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National Assembly
On June 17th, 1789, the Third Estate voted to establish the National Assembly, in effect proclaiming the end of the absolute monarchy and the beginning of representative government. -
Tennis Court Oath
The THird Estate Delegate found themselves locked out of their meeting room. They broke down a door to an idoor tennis court, pledging to stay until they had a new plan drawn up. -
Storming of Bastille
On July 14th, a mob searching for gunpowder and arms stormed the Bastille, a Paris prisonl. The mob over whelmed the guard and seized control of building. The angry attackershacked the prison commander and several guards to death, and then paraded around the streets with the dead men's heads on pikes. -
Assembly Reforms France
Throughout the night, noblemen made grand speeches, declaring their love of liberty and equality. Motivated more by fear than by idealism, they joined other members of the National Assembly in sweeping away the feudal privileges of the First and Second estates, thus making commoners equal to the nobles and the clergy. By morining, the Old Regime was dead. -
Legislative Assembly
In September 1791, the National Assembly completed the new constitution, which Louis reluctantly approved. The constitution created a limited constitutional monarchy. It stripped the king of much of his power and created a new legislative body- the Legislative Assembly. -
Bread Riots
In October 1789, thousands of Parisian women rioted over the rising price of bread. Brandishing knives, axes, and other weapons, the women marched on Versailles. They demanded that the National Assembly take action to provide bread and that the king and queen return to Paris. -
Louis Tries to Escape
In June 1791, the royal family tried to escape from France to the Austrian Netherlands. As they neared the border, however, they were apprehended and returned to Paris underguard. Louis's attempted escape increased the influence of his radical enemies in the government and sealed his fate. -
Attack on Paris
On August 10, about 20,000 men and women invaded the Tuileres, the palace where the royal family was staying. The mob massacred the royal guards and imprisoned Louis, Marie Antoinette, and their children.
