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The Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath occurred when members of the Third Estate, who were excluded from the Estates General, took an oath to not separate until they had given France a new constitution. This event was significant because it marked the beginning of a constitutional revolt against Louis XVi and the old government. The oath would lead to the forming of the National Assembly, which would later adopt the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. -
Storming of the Bastille
On July 14, 1789, a Paris mob stormed the Bastille, a royal prison, in search of weapons and ammunition. The event would become a symbol of the revolution and the support behind it. The storming of the Bastille ignited the Great Fear in the countryside, where peasants, fearing aristocratic retaliation, began to attack noble estates. -
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The Great Fear in the countryside
The Great Fear was a wave of panic that spread throughout the French countryside in the summer of 1789. Peasants, scared by talks of an aristocratic conspiracy to stop the revolution, began attacking nobles and their estates. This unrest greatly influenced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, which laid the groundwork for legal equality. -
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The National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
In August 1789, the National Assembly adopted this document, which proclaimed the equality of all men and the natural rights of individuals, such as liberty and property. This was a pivotal moment in establishing the principles of human rights and equality. It helped lay the foundation for the Constitution of 1791, which aimed to create a constitutional monarchy, reducing the political power of King Louis XVI -
The Constitution of 1791 sets up a constitutional monarchy in France
The constitution of 1791, created by the National Assembly, transformed France into a constitutional monarchy, limiting the power of the King and creating a legislative body. This was a large step towards democracy although the monarchy still existed. This would contribute to the Woman's March on Versailles, where women who were frustrated with the Royal Families lack of care, marched to Versailles and forced the royal family to move back to Paris. -
The Women’s March on Versailles
The Women's March on Versailles was a critical movement when thousands of women, frustrated with the lack of action from the royal family, marched from Paris to Versailles, demanding action from King Louis. This march led to the king and queen being forced to move to Paris. The march as intensified political tension, leading the Legislative Assembly to declare war on Austria, as revolutionaries feared royalist sympathies within the monarchy. -
The legislative Assembly declares war on Austria
In April 1792, the Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria, fearing foreign intervention to help the royal family. The war led to military failures, which grew the discontent with King Louis XVI, culminating in his execution in 1793. -
Louis XVI is executed
King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine on January 21,1793, after being convicted of treason. His death symbolized the end of the monarchy and the rise of the republic. His execution sparked the Reign of Terror, which was led by Robespierre and radical revolutionaries, who wanted the protect the revolution from both internal and external enemies. -
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Robespierre's Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror, led by Maximilien Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety, was a period of extreme violence where thousands of suspected enemies of the revolution were executed by guillotine. Robespierre's radical ideologies split France, and his authoritarian rule eventually would lead to his downfall. The end of the Reign of Terror brought the rise of the Directory, a five member executive government that took control after Robespierre's execution. -
The Dircectory is installed
In 1795, the Directory was established as the executive branch of the French government after the execution of Robespierre. The Directory was known for inefficiency, curruption, and instability. It led to failures, which led to dissatisfaction, which allowed Napoleon Bonaparte to be able to seize power through the coup d'état in 1799. -
Napoleon's coup d'etat, overthrowing the directory
On November 9,1799, Napoleon staged a coup against the Directory, officially dissolving the government and replacing it with the Consulate. This coup marked the end of the French Revolution and the beginning of France's Napoleon era. His rise to power eventually led to him being declared First Consul, solidifying his control over France. -
Napoleon is declared First Consul
After the coup, Napoleon was declared First Consul, which saw him gain almost absolute power. This change marked the start of a new authoritarian regime under Napoleon. His rise of power eventually led to the Battle of Trafalgar, where France's chances of dominating Naval warfare was crushed. -
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar, fought between the British and French/Spanish fleets in 1805, was a major win for the British because it would ensure that Napoleon could not Britain. This defeat led to to Napoleon focusing on land campaigns. One of his campaigns across eastern Europe would see Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Leipzig. -
Napoleon is defeated at Leipzig
In 1813, Napoelon suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of Leipzig. This defeat marked the beginning of the end of the Napoleonic Empire, as the coalition of European nations fighting Napoleon would soon outpower him. This loss would ultimately lead to Napoleon's exile to Elba in 1814. -
Napoleon is defeated at Waterloo
Napoleon returned from exile in Elba and briefly regained power, but he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815 by a coalition of the British and Prussians. This defeat marked the end to Napoleon's rule and the Napoleonic Wars. After this loss, Napoleon was exiled to St. Helena, a remote island in the southern Atlantic. -
Napoleon is exiled to St. Helena
After his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to St. Helena, where he lived the rest of his life. His exile marked the end to his empire and the Napoleonic era. This event also signaled the Restoration of a monarchy in France and the return to traditional European monarchies.