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Louis XIV dies leaving France in debt
Before Louis XIV's death, Louis XIV had spent a tremendous amount of money on the Palace of Versailles and for his own needs. Where Louis XIV had gotten that money from was by borrowing it from other countries around France. After Louis XIV died, no one was able to pay off the debt of France. Everyone was unhappy and there was no one to pay off the debt. This led France into the French Revolution. -
The meeting of the Estates General
The Estates General were representatives from all three estates. They always met in the Palace of Versailles to solve any ongoing problems in France and to vote. Louis XVI called forth the Estates General because he wanted to support them in raising taxes. He wanted to help get rid of France's economic troubles. Some of the economic problems that France was facing were the heavy burden of taxes, crop failure, money on war, shortage of grain and the cost of living rose. -
The formation of the National Assembly and Tennis Court Oath
The National Assembly was made up of representatives from the Third Estate. The National Assembly was formed because they needed to create a new constitution for France. As the National Assembly was creating the constitution in the Palace of Versailles, Louis XVI surrounded the place with his army. The National Assembly was not in their meeting place, so they went to a nearby tennis court. They agreed to an oath (Tennis Court Oath) saying they couldn't leave until a new constitution was made. -
The Storming of the Bastille
The Bastille was first a fortification to protect the city of Paris from any attacks. Then later on in the 17th century, the Bastille then became a state prison. The Storming of the Bastille was when an angry mob of people broke into the building looking for weapons to protect themselves from Louis XVI's attacking army. They also went in search for gunpowder inside. The Storming of Bastille was important because it signified the start of the French Revolution. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
The Declaration of the Rights of Man was a document stating all men were born free. The document stated the right that claimed all men were born with was freedom and equality in rights. The document guaranteed liberty, security, property and resistance to oppression to all citizens. The other guarantee that the document gave all citizens were equal justice, freedom of speech and freedom, of religion. -
The royal family attempts to escape
The royal family attempted to escape France because they didn't want to deal with the Revolution. They attempted to flee the country to Austria. Louis XVI was disguised as a butler and his wife was disguised as a Russian maid. Their plan failed and were caught by an outside group from the Legislative Assembly. The royal family was then brought back to Paris and they were then not able to be trusted as a constitutional monarchy. -
Louis XVI is executed
After the royal family's attempt at escaping Paris, they were arrested by an outside group of the Legislative Assembly called the sans-culottes. The National Convention then destroyed the monarchy as the royal family were in prison. Louis XVI was later on executed by guillotine in Paris. After almost a year had past, Louis XVI's wife was also executed in the same place that he was by guillotine. -
Robespierre becomes leader of the Committee of Public Safety/Reign of Terror
Robespierre was the leader of a radical group called the Jacobin. He later became head of the Committee of Public Safety which were a group of people protecting the citizens of France from outsiders. Robespierre wanted to wipe out France's past history, so he closed the churches and got rid of Sunday on the calendar. The Reign of Terror was when Robespierre becomes dictator and suspects that over 300,000 people are enemies of the Revolution. He executes more than 17,000 people by guillotine. -
Robespierre is executed
The Reign of Terror ended right as Robespierre was executed. Members of the National Convention arrested him and a few of his followers. Robespierre inspired his execution and him and his few followers were guillotined in Paris. After his execution, the Committee of Public Safety lost its power. A new government was then formed and it was not a constitutional monarchy. -
A new government is formed
After the execution of Louis XVI and Robespierre, a new government had formed. The Directory was a five man executive body and a two house legislature. The Directory was also controlled by the middle class. For the first few years, the Directory was effective, but then later on, it became corrupted. In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the Directory. -
Napoleon restores order to France
Napoleon was successful in restoring order back to France. Napoleon made France's government more efficient than it was before. He created a natonal bank to keep France's economy stable and not all over the place. He created the Napionic Code, which were a brand new set of laws for France. Since Robespierre closed all the churches in France and removed Sunday on the calendar, Napoleon has undone what Robespierre did.
