-
The beginning of the revolution
The Estates general were started by King Louis XVI with the intentions of solving the monarch's finacial crisis. There were three classes represented by the Estates general which were the nobles, the clery, and the rest of the population, also known as the third estates. This was the start of the revolution. -
Fall of the Bastille
The Bastille was a medieval fortress in east Paris that mainly housed political prisoners. A mob of angry, unemployed and hungry Parisians attacked the Bastille due to their frustration and finally got the commander of Bastille, Marquis de Launy to surrender. King Louis XVI withdrew his roayl troops after hearing of this event and could no longer reverse the revolution. -
March of Versailles
An angry mob of 7,000 working women armed with pitchforks, pikes and muskets marched to Versailles from Paris in the rain. These women were angry due to their life style compared to the life style of the roayl family. The crowd demanded bread and wanted to bring to King and his family back to Paris to "live among the people." The king, Louis agreeded to go thinking it would a temporary stay, but on the way back they chanted about their new baker's. -
Flight to Varennes
After much debate, the National Assembly decided to impoe limits to the King's authority. The King would have veto power, but the Assemblt could easly overrule the veto. These restrictions apalled Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. They decided to leave France and go to Austria, hoping to be reinstated on the throne as absolute monarchs. Before they lefted the king wrote a manifest denouncing the revolution. The roayl family tried to flee Paris, but were recognized in Varennes and forced back. -
Dissolution of the National Assembly
France was proclaimed as a constitutional monarchy, while the National Assembly were over thrown by the new Legislative Assembly. -
War
French declared war on Austria. The support for war ws growing in French monarchies due to the belief of surrounding neighbors becoming stronger than them and they thought they would be easily overthrown if the French did not do something. -
Attack on the Tuileries Palace
The Austrian and Prussian allies started advancing into French territory. The king of France was widely viewed as a traitor for trying to flee the country. On August 10, the palace was attacked, while the king and queen escaped to the legislative assembly, whom then arrested them due to fear of further violence. The revolution was turning into a more radical phase. Over the next month many suspected royalists were executed, which was known as the "September Massacre." -
Period: to
Decleration of the Republic and the Trial of Louis
The Legislative assembly disbanded and replaced itself with with a new political group called the National Convention. The first act was to declare France as a republic. Meanwhile, Louis XVI was charged with treason and Marie Antoinette was accused for multiple crimes due to rumors. Both the queen and king got decapitated. -
Period: to
Reign of Terror
During this time over 16,000 were guillotined. Many French revolutionary leaders were now either dead or had fleed their country. Robespierre brought the Committe of Public Saftey into the National Convention and tried to dominate France. Robespierre was later arrested and guillotined. -
The ride of Napoleon
Returned from an exploration in Egypt and called himself the first counsel.