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French Revolution
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Storming of The Bastille
The Bastille was built to protect Paris in the 1300s during the Hundred Years War. King Louis XVI used the Bastille as a state prison. The revolutionaries who stormed the Bastille were members of a French social class called the Third Estate. The Third Estate was demanding from the King more of a say in the government, but they were not given it, so they attacked. They also chose to rebel because they believed that the Bastille was symbolic of the Kings' oppression. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of The Rights of Citizen
This was influenced by the doctrine of "natural right". The declaration was inspired by the Enlightenment philosophers and was the core belief of the values of the French Revolution. This led to the development of ideas such as individual liberty and democracy. This declaration was the foundation of a nation of free people who were equal and protected under the law. -
March on Versailles
A large crowd of women became ready to march through the rain and obtain the bread that they needed for their families to eat. Women along with a few men marched towards Versailles to demand the bread from the King. The King agreed to distribute all of the bread that Versailles had to these women. The National Guard arrived and said they were to bring the King and his family to Paris for protection. The women raided the Palace trying to kill his wife Mary Antoinette, but she escaped in time. -
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
This was an attempt to reform and make beneficial changes in the Catholic Church in France. This was passed by the National Assembly and and became a huge turning point in the French Revolution. The goal was to connect beliefs of French Catholicism to the interest of the state. All members of the clergy were now required to swear an oath of loyalty to the state. This created the most resent and opposition from the french people out of any of the revolutionary policies. -
Royal family attempts to flee
King Louis XVI of France attempted to flee Paris with his wife Marie Antoinette and immediate family over night. They planned to start a counter-revolution once they escaped. They only made it as far as the small town of Varennes where they were caught and arrested. This was a huge turning point where the French people gained more hatred towards the royal family and French Monarchy. This failed attempt to flee would be found as an act of treason which led to the King's execution in 1793. -
The Execution of the King
King Louis XVI was convicted of conspiracy with foreign powers which meant that he would be sentenced to death the next day. The french National Convention decided that the King should be put to death by guillotine. He was to be executed in the Place de la Revolution. Previously in 1792 him and his wife had been arrested. Nine months after execution Marie Antoinette would also be executed due to being convicted of treason. -
Reign of Terror
The Committee of Public Safety which was led by Robespierre utilized a dictatorship over the French government and completed a mass execution. They suspended all suspects of there right to trial, so anyone believed to have committed a crime would simply just be put to death by guillotine. During this Reign of Terror (10 months) around 40,000 people were killed and executed. The executions were public and meant to inflict fear in people who watched, but were also entertainment for people. -
Execution of Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre lead the Jacobins, but was executed which led to the fall of the Jacobins and the rise of their enemies, the Girondins. Previous to his execution, Robespierre was the leader and face of the Reign of Terror. He ended up being overthrown and arrested by the National Convention. Everyone who seemed to be against the revolution became his execution and he had them executed for not being part of his allies. His desire for an ideal republic turned even his allies against him. -
Napoleon takes power
To end the French Revolution, the Coup of 18 gave General Napoleon Bonaparte power as the First Consul of France. He overthrew the Directory and created the French Consulate. While the French Revolution was taking place he gained more and more power in the military as his ranking quickly increased. He received national praise due to his victories in the military and the commoners greatly supported him because he promised to bring domestic peace to France. He later was crowned emperor in 1804.
