-
Period: to
The Rise of Napoleon and Creation of an Empire
Napoleon Bonaparte was a french military leader and emperor, he quickly rose through the military ranks during the French Revolution. After seizing political power in France in a 1799 coup d’état, he crowned himself emperor in 1804. Napoleon successfully waged war against various European nations and expanded his empire. But after a unsuccessful French invasion of Russia in 1812, Napoleon abdicated the throne two years later and was exiled to the island of Elba. -
Meeting of the Estates General
Louis XIV called together the three estates for a meeting. He wanted to address the major financial problems that France was having. The estates haven't had a meeting for over 175 years but Louis XIV wanted to find a way to get more money for his country. -
Tennis Court Oath
After weeks of arguing in the estates general, the 3rd estate found themselves kicked out of the chamber. Because they thought that a plan was being plotted against them, they held an emergency meeting at a tennis court nearby. They declared themselves the true representatives of France and called themselves the National Assembly. They vowed not to disband until a new constitution was born that made their life more fair. -
The Storming of the Bastille
Paris citizens storm and eventually destroy a prison fortress known as the Bastille. It was a key event to start the French Revolution and is celebrated every year in France as "Bastille Day." It symbolized the end of a monarchy. -
Declaration of Rights
Contained the principles the inspired the French Revolution. It had 17 articles and was issued by the National Assembly. It called for the government to protect all men because the power belonged to the people -
March on Versailles
Thousands of working women who were angry about bread prices marched 12 miles from Paris to the Palace of Versailles. They break into the palace and kill guards and them force the Royals to go back to Paris with them, where they become prisoners. Another key event of the French Revolution because it caused a lot of chaos and riots. -
Period: to
Reign of Terror
Period of violence in the French revolution caused by conflict between two political factions, Girondins and Jacobins. It was marked by mass executions of "enemies of the revolution." The death toll was in the tens of thousands, with nearly half of that number killed by guillotine. Robespierre was the leader of the Reign of Terror and was the person who traveled with the guillotine as it went around and killed people. -
Napoleon's Empire Collapses
Napoleon's desire for power had raised him to great heights, and the same love of power led him the collapse of his empire. In his efforts to extend the French Empire and
defeat Great Britain, Napoleon made three mistakes. The Continental System, The Peninsular War, and the invasion of Russia. -
Period: to
The Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was convened in 1815 by the four European powers which had defeated Napoleon. The first goal was to establish a new balance of power in Europe which would prevent imperialism within Europe, such as Napoleon's empire, and maintain the peace between the great powers.
