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Louis XIV's Death
When Louis XIV died, he left France in great debt. This debt was caused by the building of the Versailles. Louis payed for this to be built by using the people's money from paying taxes. People were angry with him because they wasted his money on building this huge palace that was unnecessary to them. Another thing that left them in debt was constant warfare. Paying for all of the weapons, clothes, food and drinks also took out a big chunk of the tax payers money. -
Robespierre became leader of Reign of Terror
Robespierre was born on May 6th, 1758. He was a Jacobin leader. He built a republic of virtue, changed the calendars and also closed all of the churches. The Committee of Public Safety was there to protect the Revolution from its enemies. The Reign of Terror was when Robespierre ruled nearly as a dictator and thousands of people were executed. This was suggested that it enabled French citizens to remain true to the ideas of the Revolution. -
Meeting of the Estates General
Estates General was an assembly of representatives from all 3 estates to approve the new tax. They met in a separate hall to vote and each had 1 vote. The economic problems facing France was heavy taxes made it very hard to conduct business profitably, bad weather caused crop failures and the price of bread doubled which caused starvation. Louis called for it because he was indecisive and allowed matters to drift. On May 5, Louis convened the Estates General. -
Storming of the Bastille
The storming of the Bastille was when people thought Louis was intent on using military force to dismiss the National Assembly. Others also thought foreign troops were coming to Paris to massacre French citizens. People then gathered weapons and stormed the Bastille. This event is important because it is now seen as a symbolic act and started the revolution. -
National Assembly & Tennis Court Oath
The National Assembly was a French Congress established by representatives of the 3rd estate to create laws for the French people. It was formed because the 3rd estate wanted to speak up and create their own laws for the people. The Tennis Court Oath is a pledge made by the members of the National Assembly who said they weren't leaving the meeting until they drew up a new constitution. -
Great Fear
The Great Fear was a period of panic that was throughout the French countryside. This happened in result of the storming of the Bastille. There were rumors that nobles were hiring outlaws to terrorize peasants and as a result the peasants began attacking nobles and manors. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
Declaration of Rights of Men was a statement of revolutionary ideas. It claimed all men were born with liberty, property and security. It also guaranteed equal justice, freedom of speech and religion. -
Women's Riot and march on Versailles
This was when women rioted over the rising price of bread. They were demanding that the National Assembly did something about it. They were so angry that they broke into the Versailles and killing some guards while doing so. They demanded that Louis and Marie Antoinette return to Paris, in which they eventually did. -
Royal Family Attempts to Escape
Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette and their immediate family tired to escape from Paris. They got close to the boarder, but got caught and returned back to Paris under guard. -
September Massacre
September Massacre was when citizens raided prisons and murdered over 1,000 prisoners. This is because there was a rumor that foreign armies would attack Paris and the inmates of the prison would be freed and join the killing spree. -
Louis was executed
Louis was sentenced to death by the National Convention and he was put to death by the Guillotine. He was convicted of conspiracy with foreign powers. -
Execution of Robespierre
The members of the National Assembly demanded Robespierre's arrest and death, and he did on July 28, 1794. People became suspicious of him because he sent his close friends to the guillotine so they teamed up against him and sent him to death. -
New Government Formed
The upper middle class called for a two-house legislature and an executive body of 5 men. The body of 5 men was also known as the Directory. The Directory lasted four years from November 1795 to November 1799.
