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Period: to
National Assembly (Moderate Phase)
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The Estates General meets
Each estate had the same representation after meeting. As a result of Louis XIV bring each estate together, it was proven that the third estate was larger than the first and the second. It was significant because it was the first Estates General meeting that he had called since 1614. The meeting consisted of the first estate (clergy), second estate (nobility), and the third estate (commoners). -
3rd Estate declared themselves the “National Assembly”
A group of people began calling themselves the National Assembly. These people represented the third estate which included commoners and the lower clergy. They also called for the drafting of a constitution. The significance from this event was that the group of people took an oath to force a new constitution on the king. The people who were part of this event were the people who were part of the third estate. -
The Tennis Court Oath
A vow which said "not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established." The signing of this was significant because only 576 of the 577 members of the third estate signed it. The one member from the third estate who refused to sign was Joseph Martin-Dauch. -
Storming of the Bastille
A state prison was attacked by an angry and aggressive mob. It became a symbol of the monarchy's dictatorial rule. This was a significant event because it became one of the defining moments in the French Revolution. Bernard-René Jourdan was the commander of the state prison the day that it was stormed on. -
National Assembly issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
This declaration defined individual and collective rights for the people during the French Revolution. This was significant because before this declaration, all men were not considered equal, and some men were "higher" in peoples eyes. This event impacted all people at the time of the French Revolution by making everyone looked at as being "equal". -
Women's March to the Palace of Versailles
A day when an angry mob of women armed with pitchforks, pikes, and muskets marched in the rain from Paris to Versailles during the French Revolution. The women chanted the word "bread" to the beat of a drum. This was significant because it was a pivotal event which made the French Revolution more intense. Nearly 7,000 working women participated in this march to Versailles. -
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette attempt to flee France
This was a royal flight to Varennes on the night of June 20-21 1791. This was a significant event because the attempt of them to escape was unsuccessful. They wished to escape from Paris in order to initiate a counter-revolution at the head of loyal troops under royalist officers near the frontier. This event involved Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette, and their immediate family. -
Creation of Legislative Assembly
This was the governing body of France and also replaced the National Constituent Assembly. It was formed under the Constitution of 1791 which created a constitutional monarchy with Louis XVI as the head of state. The government formed from this event was a Limited Monarchy. The National Assembly got the Constitution signed and the king was loosing his power. The people involved in this were a group of people in France who came together to form this governing body. -
Period: to
National Assembly (Radical Phase)
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Creation of National Convention
This was the assembly that governed France for about three years during the most critical part of the French revolution. The type of government that was created from this event was Republic. This was significant because the king was already put in jail and then executed before this occurred. Therefore, the king was not involved in this event. -
Louis XIV is executed
Louis XIV was executed by the guillotine on this day. This was a significant event because the reason for his execution was that he was convicted of conspiracy with foreign powers. There is no information about who was operating the guillotine when he was killed. -
Reign of Terror/Committee of Public Safety
A period of remorseless bloodshed. The period of the Terror during the French Revolution. It was significant because the purpose was to purge France of enemies and protect the country from foreign invaders. Robespierre was the man who led the Reign of Terror. -
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette Executed
Both were executed by the guillotine in "Revolution Square". Marie was executed many months after Louis was. The significance of this event was that they were both executed in the same way two years after attempting to flee. This event involves Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette -
Maximilien Robespierre is executed
In the afternoon on July 28, 1794 Robespierre was executed without a trial. This was a significant event because the others who were executed were given a trial, however, Robespierre was not. There were multiple other people executed on this day including his brother Augustin, Couthon, Saint-Just, Hanriot, and twelve other followers. the cobbler Antoine Simon, the jailor of Louis-Charles, Dauphin of France, were also executed on this day. -
Period: to
Directory Phase
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Period: to
Age of Napoleon
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France is ruled by the Directory
A five member committee who governed France which was eventually overthrown. This was significant because the Directory was the group who replaced the Committee of Public Safety just to get overthrown. The overthrowing of the Directory was done by Napoleon Bonaparte.
