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Famine
In this time, the common folk of France were starving. This was because of lots of debt and higher taxes. This would cause the anger of the normal people against the noble people. This was important because it showed that people were getting tire of the king. -
The Estates-General
This was the meeting between the three estates, the Clergy (1st), nobility (2nd) and the rest (3rd). In this meeting the representatives talked on how they could fix their financial crisis. While they were there the other estates made the 3rd Estate very angry. This event was the first time the king let the people have any power, but he treated them unfairly, making them even more angry. -
The Creation of the National Assembly
The National Assembly was a group of middle class people who, while at the Estates General, decided to make their own government. This government would be a republic, where there would be equality for everyone. They swore their oath and declared their independence on a tennis court, hence the name the Tennis Court Oath. -
Storming of the Bastille
The Storming of the Bastille was an attack on the Bastille, a French military fort/prison. The National Assembly wanted to have it for it's weapons. They would use these weapons to fight the opposition. This event was the first time people started to really get scared by the assembly, because now they had powerful arms. -
Abolition of Feudalism
This was one of this first things the National Assembly did. They took many special rights away from the clergy and nobility. They did this to try to make everyone equal. -
Women's March on Versailles
The Woman's March was a march made by women to Versailles. The reason they did this was because they wanted the king to move back to Paris. They brought small cannons and other weapons with them on the march. This was important because it was another example of the king doing what the people said to do. -
Flight to Varennes
The Flight to Varennes was when the King and Queen were getting so scared of the National Assembly, they decided to run away. They dressed as peasants and rode on a horse and carriage. Then, they were found by someone, and was arrested. The National Assembly saw this as the King abdicating the throne, so now the Assembly thought they were in power. This event shows a even more major shift in power, from the first two estates, to the third. -
The Constitution of 1791
This constitution had many laws in it. First, it would make France an constitutional monarchy. Second, it would take away power from the clergy. Third, it would make everyone pay equal taxes. This event marks the end of the French monarchy. -
Louis XVI Becomes Prisoner
When the army of the Paris Commune attacked the king's palace, he decided to leave. He went to the National Assembly were he knew he would not be attacked. They decided to take him prisoner, and took away all his power. This would be the last time the king had any power. -
The Execution of Louis XVI
After a long time of keeping him prisoner the people were getting angry that the Assembly was not killing him. There were armies that were going to France, so they decided to charge the former King with conspiracy against France. He was executed by a guillotine. This event truly ended any hope of a monarchy for France and enraged other conservative countries.
