French Revolution

  • Civil Constitution of the Clergy

    The National Assembly created this to help control the power of the Catholic Church. The Assembly had to add a loyalty oath to it after the Clergy got upset about the fact that they would get government wages and would have to be voted in. This forced priests into exile and they often found shelter with peasants.
  • France's First Constitution

    The National Assembly created France's first constitution, which formed a sort of constitutional monarchy. In this form of government, the king rules alongside a Legislative Assembly made up of elected officials with the proper qualifications.
  • War on Austria

    The king and his Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria. They believed that this war would help spread their ideas of revolution further outward and solidify the revolutionary movement. Austria and Prussia were determined to end the revolution.
  • National Convention

    The National convention was created due to the new voting system. They soon abolished the monarchy and established a republic. Political parties began to emerge.
  • Peasant Resistance

    After the king's execution, they started the military draft, a push against the Catholic Church, and the committee was beca=oming more and more unbarable. So the peasants began to revolt.
  • Louis XVI's Execution

    King Louis XVI's execution was the final step of the democratic revolution.
  • Committee of Public Safety

    Radical change continued due to paranoia due to attacks from Prussia and Austria. This caused the National Convention to give executive power to a group known as the Committee of Public Safety. They began arresting and executing the people who were not hyped enough for the revolution.
  • Emergency Authoritarian

    This was done to ensure the safety of democracy, reason, and equality. Robespierre was put in charge and kept on killing his enemies, which was unexpected by the people.
  • Robespierre's Death

    Robespierre was executed along with all of his allies.
  • Thermidorian Reaction of July 1794

    This was caused by the death of Robespierre. Rebelling peasants were given a truce and the convention abolished slavery, as well have revolutionizing many other things.
  • Constitution of 1795

    This second constitution created a two-house legislature and made an executive "branch" made up of five people.
  • Period: to

    Napoleon Bonaparte

    He became an officer and helped lead France to many wins in the war with Austria. He also helped Italy aligning them with sister-cities with constitutions for a democratic system.
  • Italian Campaign

    Napoleon was loved by the military and the peasants, so to keep him out of Paris, the Directory sent him to Egypt to damage British trade. The Directory's plan failed and Napoleon looked like a hero.
  • First Consul of the French Republic

    Napoleon saw flaws in the system so he went to demand a change in the constitution. He was mocked but his brother helped him say the guards attempted to kill him. The government declared him the First Consul of France.