-
Meeting of the Estates General
King Louis called the first meeting of the Estates General since 1614 to address the financial problem France was facing. Representatives from all three estates to give the idea that all classes were represented. At this meeting, the third estate realized how much power they had over the higher estates just by the sheer number of people in their group. -
Storming of the Bastille
Paris revolutionaries stormed the Bastille, a royal fortress and prison that had come to symbolize tyranny to the French people. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizen
After the Meeting of the estate general, the third estate decided to have their own meeting. At this meeting known as France's National Constituent Assembly, the people decided to make a document known as The Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizen. This declaration described the natural rights everybody has and how a government is supposed to protect them. -
Women’s March on Versailles
A mob made up of armed angry women marched from Paris to the kings home. The mob demanded that the king come back with them to Paris so that people would not have to come so far to see their ruler. The king agreed and the women marched him and his family back to Paris. -
France Declares War on Austria
After several threats from the austeria government, Revolutionaries decided to declare war on AUsteria. The leader of this decision hoped that it wuld help to unify the various veiws of the revolution, and would help spred the idea of revolution accross eourope. -
The Execution of King Louis
King Louis XVI was executed after being found guilty of conspiracy with foreign powers by the French national convention. Louis disagreed with the war against Austria which is why he was executed. -
Period: to
Reign of terror
The period in the French revolution when the political group known as the Jacobins took power. Maximilien Robespierre, the leader of the Jacobins, believed the only way to free France was to kill all the nobles and anyone else who was deemed a public enemy. For this reason, he ended up executing thousands of people who weren't really public enemies along with many people who were. This time was known as the reign of terror because so many people were killed. -
Execution of Marie Antoinette
After the abolishment of the monarchy, Marie Antoinette was convicted by the Revolutionary Tribunal of high treason and executed by guillotine. -
Execution of Maximilien Robespierre
In a touch of irony, after executing thousands of "public enemies" Maximilien Robespierre was executed after being deemed a public enemy himself. The death of Robespierre is associated with the end of the reign of terror. -
Napoleon’s Coup d'etat
This is the event that brought General Napoleon Bonaparte to power as the first Console of France. This event is also seen as the event that ended the French revolution.
