-
Estates General Meeting
A meeting with representatives from members of all three estates is held for the first time in over a hundred years. It is held in attempt to solve the growing famine, unrest, and financial crisis. -
Tennis Court Oath declared
The third estate members, finding themselves locked out of the Estates General, agree not to stop meeting each other until a new governing document has been created for the people of France. -
National Assembly Formed
The National Assembly was like a court for the people and a replacement for the monarchical systems power. -
Storming of the Bastille
The French people violently take over the Bastille, taking all its good, such as gun powder and weapons, and then tearing it down. -
Declaration of thof Mane Rights Written
The Declaration of the Rights of Man is a document not unlike the US Declaration of Independence. Its purpose was to separate from the unjust and inhumane rule of the king. -
Period: to
Legislative Assembly makes laws in France
The Legislative Assembly is an entity that functions separately from the National Assembly in the time before the radical takeover and reign of terror. It separated into three major political parties. There was the Radicals, seated in the left wing, the Centrists, seated in the middle, and the Conservatives, sitting in the right wing. -
Execution of King Louis XVI
The King is executed with the guillotine after being caught fleeing to Austria with his family and deemed treasonous. -
Period: to
Committee of Public Safety governs France
A committee of twelve mostly ruled by Robespierre takes complete control of France. -
Period: to
The Reign of Terror
The radical party takes over and, headed up by Robespierre, the Committee for Public Safety begins killing any and all people believed or connected with their opposition. Pretty much anyone could be sentenced to death for pretty much anything. -
Period: to
Dechristianization
The radicals wanted the power of the church to be totally gone so they rename any streets with the word saint, destroy churches and religious artwork, and completely change the calendar so that Sunday or even a seventh day no longer exists. -
Execution of Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre is executed after finally becoming too corrupt, powerful, and paranoid for his colleagues. With his death the reign of terror ends. -
Period: to
The Directory controls France
A group of five people rule France while it is between governments. They are basically there to hold down the fort until someone has a better idea. -
Napoleon takes over in a coup d’etat
Napoleon Bonaparte, a French general, takes control of France. -
Napoleon signs Concordat with Catholic Church
Napoleon is much more willing to partner with the church than the revolutionaries. -
Napoleon crowns himself emperor of France
Napoleon is now in total control of the country. -
Napoleon creates the Napoleonic Code
Napoleon does a lot of very good stuff like standardizing money, providing public education for boys, and repairing the physical damage of the revolution in Paris. -
Napoleon dies after he is banished to island of St. Helena
He escaped from the first island they put him on but did not escape this one.
