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The meeting of the Estates-General
On the brink of bankruptcy, Louis XVI summons the Estates-General to gather at Versailles -
The Tennis Court Oath
After being outvoted by the First and Second Estates, the Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly. After being locked out of their meeting hall, the National Assembly reconvened at a nearby indoor tennis court. It was there with a small crowd of curious spectators they took the oath to "never separate and to meet wherever circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution" -
Storming Of The Bastille
Upon hearing rumors about royal troops about to occupy the capital, 800 Parisians assembled outside the Bastille. They demanded weapons and gunpowder that they believed to be stored there. The commanding officer refused and opened fire on the crowd. In the ensuing battle, the commander, five guards and many more Parisians died. -
The Reign Of Terror
France was threatened by danger on all sides. France was at war with Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, and Prussia. In Vendee, royalists and priests lead peasants in riots against the government. -
The Rise of Napoleon
Born in Corsica, Napoleon was began a military career at the early age of 9. During the revolution he found himself a 20 year old lieutenant. He rose quickly through the ranks during the revolution. In 1799 he began his political career, and in 1804 he crowned himself emperor. -
Creation of an Empire
Among Napoleons most lasting reforms, was a new code of laws called the Napoleonic Code. It had a lot of Enlightenment principles, such as right to religion, equality, and abolition of feudalism. -
Napoleons Empire collapses
In 1812, Napoleon launched a military campaign to conquer Russia. However, due to the climate and heavy Russian resistance, it failed horribly. After retreating from Russia, Russia, Britain, Austria, and Prussia formed an alliance. In 1813, they defeated Napoleon in the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig. The next year, he abdicated the throne, and was exiled to Elba. He escaped, and in March 1815, he returned to France, only to be defeated and exiled once more. He died in 1821. -
Congress of Vienna
After Napoleons second and final defeat at Waterloo, diplomats and heads of state met at the Congress of Vienna. Facing the massive task of restoring order to Europe after years of war. They met for 10 months from September 1814 to June 1815. They ringed France with strong nations and spread land between certain countries. They also restored monarchies to Portugal, Spain and Italian states.