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Louis XVI Calls the Estates-General
France tottered on the verge of bankrupcy. Bread riots were spreading and nobles were fearful of taxes, were denouncing royal tyranny. A baffled Louis XVI finally sommoned the Estates General to meet at Versailles the follwoing year. -
Divided French Society/Financial Troubles
In France, everyone was divdied into first estates (clergy), second estate (nobility), and third estates (rest of population). Louis XIV left France deeply in debt and the heirs of Louis XIV failed to solve the economic crisis due to deficit spending. -
Parisians Storm the Bastille
City of Paris seized the spotlight from the National Assembly meeting in Versailles. More than 800 Parisians assembled outside the Bastille. -
Revolt/National Assembly Acts (Rights of Man, Women's March, Church, Constitution
The National assembly voted to end their own privileges. The assembly issued the Declaration of the rights of Man and the Citizen. Women had a march on Versailles demanded to see the king and the church is placed under state control. The Constitution of 1971 established a new government. -
Threats From Abroad
The king of Prussia and the Emperor of Austria issued the Declaration of Pilnitz. In this document, the two monarchs threatened to intervene to protect the French monarchy. -
Civil War (Radicals Take Over)
The newly elected legislative assembly took office. Faced with crises at home and abroad, it survived for less than a year. Economic problems fed renewed turmoil. Assignats, the revolutionary currency, dropped in value, causing proces to rise rapidly. Uncertainty about prices led to hoarding and cause additional food shortages. -
Monarchy is abolished
A crowd of Parisians stormed the Palace of the Tuileries and slaughtered the king's guards. The royal family fled to the legislative assembly, escaping before the mob arrived. -
Spread of Nationalism
Revolution and war gave the French people a strong sense of national identity. By 1793 France was a nation in arms. From the port city of Marseilles troops marched to a rousing new song. -
Robespierre and the Reign of Terror
Robespierre "The incomptible", a shrewd lawyer and politician quickly rose to the leadership of the Committee of Public Safety. Robespierre was one of the chief architects of the Reign of Terror, which lasted from September 1793 to July 1794. -
Third Stage of the Revolution
Moving away from the excesses of the convention, moderates produced another constitution, the third since 1789. The constitution of 1795 set up a five man directory and a two-house legislature. People of the Bourgeoiseie were the dominant force during this stage of the French Revolution. The directory held power from 1795-1799.
