "The Friend of the People" newspaper. He was a writer of the outrageous and believed in The Reign Of Terror. Charollette Corday was an enemy of the revolution because it was so violently one big blood bath. She believed Marat was the "Chief of Killing" so she went to him in his home, and stabbed him to death. Once Jean Paul Marat passed on, he becamse a living legend in France. -
Maximillion Robespierre Murdered
Maximillion Robespierre was murdered on July 28th in 1794. His death is considered to be the end of The Reign Of Terror. He played a huge role during the French Revolution. He was nicknamed "The Uncoruptable." He wanted to completley destroy the Catholic Church. He started the Revolutionary Calendar. He placed God with the Goddess of Reason. He was believed to be going nuts.
